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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 06.02.2025, 18-26 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the RU000A0JWHU2 security (RZhD BO-17) were changed.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    06.02.2025

    18:26

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 06.02.2025, 18-26 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 79.5) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 884.7 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 22.5%) of the RU000A0JWHU2 security (RZhD BO-17) were changed.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is account to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect the Position of Mil-Sosi or Its Clients.

    HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Ruble strengthened in December-January, shares of all sectors grew

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    In December-January, the ruble rose against the US dollar by 9%, despite the growth of the American currency on the world market. The strengthening of the ruble occurred against the backdrop of adaptation to the new structure of foreign trade settlements after the sanctions imposed on Russian banks in November.

    At the end of 2024, the trend on the stock market changed: the decline in the Moscow Exchange Index observed in the second half of the year stopped. According to the results of December-January, its growth was 14.4%. At the same time, the volatility of the stock market decreased: the RVI index fell from 55.6 points at the beginning of December to 34.3 points at the end of January. OFZ yields began to decline after the December decision of the Bank of Russia to keep the key rate at 21%.

    Last year, gold in rubles rose in price by almost 45%, demonstrating the highest yield among Russian market instruments. Against the backdrop of high interest rates, money market funds and deposits, both in rubles and foreign currency, also showed yields higher than inflation.

    In January, the situation changed: the most profitable investments were shares of construction companies, which recouped last year’s decline. Gold and ruble deposits continued to yield above inflation, while deposits in US dollars and euros showed negative returns against the backdrop of the strengthening of the Russian currency.

    Read more in the next issue “Review of Financial Market Risks”.

    Preview photo: leungchopan / Shutterstock / Fotodom

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //vv. KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 23352

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Search for man missing in river, Mt Aspiring National Park

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police Search and Rescue are searching this morning for a man missing in a river in Mt Aspiring National Park.

    Emergency services were alerted shortly before 5pm yesterday that a man had fallen from a rock into the river and had failed to resurface.

    A search team immediately deployed to the area however he was unable to be located.

    The search resumed this morning about 8am.

    Any further information will be released as it becomes available.

    ENDS 

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Independent arbiter to determine torture redress

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has appointed Hon Paul Davison KC as an independent arbiter to determine financial redress for survivors tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit).

    In December, Cabinet set aside up to $22.68 million for redress for torture which consists of three components; a one-off payment which recognises an individual’s experience of torture as a child, a new written apology which explicitly acknowledges torture, and facilitating access to support and rehabilitative services. 

    Eligible survivors can choose either an expedited payment of $150,000 or an individual payment process where each claim is independently assessed by an independent arbiter who will determine payment amounts.

    Hon Paul Davison KC is a retired judge of the High Court who also sat as a member of a Divisional Court of Appeal. He retired from the High Court in August 2023 and has since resumed practice at the Bar as a mediator and providing litigation and consultancy advice. In 1983, Hon Davison was the Counsel Assisting the Committee of Inquiry into Oakley Hospital that investigated the death of a patient following the administration of ECT. The Chair of the Committee of Inquiry was Sir Rodney Gallen who was later appointed to oversee the distribution of $6.5m to survivors of the Lake Alice in what is known as the first-round settlement. 

    “We wanted to ensure people have choice when going through this process. The individualised option allows survivors to opt for a payment that considers their personal experiences of torture at the Lake Alice Unit. Guided by terms of reference, Hon Davison KC will independently assess the claims of those who choose this pathway. I would like to thank him for his willingness to undertake this important role,” Lead Coordination Minister Erica Stanford says.

    So far 77 survivors of the Lake Alice Unit have been confirmed as eligible to make their claim for redress. Survivors will have until 30 April 2025 to choose the individual payment process and until 30 September 2025 for the expedited pathway.

    Payments for the expeditated process will begin in March, both processes will be complete by the end of 2025. All eligible survivors can access free independent legal advice to support them during this process.

    Notes to editors:

    • Hon Paul Davison KC’s appointment will commence on 10 February 2025 and will end no later than 30 September 2025.
    • Payments will be made on a final settlement basis and will be exempt from being treated as income and will not affect the recipient’s tax-status or their entitlement to Ministry of Social Development (MSD) administered assistance.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Causing You Stress? Free Crisis Counseling Available

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Causing You Stress? Free Crisis Counseling Available

    Disaster Causing You Stress? Free Crisis Counseling Available

    Disasters can take an emotional toll on your well-being. To ensure that survivors of Tropical Storm Helene have essential support in challenging times, the State of Tennessee and FEMA are offering free and confidential crisis counseling and mental health support.Survivors who live or work in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties can get help regardless of their eligibility for FEMA disaster assistance. FEMA’s crisis counseling program offers mental health services and training activities to help disaster survivors manage stress, process trauma, cope with their experiences and losses, and connect with additional resources. The program does not provide full mental health or psychiatric services.Counselors are available to visit you at home, at a shelter, your temporary home or places of worship at no cost. Crisis counseling services and educational programs are also provided one-on-one and in group settings.For free and confidential crisis support in any language, call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990. For more information, you may also visit Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Help.FEMA encourages all survivors to take advantage of these resources as they navigate their recovery from the storm.
    kwei.nwaogu
    Thu, 02/06/2025 – 18:54

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA CubeSat Finds New Radiation Belts After May 2024 Solar Storm

    Source: NASA

    Key Points

    The May 2024 solar storm created two new temporary belts of high-energy particles surrounding Earth.
    Such belts have been seen before, but the new ones were particularly long lasting, especially the new proton belt. 
    The findings are particularly important for spacecraft launching into geostationary orbits, which can be damaged as they traverse the dangerous belts.

    The largest solar storm in two decades hit Earth in May 2024. For several days, wave after wave of high-energy charged particles from the Sun rocked the planet. Brilliant auroras engulfed the skies, and some GPS communications were temporarily disrupted.
    With the help of a serendipitously resurrected small NASA satellite, scientists have discovered that this storm also created two new temporary belts of energetic particles encircling Earth. The findings are important to understanding how future solar storms could impact our technology. 
    The new belts formed between two others that permanently surround Earth called the Van Allen Belts. Shaped like concentric rings high above Earth’s equator, these permanent belts are composed of a mix of high-energy electrons and protons that are trapped in place by Earth’s magnetic field. The energetic particles in these belts can damage spacecraft and imperil astronauts who pass through them, so understanding their dynamics is key to safe spaceflight. 

    The discovery of the new belts, made possible by NASA’s Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) satellite and published Feb. 6, 2025, in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, is particularly important for protecting spacecraft launching into geostationary orbits, since they travel through the Van Allen Belts several times before reaching their final orbit.
    New Belts Amaze Scientists
    Temporary belts have been detected in the aftermath of large solar storms before. But while previous belts have been composed mostly of electrons, the innermost of the two new belts also included energetic protons. This unique composition is likely due to the strength and composition of the solar storm.
    “When we compared the data from before and after the storm, I said, ‘Wow, this is something really new,’” said the paper’s lead author Xinlin Li, a professor at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) and Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. “This is really stunning.”
    The new belts also seem to have lasted much longer than previous belts. Whereas previous temporary belts lasted around four weeks, the new belt composed primary of electrons lasted more than three months. The other belt, that also includes protons, has lasted much longer than the electron belt because it is in a more stable region and is less prone to the physical processes that can knock the particles out of orbit. It is likely still there today.
    “These are really high-energy electrons and protons that have found their way into Earth’s inner magnetic environment,” said David Sibeck, former mission scientist for NASA’s Van Allen Probes and research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who was not involved with the new study. “Some might stay in this place for a very long time.”
    How long such belts stick around depends on passing solar storms. Large storms can provide the energy to knock particles in these belts out of their orbits and send them spiraling off into space or down to Earth. One such storm at the end of June significantly decreased the size of the new electron belt and another in August nearly erased the remainder of that electron belt, though a small population of high-energy electrons endured.
    CubeSat Fortuitously Comes Back to Life to Make the Discovery
    The new discovery was made by NASA’s CIRBE satellite, a CubeSat about the size of a shoebox that circled the planet’s magnetic poles in a low Earth orbit from April 2023 to October 2024. CIRBE housed an instrument called the Relativistic Electron Proton Telescope integrated little experiment-2 (REPTile-2) — a miniaturized and upgraded version of an instrument that flew aboard NASA’s Van Allen Probes, which made the first discovery of a temporary electron belt in 2013.

    After a year in space, the CubeSat experienced an anomaly and unexpectedly went quiet on April 15, 2024. The scientists were disappointed to miss the solar storm in May but were able to rely on other spacecraft to provide some preliminary data on the electron belt. Luckily, on June 15, the spacecraft sprang back to life and resumed taking measurements. The data provided high-resolution information that couldn’t be gleaned by any other instrument and allowed the scientists to understand the magnitude of the new belts.
    “Once we resumed measurements, we were able to see the new electron belt, which wasn’t visible in the data from other spacecraft,” Li said.
    Having the CubeSat in orbit to measure the effect of the solar storm has been bittersweet, Li said. While it provided the opportunity to measure the effects of such a large event, the storm also increased atmospheric drag on the CubeSat, which caused its orbit to decrease prematurely. As a result, the CubeSat deorbited in October 2024. However, the spacecraft’s data makes it all worth it.
    “We are very proud that our very small CubeSat made such a discovery,” Li said.
    CIRBE was designed and built by LASP at the University of Colorado Boulder and was launched through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI). The mission is sponsored by NASA’s Heliophysics Flight Opportunities for Research & Technology (H-FORT) program.
    By Mara Johnson-GrohNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Ethics Program

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Ethics Program provides training and counsel to NASA employees and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the agency-wide ethics program. Headquarters and Center Chief Counsels ethics officials support the ethics program in their respective localities.
    A list of ethics officials at each NASA location can be found here: Headquarters and Center Ethics Officials.
    Associate General Counsel, General Law Practice Group:Katie Spear
    Agency Counsel for Ethics:Adam Greenstone

    NASA employees have a responsibility to the United States Government and its citizens to place loyalty to the Constitution, laws, and ethics principles above private gain. As NASA employees, we need you to preserve NASA’s core value of integrity through your commitment to ethics and ethical decision-making. If you are faced with a question concerning your ethics obligations as a NASA employee, please contact a NASA ethics official before taking action.
    Contact Information
    What are your obligations? Know the rules. If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective center.

    As a NASA employee, you may be required to disclose your financial interests for one of two reasons: 1) You are in a position requiring by law that you file a Public Financial Disclosure (OGE Form 278)(PDF) report.  This includes members of the Senior Executive Service (SES); SL or ST employees; holding another position classified above the GS-15 level; holding a “NASA excepted” position above a certain pay level; and Schedule C appointees.  2) Your duties are such that they raise an increased likelihood of a conflict of interest, for which you would file an (OGE Form 450)(PDF) report. If you are in a position subject to Public Financial Disclosure (or acting in one for more than 60 days), then you are subject to the Public Financial Disclosure report in which your report will be publicly available. If you are a General Schedule or other employee required to file OGE Form 450, your financial disclosure requirements will be less complex, and report will be confidential. For specific questions, please contact an ethics official.

    Please click here to access the latest Widely Attended Gatherings Determinations.  If you do not see a determination for the event in which you were invited to attend in your official capacity, please request guidance from your local ethics official.

    NASA employees are subject to regulations regarding outside employment. They are prohibited from engaging in outside activities that conflict with their official duties.  In addition, the NASA Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for NASA Employees, 5 C.F.R. Part 6901, require prior approval for engaging in certain types of outside employment. In these instances, employees should request approval from their local ethics official prior to accepting such outside employment.
    Note that the NASA Supplemental rules also prohibit NASA employees from engaging in outside employment with a NASA contractor, subcontractor, or grantee in connection with work performed by that entity for NASA; or a party to a Space Act Agreement, Commercial Launch Act agreement, or other agreement to which NASA is a party pursuant to specific statutory authority, if the employment is in connection with work performed under that agreement. 
    Employees in a leave status are subject to the same legal parameters. 
    Please reach out to your local ethics official for guidance.
    Resources

    We look forward to welcoming you to NASA! You are joining an organization that works to change the history of humanity and usher in a bold new era or discovery.  We are depending on you to maintain the public trust and to preserve NASA’s ethical culture. Accordingly, NASA employees must comply with ethical standards that relate to outside employment, political activities, and business relationships, among other topics. NASA encourages prospective employees to learn more about these ethical standards along the path of joining our team. If ethics questions arise before or after you join NASA, please contact a NASA ethics official before taking action. What are your obligations? Know the rules. If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective location.

    As a NASA employee, you may be required to disclose your financial interests for one of two reasons: 1) You are in a position requiring by law that you file a Public Financial Disclosure (OGE Form 278)(PDF) report.  This includes members of the Senior Executive Service (SES); SL or ST employees; holding another position classified above the GS-15 level; holding a “NASA excepted” position above a certain pay level; and Schedule C appointees.  2) Your duties are such that they raise an increased likelihood of a conflict of interest, for which you would file an (OGE Form 450)(PDF) report. If you are in a position subject to Public Financial Disclosure (or acting in one for more than 60 days), then you are subject to the Public Financial Disclosure report in which your report will be publicly available. If you are a General Schedule or other employee required to file OGE Form 450, your financial disclosure requirements will be less complex, and your report will be confidential. For specific questions, please contact an ethics official.
    Resources

    The post-government employment ethics statute, 18 U.S.C. § 207, applies to a former NASA employee’s communication with NASA or the Government on behalf of the former employee’s non-federal employer. Former NASA employees should contact a NASA ethics official for advice before communications or otherwise interacting with NASA or the Government on behalf of their new employer because this criminal statute may be implicated.  The Procurement Integrity Act also restricts individuals who were in certain contracting roles from accepting compensated work from certain contractors for a limited period. 
    Contact Information
    If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective center.

    A Special Government Employee (SGE) is an officer or employee “who is retained, designated, appointed, or employed to perform, with or without compensation, for not to exceed one hundred and thirty days during any consecutive period of three hundred and sixty-five consecutive days.” 18 U.S.C. § 202. Congress created the SGE category in 1962 to allow the federal Government to obtain the expertise it needs, while allowing experts to continue their private professional lives. As a result, some of the ethics statutes and regulations apply differently to SGEs than they do to regular executive branch employees, and some provisions do not apply at all.
    Financial Disclosure
    SGEs are required to file a financial disclosure report each year, usually a confidential financial disclosure report (OGE-450). Financial disclosure reporting helps NASA identify any possible financial conflicts of interest. SGEs are notified in advance of when to file.

    Ethics Training
    SGEs are required to receive annual ethics training by December 31st of each calendar year.
    Contact Information
    If you are a SGE and have questions, please contact the Headquarters Ethics Team by e-mail at hq-ethicsteam@nasa.gov or by phone at (202) 358-0550.
    Resources

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Office of the General CounselNASA Headquarters300 E Street SW Suite 9V30Washington, DC 20546Phone Number (202) 358-2450

    OGC Disclaimer: The materials within this website do not constitute legal advice. For details read our disclaimer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Arterial Catheter Recall: Medline Industries, LP, Removes Integrated Arterial Catheters due to Excess Material at Catheter Hub that May Detach

    Source: US Food and Drug Administration

    This recall involves removing certain devices from where they are used or sold. The FDA has identified this recall as the most serious type, Class I. This device may cause serious injury or death if you continue to use it.

    Affected Product 

    • Product Names: Integrated Arterial Catheters found in Arterial Line Insertion kits, bundles, trays or insertion trays 
    • Unique Device Identifier (UDI)/Item Numbers/UDI: 
      • ARTERIAL LINE INSERTION KIT, Item Number ART1185B/10653160379225
      • ARTERIAL LINE BUNDLE, Item Number ART255/10653160367598
      • ARTERIAL LINE TRAY, Item Number ART350/10653160362050
      • ARTERIAL LINE BUNDLE, Item Number ART355/10653160361817 
      • ARTERIAL LINE BUNDLE, Item Number ART355/10653160361817 
      • ARTERIAL LINE INSERTION TRAY, Item Number ART475/10653160367659
      • ARTERIAL LINE BUNDLE – OR, Item Number ART535A/10653160367604
      • ARTERIAL LINE TRAY, Item Number ART545A/10653160375135
      • ARTERIAL LINE INSERTION KIT, Item Number ART775C/10653160366102
      • ARTERIAL LINE TRAY, Item Number ART840/10653160366966
      • ARTERIAL LINE KIT, Item Number ART890B/10653160360834 
      • ARTERIAL LINE TRAY, Item Number ART600/10653160312727
      • ARTERIAL LINE TRAY, Item Number ART690/10653160318019

    What to Do  

    • Do not use Integrated Arterial Catheters found in Arterial Line Insertion kits, bundles, trays or insertion trays from affected item numbers and lots.

    On December 31, 2024, Medline Industries, LP, sent all affected customers a Medical Device Recall letter recommending the following actions:

    • Check stock immediately for affected item numbers and lot numbers.
    • Quarantine all affected product. 
    • Complete the response form at https://recalls.medline.com, using Recall Reference #: R-24-278-FGX1 and the recall code included in the letter. L
      • List the quantity of affected product in inventory. 
      • Complete and submit the form even if there is no affected product. 
      • Accounts will receive over-labels for affected inventory after the response form is submitted. 
    • Remove the affected component before using the kit. This instruction will be included on the new label.  
    • Distributors and others who have resold or transferred this product must notify those recipients of this recall. 

    Reason for Recall

    Medline Industries, LP, is recalling Integrated Arterial Catheters due to a manufacturing issue that caused excess material to be present on the catheter hub. If a catheter with excess material at the hub is used, that material could detach, potentially entering the  body at the place it is inserted or entering the bloodstream. 

    The use of affected product may cause serious adverse health consequences, including blockage of blood vessels (embolism) and death.

    There have been no reported injuries. There have been no reports of death. 

    Device Use 

    Medline Industries, LP, Integrated Arterial Catheters are found in Arterial Line Insertion kits, bundles, trays or insertion trays. An arterial catheter is used to continuously monitor blood pressure and take blood samples from patients.

    Contact Information  

    Customers in the U.S. with questions about this recall should contact Medline Industries, LP,  Recall Department at 866-359-1704 or recalls@medline.com.

    Full List of Affected Devices

    Medline Item Number Lot Numbers
    ART1185B 2024102590
    ART255 2024082690, 2024101590
    ART350 2024093090
    ART355 2024081290, 2024112590
    ART475 2024100790, 2024073090, 2024081590, 2024090990
    ART535A 2024100890, 2024080190
    ART545A 2024102890
    ART600 2024101090
    ART690 2024092490
    ART775C 2024083090
    ART840 2024082390, 2024093090
    ART890B 2024100990

    Additional FDA Resources

    • FDA’s Enforcement Report 
    • Medical Device Recall Database Entries

    Unique Device Identifier (UDI) 

    The unique device identifier (UDI) helps identify individual medical devices sold in the United States from manufacturing through distribution to patient use. The UDI allows for more accurate reporting, reviewing, and analyzing of adverse event reports so that devices can be identified, and problems potentially corrected more quickly.

    How do I report a problem? 

    Health care professionals and consumers may report adverse reactions or quality problems they experienced using these devices to MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Early Alert: Atherectomy Catheter System Issue from Bard Peripheral Vascular

    Source: US Food and Drug Administration

    This communication is part of the Communications Pilot to Enhance the Medical Device Recall Program. The FDA has become aware of a potentially high-risk device issue. The FDA will keep the public informed and update this web page as significant new information becomes available.

    Affected Product

    The FDA is aware that Bard Peripheral Vascular, a subsidiary of Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), has issued a letter to affected customers providing updated instructions for use for Rotarex Atherectomy Systems (as shown in Figure 1) related to a potentially high-risk device issue:

    SET Rotarex Description UDI-DI Catalog Number Distribution
    6 F x 110 cm  (01)07640142811855 80236  US Distribution
    6 F x 135 cm (01)07640142811862 80237  US Distribution
    8 F x 85 cm (01)07640142811879 80238  US Distribution
    8 F x 110 cm (01)07640142811886 80239  US Distribution

    What to Do

    • On February 5, 2025, BD sent all affected customers a Medical Device Correction letter recommending the following actions:
      • Review the updated electronic Instructions for Use (eIFU) for Rotarex Atherectomy System, ZE10895 revision C1 09/24, in its entirety, which can be found on BD’s website.
      • Review the updated online, on-demand training on the safe and effective use of the Rotarex Atherectomy System, reflecting the recent eIFU updates by registering on the BD Learning Academy Learning Management System. 
      • Post BD’s “Urgent: Medical Device Correction” notice with the stored product as evidence of the updated eIFU.
    • BD has identified that certain patient anatomical characteristics, including vessel size, angulation, tortuosity, degree of calcification, and procedural factors such as contralateral access, sheath kinking, lack of continuous blood flow, and catheter advancement related factors, could contribute to helix fracture and/or breakage events. BD is continuing to investigate what contributing factors exist that may have resulted in reported failure and/or breakage events. Updates to the Warnings section of the eIFU for US distributed Rotarex Atherectomy Systems include:
      • Use a kink resistant, suitably reinforced sheath of the same size as the Rotarex™ Atherectomy Catheter, or 1 French size bigger. When choosing a contralateral approach this may also serve to facilitate a smooth transition across the aortic bifurcation.
        • Do not use the device across a vessel bifurcation or curve that results in a curvature of the catheter shaft of <4 cm in diameter (Figure 2). Consider the use of ipsilateral access if contralateral access is expected to result in a catheter bend less than 4 cm in diameter.
      • Maintain adequate blood flow through the catheter to reduce the risk of catheter overheating or blockage. Adequacy of blood flow can be assessed by observing continuous drainage into the collecting bag and listening for changes in the audible pitch of the motor.
      • Maintain constant catheter movement to reduce fatigue stress on the inner helix in one location. Perform a smooth back and forth motion within the target lesion. Use a 10 mm forward motion (equivalent to one catheter head) for softer materials and 1 mm for denser lesions.
        • Do not use the device in calcified vessel segments that exhibit radiopacities on both sides of the arterial wall and extend beyond 10 mm in length prior to contrast injection or digital subtraction angiography.
      • Monitor the catheter closely for resistance to movement. Audible control unit alarms (i.e., intermittent beeping) or changes in tactile feel of the catheter, pitch sound of the motor, or LED bar illumination on the control unit (where the green light is no longer illuminated, leaving only the yellow/orange light illuminated) indicate the need to reduce catheter advancement from increments of 10 mm to 1 mm, stop, or flush the catheter. 
    • Check this web page for updates. The FDA is currently reviewing information about this potentially high-risk device issue and will keep the public informed as significant new information becomes available.

    Reason for Early Alert

    The helix portion of the device rotates at a high rate of speed and may be at risk of fracture or breakage when exposed to certain stress, wear, high temperatures, friction, or localized pressure. Use of the device in certain anatomy and lesion types, as well as certain procedural factors, may cause the helix to fracture or break, requiring retrieval of a broken catheter and/or device fragment. A helix fracture or break could cause vessel injury and may lead to severe bleeding or death.

    BD has reported 30 serious injuries and 4 deaths associated with this issue. Additionally, BD has reported 115 cases requiring additional intervention following helix fracture and/or breakage.

    Device Use

    The Rotarex Atherectomy System is intended for use as an atherectomy device and to break up and remove thrombus from native peripheral arteries or peripheral arteries fitted with stents, stent grafts, or native or artificial bypasses.

    Contact Information

    Customers in the U.S. with adverse reactions, quality problems, or questions about this recall should contact BD’s North American Regional Complaint Center at productcomplaints@bd.com or 1-844-823-5433, saying “product complaints” when prompted.

    Additional Company Resources

    Company-provided information is posted here by the FDA as a public service.  

    1. Device instructions for use in U.S.
    2. BD Learning Academy Learning Management System

    Unique Device Identifier (UDI)

    The unique device identifier (UDI) helps identify individual medical devices sold in the United States from distribution to use. The UDI allows for more accurate reporting, reviewing, and analyzing of adverse event reports so that devices can be identified more quickly, and as a result, problems potentially resolved more quickly.

    How do I report a problem?

    Health care professionals and consumers may report adverse reactions or quality problems they experienced using these devices to MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington County Awarded $6.8 Million to Replace Corby Bridge

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    Washington County Awarded $6.8 Million to Replace Corby Bridge

    The State of Tennessee and FEMA have approved $6.8 million to replace Washington County’s Corby Bridge, which spans the Nolichucky River and was destroyed when Tropical Storm Helene swept across Eastern Tennessee in late September.The 411-foot-long, two-lane concrete bridge was built in 1958 near Limestone. Washed away by Helene’s floodwaters, Corby Bridge will be restored with funding from FEMA’s Public Assistance program. Work to be completed includes architectural and engineering design services that use modern best construction practices and applicable codes and standards.FEMA’s share for this project is $5,135,506; the nonfederal share is $1,711,835.The cost estimate was generated using FEMA’s Rapid Assessment with Public Infrastructure Data, which uses geospatial and aerial imagery as well as available Federal Highway Administration and State Department of Transportation data. The scope of work will be updated when the surveys and assessments are completed and a method of repair is selected. Because Public Assistance is a cost-sharing program, FEMA reimburses state applicants 75% of eligible costs for repairs to existing structures. The federal share is paid directly to the state to disburse to agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations that incurred those costs. The remaining 25% represents nonfederal funds.The Public Assistance program is FEMA’s largest grant program, providing funding to help communities responding to and recovering from major presidentially declared disasters or emergencies. Tropical Storm Helene swept across Tennessee Sept. 26-30, and the president approved a major disaster declaration on Oct. 2.
    kwei.nwaogu
    Thu, 02/06/2025 – 16:46

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hsiao Smith

    Source: NASA

    Deputy Observatory Manager – Goddard Space Flight Center
    Growing up in Malaysia and Singapore, Hsiao Smith — now the deputy observatory manager for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — never imagined she’d have a career at NASA. But when she moved near NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, things quickly fell into place. A high school counselor noticed her aptitude for math and science and encouraged her to apply for a junior fellowship program at Goddard.
    “I never could have imagined that a summer internship would change my life and lead to such a fulfilling career at NASA!” Hsiao says. “Prior to that, I had no idea what an engineer did. Now, I’ve spent over 35 years involved in engineering at Goddard.”

    Hsiao participated in a program that allowed her to come back to Goddard during summers and spring and winter breaks, so she continued working while going to college. 
    She began her internship working on flight dynamics. Fueled by a desire to work more hands-on with flight hardware, Hsiao transferred to the power branch and started designing high-voltage power supplies for science instruments that would be launched into space. 
    Hsiao earned a bachelor degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland and then started working at Goddard full time. She continued her studies, later receiving a master’s degree in engineering management.
    “Having hands-on experience on flight hardware gave me a better understanding of how to apply what I learned in the classroom to real life,” Hsiao says. “That experience was invaluable, and it gave me the opportunity to discover what I enjoy doing — designing and building flight hardware. And it was incredible to go from college straight into a job working as an engineer at NASA!”
    Hsiao soon moved on to designing power systems for spacecraft, starting with XTE, the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. It was the first time she had worked on a project all the way from the design concept to launch. 
    Building on that experience, Hsiao spent the next 13 years working on the Hubble Space Telescope — first as the power systems manager, then the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph instrument manager, and finally the Hubble Servicing Mission 4 instrument systems manager. In the latter role, Hsiao delivered two new instruments to Hubble and worked with astronauts to conduct repairs on two Hubble instruments in space.
    “Working on Hubble opened the door to so many different opportunities,” Hsiao says. “I had the honor of working not only with the dedicated and talented engineers and scientists here at Goddard, but also world-class experts from other NASA centers, universities, contractors throughout the U.S., and international partners. And I had incredible opportunities few others will ever have, like working with astronauts and going on the shuttle before it launched from the Kennedy Space Center!”

    Following her time with Hubble, she worked on the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration project as a project manager. Hsiao worked with MIT/Lincoln Lab to develop and test NASA’s first optical communication technology that used a laser. Then Hsiao became the deputy program manager for JPSS (the Joint Polar Satellite Systems) where she designed the architecture and developed the cost and schedule for future JPSS missions.
    She then spent some time as the technical deputy division manager for the Satellite Servicing Projects Division, continuing the legacy of the Hubble servicing missions and advancing the state of the art in robotic servicing. This work demonstrated how robots could be used to refuel spacecraft and service their instruments. 
    Now, she serves as a deputy observatory manager for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Hsiao has worked with Goddard’s engineering team to build the Roman spacecraft bus, which consists of avionics, attitude control, communication and propulsion systems, and other subsystems such as the solar arrays, deployable aperture cover, and the outer barrel assembly. She is currently preparing to test Roman’s newly combined spacecraft and payload.
    “It’s a privilege to manage and coordinate Roman hardware from the subsystem level to ensure that once they all work individually, they all function together as an observatory,” Hsiao says.
    Though she’s served in many roles at NASA, problem-solving has been a constant thread running through Hsiao’s career.
    “It’s exciting to come to work every day not knowing what’s in store for me,” she says. “It’s about coming in and resolving issues, making sure the team has the resources they need to get their jobs done.”
    Hsiao urges young engineers to take on new opportunities, keep pursuing their dream job, and seek out advice from mentors and people in career fields you’re interested in.
    “I’m working in my dream job, and it all goes back to my great mentors and bosses who were willing to give me opportunities beyond my expectations and to guide me toward my interests,” she says. “All the experiences I’ve had throughout this very fulfilling career stemmed from filling out an application as a high school senior. You never know where an opportunity will lead!”
    By Ashley BalzerNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: More Than 400 Lives Saved with NASA’s Search and Rescue Tech in 2024

    Source: NASA

    Did you know that the same search and rescue technologies developed by NASA for astronaut missions to space help locate and rescue people across the United States and around the world? 
    NASA’s collaboration with the international satellite-aided search and rescue effort known as Cospas-Sarsat has enabled the development of multiple emergency location beacons for explorers on land, sea, and air. 
    Of the 407 lives saved in 2024 through search and rescue efforts in the United States, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) reports that 52 rescues were the result of activated personal locator beacons, 314 from emergency position-indicating radio beacons, and 41 from emergency locator transmitters. Since 1982, more than 50,000 lives have been saved across the world. 
    Using GPS satellites, these beacons transmit their location to the Cospas-Sarsat network once activated. The beacons then provide the activation coordinates to the network, allowing first responders to rescue lost or distressed explorers.  

    The Search and Rescue Office, part of NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program, has assisted in search and rescue services since its formation in 1979 Now, the office is building on their long legacy of Earth-based beacon development to support crewed missions to space. 
    The beacons also are used for emergency location, if needed, as part of NASA’s crew launches to and from the International Space Station, and will support NASA’s Artemis campaign crew recovery preparations during future missions returning from deep space. Systems being tested, like the ANGEL (Advanced Next-Generation Emergency Locator) beacon, are benefitting life on Earth and missions to the Moon and Mars. Most recently, NASA partnered with the Department of Defense to practice Artemis II recovery procedures – including ANGEL beacon activation – during URT-11 (Underway Recovery Test 11).  

    The SCaN program at NASA Headquarters in Washington provides strategic oversight to the Search and Rescue office. NOAA manages the U.S. network region for Cospas-Sarsat, which relies on flight and ground technologies originally developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. U.S. region rescue efforts are led by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, and many other local rescue authorities. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – EXPLORE OUTDOOR HAWAI‘I SITE WINS WEB DESIGN GOLD, Feb. 6, 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – EXPLORE OUTDOOR HAWAI‘I SITE WINS WEB DESIGN GOLD, Feb. 6, 2025

    Posted on Feb 6, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
     GOVERNOR

     

    DAWN CHANG
     CHAIRPERSON

     

    EXPLORE OUTDOOR HAWAI‘I SITE WINS WEB DESIGN GOLD

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Feb. 6, 2025

     

    HONOLULU – The Explore Outdoor Hawai‘i website, just launched in July, won gold in the Best of the Web – Government Agency category at the 2024 Horizon Interactive Awards (HIA). The HIA, now in its 23rd year, recognizes excellence in interactive media production and web design.

     

    Explore Outdoor Hawai‘i was designed to be user-friendly, helping residents and visitors to easily find recreational information and services available across the state. This includes material on hiking safety, camping, filming, and hunter education as well as applications for various licenses and making reservations at popular state parks.

                                                                                              

    The site highlights unique and wide-ranging cultural, historical and natural resources that the DLNR manages, including information about responsible boating, pono fishing practices, and permits that are required for commercial businesses and activities.

     

    Though relatively new, Explore Outdoor Hawai‘i (outdoor.hawaii.gov), created for DLNR by Tyler Technologies, is a trusted source for information on a variety of topics to help residents and visitors get outside and access Hawai‘i’s resources, on land and in the water.

    # # #

     

    RESOURCES

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

     

    HD video – Explore Outdoor Hawai‘i website media clips (July 30, 2024): https://vimeo.com/992554739

    Photographs – Explore Outdoor Hawai‘i website (July 30, 2024): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/lukzhap05zk1hctw02etv/AOKWeZZnljZxI4-z8z35cEg?rlkey=3g1055qkd9q4aoi4uv6n1qlvk&dl=0

    Explore Outdoor Hawai‘i website:

    https://outdoor.hawaii.gov

     

     

    Media Contact: 

    Ryan Aguilar

    Communications Specialist

    Hawaiʻi Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    Communications Office: 808-587-0396

    Email: [email protected]

     

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces suite of new wildfire community hardening measures

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 6, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he will issue an executive order to harden communities from wind-propelled wildfires that turn into urban firestorms. 

    Washington, D.C. — After meeting with key state and federal leaders on recovery efforts for Los Angeles firestorm survivors, Governor Gavin Newsom today will sign an executive order that directs his Administration to implement key initiatives to harden communities from urban firestorms.

    The devastation in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena aren’t new lessons. They are the latest lessons in urban firestorms that have devastated communities across the globe. To meet the needs of increasingly extreme weather, where decades-old buildings weren’t planned and designed for today’s realities, these proposals are part of a bigger state strategy to build wildfire and forest resilience from forest management, to huge investments in firefighting personnel and equipment, community hardening, and adopting state-of-the-art response technologies.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    As the state continues updating its research and utilizing the latest science to understand the state’s ever-evolving climate-induced challenges, the Governor will direct the State Board of Forestry to advance implementation of regulations known as “Zone 0,” which will require an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet of structures located in the highest fire severity zone in the state’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone local maps and the State Responsibility Area, mitigating the risk of conflagration in urban areas like what occurred during the Palisades and Eaton firestorms. In addition, the Governor will direct the CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal to release updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, adding 1.4 million new acres of land into the two higher tiers of fire severity, which will update building and local planning requirements for these communities statewide.

    “These steps will spur proactive actions to defend the most vulnerable homes and eliminate combustible material within five feet of homes to reduce the risk of a home igniting in an ember-driven fire,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “These are important steps to limit wildland fires from becoming big urban fires.”

    Plus, building on the already comprehensive work the state has done to deploy firefighting assets statewide, the Governor will direct his state emergency management and firefighting departments to work with local, federal and tribal partners on reviewing and proposing improvements to the federal resources dispatching system for wildfire response to ensure it can fulfill its purpose of supporting the rapid fulfillment of mutual aid requests during large-scale incidents.

    Investing in wildfire prevention

    Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion from the 2024 Climate Bond to be committed beginning this year for proactive projects that protect communities from wildfire and promote healthy natural landscapes. Of note, since 2021, the State has made strategic investments in at least 61 fuels reduction projects near the Palisades and Eaton fire perimeters through projects treated over 14,500 acres.

    The Newsom Administration has invested $2 billion to support CAL FIRE operations, a 47% increase since 2018, which has helped build CAL FIRE from 5,829 positions to 10,741 in that same period, and the Administration is now implementing shorter workweeks for state firefighters to prioritize firefighter well-being while adding 2,400 additional state firefighters to CAL FIRE’s ranks over the next five years.

    Augmenting technological advancements and pre-deployment opportunities

    The Newsom Administration has also overseen the expansion of California’s aerial firefighting fleet, including the addition of more than 16 helicopters with several equipped for night operations, expanded five helitack bases, and assumed ownership of seven C-130 air tankers, making it the largest fleet of its kind globally.

    California is also leveraging AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker, has deployed the Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System (FIRIS) to provide real-time mapping of wildfires, and has partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense to use satellites for wildfire detection and invested in LiDAR technology to create detailed 3D maps of high-risk areas, helping firefighters better understand and navigate complex terrains.

    In anticipation of severe fire weather conditions in early January 2025, Cal OES approved the prepositioning of 65 fire engines, as well as more than 120 additional firefighting resources and personnel in Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, and CAL FIRE moved firefighting resources to Southern California including 45 additional engines and six hand crews to the region.

    During the wildfires, California was able to mobilize more than 16,000 personnel including firefighters, National Guard servicemembers, California Highway Patrol officers and transportation teams to support the response to the Los Angeles firestorms, and more than 2,000 firefighting apparatus composed of engines, aircraft, dozers and water tenders to aid in putting out the fires.

    The Governor will sign the executive order upon his return from Washington, D.C. where he is advocating for federal aid for firestorm survivors.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update: Fatal crash at Beaufort

    Source: South Australia Police

    A man has died following a fatal crash at Beaufort, in the state’s mid-north last night.

    At 5.25pm on Thursday 6 February emergency services were called to Augusta Highway, 4 kilometres north of Beaufort after reports of a crash between a road train and a Yamaha motorcycle.

    Sadly the rider of the motorbike, a 28-year-old man from Hope Valley died at the scene.

    The driver of the road train a 65-year-old man was not injured.

    The Augusta Highway was closed for several hours while Major Crash Investigators examined the circumstances of the crash, but has since reopened.

    The man’s death is the 14th life lost on South Australia road so far this year.

    Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has dashcam footage is asked to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales celebrates 40 Years of excellence and commitment in Central America and the Caribbean, serving clients and partners

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales celebrates 40 Years of excellence and commitment in Central America and the Caribbean, serving clients and partners

    Thales, a global leader in advance technologies, is proud to celebrate 40 years of presence in Central America and the Caribbean. Since its arrival in the region, Thales has been contributing to the development of key sectors such as Defence, Aerospace, Cyber & Digital from 1985 until today, and continues to support all clients, such as government entities, private institutions and cities.

    Thales’ presence in Central America and the Caribbean has been fundamental and has evolved significantly over the years, establishing the Group as a key player in various sectors. Among the most notable projects, Thales has been a long-term partner to COCESNA (Central American Corporation for Air Navigation Services) for over 25 years, playing a crucial role through the provision of advanced technologies and innovative solutions for air traffic management.

    Thales’ collaboration with COCESNA reflects a long-term partnership based on trust and technical excellence, aimed at improving the safety and efficiency of aviation in the Central American region. In 2024, Thales secured a significant contract that reflects the trust and support placed in the company by this client, aimed at enhancing critical aviation systems in six Central American countries: Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.

    In Panama, for over 10 years, Thales has been the main supplier to the Civil Aviation Authority, providing both air traffic control centers and essential navigation systems for the safe and efficient operation of flights. Additionally, Thales has implemented various technology systems for Copa Airlines, including advanced solutions onboard its fleet of aircraft and for the protection and secure management of its data.

    In the Dominican Republic, Thales maintains a continuing partnership with the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation, being the main supplier of the control tower and air navigation systems for Las Américas, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, and Cibao airports to ensure that each flight is a safe experience.

    Thales is also a strategic partner of the Government of Jamaica, providing advanced solutions and technologies for national security, supporting the Armed Forces in their mission to strengthen national defense with the Bushmaster armored vehicle fleet and the coastal surveillance system for the safety and management of maritime areas. Thales also supports the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority with radar systems and control centers for efficient surveillance and management of its airspace. In the country, Thales also developed the National Identification System, improving public services and security through the precise identification of each citizen, enhancing the country’s security and efficiency.
    ​Thales is a leader in Cyber and Digital in the region and a strategic partner of leading banks and financial institutions, ensuring the security of their banking transactions by providing robust solutions that protect both information and financial operations, contributing to strengthening trust in the financial ecosystem.
    ​Throughout this journey, Thales has forged alliances with governments, businesses, and organizations, creating a collaborative ecosystem that enhances technological and business development. It has adapted to local markets and the unique needs and challenges of the region, offering solutions that address every requirement.

    “We are excited to celebrate this important milestone in our journey in Central America and the Caribbean. This achievement reinforces Thales’ strong commitment to supporting the region in its crucial moments. We drive its technological transformation and strengthen its future with advanced security solutions, ranging from coastal surveillance and border security systems to urban protection, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and specialized solutions for airports and airlines” said Ariane Andreani, Country Director of Thales for Central America and the Caribbean.

    “Our commitment to local presence, innovation, and continuous improvement has been key to successfully serving our clients and partners. We thank them for their support over the years and are committed to continuing to build together in the years to come” she added.

    About Thales

    Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies specialized in three business domains: Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital. It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive. The Group invests close to €4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, cloud technologies and 6G. Thales has close to 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2023, the Group generated sales of €18.4 billion.

    CONTACTO DE PRENSA:

    Julieta Martellotta

    External Communications Manager Thales LATAM

    julieta.martellotta@thalesgroup.com

    +5491158010260

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: WTO issues panel report regarding US duties on fish fillets from Viet Nam

    Source: WTO

    Headline: WTO issues panel report regarding US duties on fish fillets from Viet Nam

    On 17 January, the parties notified the WTO that they had reached a mutually agreed solution to the matters raised in the dispute. In accordance with Article 12.7 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding, the panel report provides a brief description of the dispute and notes that a solution has been reached.
    Summary of key findings 

    Download in pdf format:
    Panel report

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales Alenia Space and NIBE sign a satellite supply contract for NIBE’s Earth observation constellation project

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales Alenia Space and NIBE sign a satellite supply contract for NIBE’s Earth observation constellation project

    With this first satellite supply contract, NIBE aims to launch its first high-resolution optical satellite by 2025

    Cannes, February 6th, 2025 – Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with NIBE Space (a subsidiary of NIBE Limited) concerning the supply of a high-resolution optical satellite, marking the first step in NIBE’s Earth Observation constellation project. This initial contract aims to establish the first operational Earth observation’s capabilities for NIBE in India by 2025.

    This achievement reinforces the partnership initiated in 2024 between Thales Alenia Space and NIBE, for the deployment of India’s first private Earth Observation constellation.

    NIBE ©BlackSky_Thales Alenia Space_E.Briot

    The contract was signed today in Pune during a ceremony graced by the presence of Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis. BlackSky also signed a service agreement for subscription-based imagery and analytics to deliver space-based monitoring services supporting NIBE’s various Indian customers.

    “I am extremely pleased that Thales Alenia Space will contribute to developing sovereign Earth Observation capabilities in India,” said Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space. “Supporting the deployment of India’s first private Earth observation constellation means a lot to our company as this is Thales Alenia Space’s first cooperation on an Indian space program. I would like to thank NIBE for putting its trust in our company. We look forward to making available our long-standing expertise and industrial capabilities in optical and radar sensors and start a promising Space cooperation with India.”

    “We are proud to see our partnership with Thales Alenia Space take another concrete step forward with the signing of the contract for a high-resolution optical satellite. This is part of our larger national endeavor, aligned with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, to bolster India’s position as a leader in space technology and applications,” said Ganesh Nibe, Chairman & Managing Director of NIBE Limited. “With Thales Alenia Space’s vast global expertise and experience, we look forward to taking India’s space capabilities to newer heights.”

    About NIBE Limited:

    Established in 2021 under the leadership of Mr. Ganesh Ramesh Nibe, the company and its subsidiaries specialise in manufacturing a wide spectrum of Critical Components catering to the Defence industry such as fabrication of structures and sub-assemblies for programmes such as Modular Bridge, Rudder blade assembly, Pinaka launcher and MRSAM launcher for tri-services of Indian defence, to components of Electronic systems, Small arms (such as assault rifles and LMGs), and Space projects for domestic as well as international applications.

    NIBE Limited along with its subsidiaries is committed towards continuously refining and adapting its approach, positioning itself as a leader in the defence industry. Moreover, in alignment with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, NIBE Limited extends its commitment to fostering self-reliance in the defence sector.

    About THALES ALENIA SPACE

    Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources, and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of approximately €2.2 billion in 2023 and has around 8,600 employees in 8 countries, with 16 sites in Europe.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Current cultural citizens: the importance of creating spaces in art galleries for young people

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Naomi Zouwer, Visual Artist and Lecturer in Teacher Education, University of Canberra

    Galleries and art museums can be intimidating and alienating even for adults. Imagine it from a child’s point of view. Stern security guards in uniforms stationed the doors, bags checked, snacks banned and people hushed. It’s no wonder that kids groan when an excursion to the gallery comes up.

    An increasing number of galleries are rethinking their approach, asking what it takes to be welcoming and engaging for the younger generation. Children should be welcomed and visible in gallery spaces. Their experiences now shape the citizens they will become in the future. Viewing art helps develop their identity and creativity, and a more nuanced understanding of the world.

    The first step in making change is to recognise that children are current and active cultural citizens who can offer valuable perspectives, ideas and youthful energy. Through thoughtful design and programming, the younger generation is told their presence in the gallery is valued.

    Here are some ways galleries are rising to the challenge and making children more welcome – and more valued – in our cultural spaces.

    Setting the tone

    The entrance to a gallery sets the tone for a young visitor. Are they greeted warmly and made to feel welcome, or does their arrival feel like an intrusion?

    Some simple adjustments such as less intimidating bag checks, clear signage, and designated stroller parking create a more welcoming environment. Replacing uniformed security guards with friendly guides and training reception staff to acknowledge and engage with young visitors make a huge difference.

    Visitors in Obliteration Room 2002, the Kids for Kusama exhibition at NGV International, Melbourne until 21 April 2025. © YAYOI KUSAMA.
    Photo: Eugene Hyland

    Inciting curiosity and interaction at the front door is another way to invite children into the space. Displaying eye-catching and intriguing sculptural works at the entry or in the foyer builds a sense of anticipation and interest.

    The iconic water wall at the National Gallery of Victoria signals to children that there are wonders to touch and explore inside.

    Children don’t come alone

    Children come to galleries with parents, siblings, schools or community groups. Galleries that consider how these varied age groups move through the space can greatly enhance the overall experience.

    Programming designed with the whole family in mind means parents and kids can share cultural experiences. Well designed workshops, interactive exhibits and events appeal to mixed aged groups.

    Lucky Lartey and friends perform as part of the Hive Festival 2024 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
    Photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Christopher Snee

    The Art Gallery of New South Wales regularly stages all-ages concerts with popular DJs and live music, building positive associations with the gallery for the whole family.

    Incorporating a variety of spaces and experiences extend the duration and frequency of family visits. Some children need low sensory sessions with reduced stimuli to enjoy their visit. Others can use adjacent outdoor spaces and robust sculpture gardens to burn off excess energy, share lunch or even splash in some pink water.

    Is there a place for me?

    Does your local gallery have a dedicated children’s gallery?

    These spaces are designed with kids in mind, engaging the senses and creating participatory ways of experiencing art. The way children encounter the work helps young children learn about the diverse and creative approaches and perspectives of artists in an engaging context.

    The interactive experiences and programming mean children can explore their imagination and creativity and form a personal connections with the arts.

    What about the older kids? Can they see themselves in the gallery? Teens need to connect, collaborate and to be included in cultural narratives in ways that are relevant to them.

    Programs tailored for teens, such as workshops or art-making sessions, move beyond passive observation and encourage self expression and participation.

    Installation view of Top Arts 2024 on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia from 14 March to 14 July.
    Photo: Kate Shanasy

    Ambitious teen programs, like the out-of-hours teen parties in the National Gallery of Victoria or the youth council at the National Gallery of Australia, empower young people to interact with art and the institution in ways that are meaningful for them.

    Exhibiting the best artwork from the year 12 graduating students is another effective way to demonstrate to teens their perspectives and presence matters. Seeing creative work by their age group displayed in a gallery builds confidence and demonstrates to older adults how much the younger generation have to contribute.

    Growing lifelong learners

    Galleries are unique learning environments, able to engage with and activate the school curriculum and develop essential skills like social and emotional capabilities and creative and critical thinking skills.

    New institutions can consider how to meaningfully engage with children in the design phase, but even existing galleries can reconfigure and retrofit their spaces and exhibitions to enable kids to learn.

    Neo at the Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.
    Photo: Sam Roberts

    Specifically designed studios, creative technology, classrooms and presentation areas open the doors to cultural exploration. Positive exposure fosters a sense of stewardship ensuring that future generations value and support the arts.

    Galleries are doing a great job welcoming kids but even more can be done. By embracing children as current cultural citizens, galleries can create a more inclusive, creative, and culturally aware society.

    Intentionally designed spaces and programming ensure that children are not only welcomed but inspired to return – again and again – throughout their lives.

    The authors 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. Current cultural citizens: the importance of creating spaces in art galleries for young people – https://theconversation.com/current-cultural-citizens-the-importance-of-creating-spaces-in-art-galleries-for-young-people-235599

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Do investment tax breaks work? A new study finds the evidence is ‘mixed at best’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kerrie Sadiq, Professor of Taxation, QUT Business School, and ARC Future Fellow, Queensland University of Technology

    The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) released a discussion paper this week on investment tax breaks. The study looks at whether tax incentives, such as instant asset write-offs for utes, boost business investment.

    Business investment is an important contributor to overall economic growth, and has been sluggish in recent years.

    The authors conclude the evidence for these tax breaks is “mixed at best”. They say that income tax breaks used during the global financial crisis increased investment significantly, however:

    [there is] no substantial evidence that other policies, including those implemented during the pandemic, increased investment.

    In an election year, further promises of tax breaks for businesses are likely. The Coalition has already announced a tax break for meals and entertainment. But are they a good idea, and at what cost do these promises come?

    Small business in Australia

    Small businesses with fewer than 20 employees make up 97% of all Australian businesses. More than 92% of Australian businesses have an annual turnover of less than A$2 million. It is these businesses that are doing it tough.

    These businesses are offered tax breaks for spending on capital assets such as equipment or vehicles. For the 2023-24 tax year, they can immediately write off the cost of eligible assets up to $20,000. In the May 2024 Budget, the government announced that the tax break would be extended to the 2024-25 tax year.

    When a small business is operated as a company, the base tax rate is 25%. This effectively means that the business still contributes 75% of the cost of the asset. This requires businesses to have the cash flow to invest. Even if there is cash flow, businesses may not want to spend on large purchases.

    It’s a question of trade-offs

    Investment tax breaks are also costly in terms of government tax revenue. Each year, the Treasury estimates the cost of tax breaks. These tax breaks are known as tax expenditures.

    For the 2023-34 tax year, the instant write-off tax break for small businesses is estimated to cost more than $4 billion by reducing taxes collected.

    Tax expenditures are normally designed to offer incentives to one group of taxpayers. However, they come at the expense of broader groups of taxpayers and at a cost of lost revenue to the government. This is money that could be spent through direct spending programs.

    Tax expenditures can be thought of as government spending programs hidden in plain sight.

    The true cost of tax breaks

    Tax expenditures play a central role in Australia’s collection of taxes and redistribution. During the pandemic, the instant asset write-off was increased to $150,000.

    The current government introduced the latest instant asset write-off to improve cash flow and reduce compliance costs for small business. As the RBA discussion paper notes, these types of incentives are also designed to encourage additional business investment.

    However, that study indicates this is not being achieved. They suggest the reasons may be the tax policies themselves or differences in the economic environment. Put simply, businesses may not want to invest.

    If the stated benefits are not realised, the result is less tax collected. Take the $4 billion cost above. Without the incentive, the government would have an additional $4 billion to spend. The $4 billion in 2023-24 could have been directed to funding small businesses through a direct spending program.

    Targeted programs

    The RBA discussion paper highlights the need to determine whether investment tax breaks achieve their intended benefits. Many factors must be considered, and assessing the influence on the economy is vital.

    However, evaluating these measures within the tax system means that important questions are not asked. This includes whether the benefits are distributed fairly, whether the program targets the right group of taxpayers, and whether there are unintended distorting effects.

    The latest Treasury Tax Expenditures and Insights Statement provides data on 307 separate measures. This number continues to grow.

    The government’s “Future Made in Australia” contains two examples. Its economic plan to support Australia’s transition to a net zero economy contains two tax incentives, one for hydrogen production and another for critical minerals.

    The proposed hydrogen production tax incentive is estimated at a cost to the budget of $6.7 billion over ten years. The measure will provide a $2 incentive per kilogram of renewable hydrogen produced for up to ten years. Eligible companies will get a credit against their income tax liability.

    The proposed critical minerals production tax incentive is estimated to cost the budget $7 billion over ten years. Eligible companies will get a refundable tax offset of 10% of certain expenses relating to processing and refining 31 critical minerals listed in Australia.

    Support for tax breaks

    Tax breaks for businesses, such as the immediate write-off, disproportionately benefit those that spend. Often, this is by design. If this is a government objective, supported by the general population, then it is viewed as a good use of public money.

    The same principle applies to tax breaks in the Government’s Future Made in Australia plan. A government objective is to transition to a net zero economy. A stated priority is to attract “investment to make Australia a leader in renewable energy, adding value to our natural resources and strengthening economic activity”.

    The question remains as to whether tax breaks are the best way to achieve this. The answer often changes when viewed as a direct spending program.

    Kerrie Sadiq currently receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She has previously received research grants from CPA and CAANZ.

    Ashesha Weerasinghe 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. Do investment tax breaks work? A new study finds the evidence is ‘mixed at best’ – https://theconversation.com/do-investment-tax-breaks-work-a-new-study-finds-the-evidence-is-mixed-at-best-249148

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A new school year can see friendships change – this is tough on kids, but parents can help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karyn Healy, Honorary Principal Research Fellow in Psychology, The University of Queensland

    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    The start of the school year means new classes, routines, after-school activities and sometimes even a new school.

    This can be a really exciting time for kids, but these changes can also disrupt existing friendships. Students might feel stressed about not having certain friends with them in class or confused about why old friends are behaving differently.

    How can you coach your child through changing friendship dynamics?

    How parents help

    Research shows supportive friendships play an important role in maintaining students’ wellbeing. Having good friends is linked to better mental health as well as better school attendance and academic achievement.

    Research also shows us parenting plays an important role in helping children make and keep friends.

    Our research has found parents can improve how well a child is accepted by peers by doing three things:

    • listening and asking questions to help their child think through a situation

    • helping their child plan how to address the issue

    • supporting their child to have contact with peers.

    Parents can play an important role in their child’s friendships.
    Alena Ozerova/ Shutterstock

    Listening to your child

    It’s helpful to check in with your child regularly so you can provide support if they need it.

    When children tell you about a conflict or problem, simply start by listening actively. This means reflecting back in your own words what your child said, including feelings. For example,

    So it sounds like you are feeling upset Shelley wants to hang out with kids in her new class?

    It’s also helpful to empathise with your child about how they feel:

    I think I would feel sad too if that happened to me.

    This helps your child feel like someone else understands them – and they are not dealing with this on their own.

    For older children and teenagers, you may want to check if the child wants your help to work out how to solve the problem. Sometimes listening is all that is needed.

    Working out what to do next

    If needed, parents can then coach children how to manage any concerns. They can start by helping a child understand why another child may have acted as they did.

    For example, if the parent says “Why do you think Shelley said this?”, perhaps the child might respond that “Shelley doesn’t like me anymore”. The parent could offer an alternative explanation – perhaps Shelley is worried about making friends in her new class.

    The parent could ask the child what they want – in the above example, the child may want to still be friends with Shelley. The parent can then prompt the child to think of a range of ways to improve the situation, weigh up what might work best and encourage the child to give this a go. Often children can think of solutions themselves, if asked

    What could you do to improve things? What else could you do?.

    In our example, this might include organising a play with Shelley on the weekend. Alternatively, the child might plan to check in again with Shelley after a few days.

    This type of coaching is helpful as it supports the child thinking through the problem and coming up with their own solution, which they are more likely to put in place than if simply told what to do.

    Parents can also support their child to strengthen friendships by helping them connect with friends outside school through activities, play dates and online contact.

    Play dates can help if friends are not seeing each other at school.
    Patrick Foto/ Shutterstock

    Friendships may change over time

    We hear a lot about “BFFs”. However, it is not unusual for friendship groups to change over time, as children mature and develop particular interests.

    When children are placed in a new class or school with no close friends, children often cope through what researchers call “transitional friendships”.

    For example, it’s common for children to start high school with no firm friends, but still know some peers from primary school. These acquaintances can provide companionship until children form closer friendships.

    Parents can help their child in making close friends at high school by supporting them to catch up and connect with new friends out of school.

    Similarly, if a child is missing their old friends, a parent can coach their child in finding ways to stay in touch – like texting, a weekend sleepover or joining an out-of-school activity together.

    If you still have concerns

    If friendship concerns or worries are having an ongoing, negative impact on your child’s mental health, parents should seek further support from a health professional.

    You can start with your GP, who may suggest a referral to a psychologist. You may also like to talk to your child’s teacher – they may be able to help your child get to know potential friends through class activities.

    If this article has raised issues for you or someone you know, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. There is also free access to Australian evidence-based parenting programs such as Triple P.

    Karyn Healy has received funding from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, the Australian Research Council and Australian government Emerging Priorities Program. Karyn is a co-author of the Resilience Triple P parenting program. Resilience Triple P and all Triple P programs are owned by the University of Queensland. The university has licensed Triple P International Pty Ltd to publish and disseminate Triple P programs worldwide. Royalties stemming from published Triple P resources are distributed to the Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences and contributory authors. No author has any share or ownership in Triple P International Pty Ltd.

    – ref. A new school year can see friendships change – this is tough on kids, but parents can help – https://theconversation.com/a-new-school-year-can-see-friendships-change-this-is-tough-on-kids-but-parents-can-help-248751

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Habitat restoration is a long-haul job. Here are 3 groups that have endured

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nigel Tucker, Research Associate in Environment and Sustainability, James Cook University

    TREAT volunteers planting trees TREAT

    Like ferns and the tides, community conservation groups come and go. Many achieve their goal. Volunteers restore a local wetland or protect a patch of urban bush and then hang up the gardening gloves with a warm inner glow. Some groups peter out while others endure, tackling the ecological problems facing today’s Australia.

    One of those problems is fragmentation. Let’s say you have a national park in one spot and another large tract of habitat ten kilometres away. It’s too hard for many wildlife species to make it across open ground to get there. Over time, this means wild areas can effectively become islands.

    This is where habitat corridors come in. Potentially, if you restore habitat between two isolated areas, wildlife can begin to safely move between the two. Over time, these corridors allow seeds, pollen, native birds and animals to disperse across today’s landscapes.

    In my work as a restoration ecologist, I’ve come across many of Australia’s community groups devoted to the job. Three of these are LUCI – Lockyer Upland Catchments Inc, which began in 2015, the Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy, founded in 1993 and TREAT – Trees for the Evelyn and Atherton Tablelands Inc, which began in 1982. Each of these has gone the distance. Here are some reasons why.

    Native fruit from the trees in the remnant Big Scrub.
    Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy

    Where are wildlife corridors most needed?

    Australia’s Wet Tropics are especially threatened by fragmentation. This region is World Heritage listed due to its remarkable biodiversity. Tropical forests have grown here for at least 130 million years. Fragmentation directly threatens this.

    In the tropical uplands of the Atherton Tablelands, there are three popular national parks – the Crater Lakes of Eacham and Barrine and the Curtain Fig Tree. But while visitors might see them as pristine, each is an island surrounded by pasture and settlement. Over time, this will take its toll on the species within.

    Fragmented landscapes are common on the Atherton Tablelands.
    FiledIMAGE/Shutterstock

    Staying the course

    For a volunteer group to reverse the effects of fragmentation, and embark on a long term project such as this, it needs three things.

    First the group has leaders committed to a long term cause, usually scientists or naturalists as well as locals with knowledge and drive. Leaders have to be able to work with governments and group members of all persuasions.

    Second, the group has to be guided by science. You need current information on local plants, animals and habitats to make sure on-ground work has direct conservation benefits.

    And third, networking skills. Harnessing the technical expertise of other groups, government and experts in project planning, execution and monitoring is vital.

    Each of these three groups has these traits, even though they take different approaches to the challenge.

    LUCI is an alliance of private landholders in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane, who work to protect remnant vegetation and expand habitat. Their work on threatened species monitoring, protection of remnant vegetation on private land and community engagement reflects their emphasis on education.

    Before European settlement, lowland subtropical rainforest covered 75,000 hectares of land in what is now Byron Bay’s hinterland. But 99% was cut down. In response, Big Scrub members have replanted around 600 hectares – doubling the size of what was left – and established an innovative genetics program to assist in maintaining and enhancing the gene pool of trees planted.

    Only a tiny fraction of the Big Scrub is still intact, at reserves such as the Andrew Johnston Big Scrub reserve. Farmland and acreage surrounds it.
    Peter Woodard/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    TREAT is based on the Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland. This region has long been prized for agriculture, which comes at a cost to habitat. In response, TREAT has worked to reconnect isolated tracts of rainforest. The group collaborates with Queensland Parks and Wildlife to grow many thousands of native rainforest tree seedlings for planting each year.

    TREAT grows tens of thousands of seedlings annually, alongside Queensland Parks and Wildlife. Pictured: Hicksbeachia seedlings.
    TREAT

    All three groups recognise the importance of countering habitat fragmentation. This slicing and dicing forests into smaller and isolated patches severely threatens Australia’s biodiversity.

    Wildlife corridors are deceptively simple in theory. But as I know from long experience restoring habitat, it’s harder than it seems.

    Does it work?

    Planting corridors sounds like a sure thing. But success is not guaranteed. For one thing, it takes work and time. You need baseline surveys, expert analysis of data and monitoring, ideally over decades. Given these challenges, it’s unsurprising that wildlife corridor restoration is little-studied.

    In the 1990s, TREAT volunteers planted 17,000 trees to reconnect a 498 hectare fragment around Lake Barrine to the 80,000ha Wooroonooran National Park 1.2 kilometres away. This corridor is now more than 20 years old. It’s known as the Donaghy’s Corridor Nature Refuge, after the Donaghy family who donated the land for corridor restoration.

    My research has found this corridor is proving successful, using good data collected before, during and after establishment. Ground mammals are moving along the corridor, and breeding has taken place. We could see this in the exchange of genes between two previously separated populations of the native bush rat (Rattus fuscipes).

    More recent studies have shown the corridor has been colonised by many species, ranging from threatened and endemic plants to birds, ground mammals, reptiles, amphibians and microbats. While promising, this is just one corridor. Much more data would be needed to prove this approach is broadly effective.

    As habitat fragmentation continues and the effects of climate change ramp up, more and more species will need to move. The work of volunteer groups such as LUCI, Big Scrub and TREAT in reconnecting scattered pieces of habitat is only going to get more important.

    Nigel Tucker has received funding from the Queensland government’s Nature Refuge Landholder Grants program. He is a Life Member of TREAT.

    – ref. Habitat restoration is a long-haul job. Here are 3 groups that have endured – https://theconversation.com/habitat-restoration-is-a-long-haul-job-here-are-3-groups-that-have-endured-248133

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Choking during sex: many young people mistakenly believe it can be done safely, our study shows

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Douglas, Professor of Law and Deputy Director of the Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW), The University of Melbourne

    Lysenko Andrii/Shutterstock

    Around 50% of Australian young people have engaged in choking, or strangulation, during sex. This practice involves one person putting pressure on the neck of another, restricting breathing or blood flow (or both).

    Strangulation during sex carries a variety of risks. These range from effects such as bruising and vomiting to brain injury and death.

    Although rare, strangulation is the leading cause of death in consensual BDSM play.

    There’s no evidence there is any safe way to undertake strangulation. Notably, strangulation can cause injury without leaving any marks and sometimes negative consequences don’t develop until well after the choking episode.

    In a new study, we’ve found part of the reason why strangulation during sex is so common may be because many people mistakenly believe that, while risky, it can be made safe through moderating pressure and appropriate communication.

    But stopping blood flow to the brain can take less pressure than opening a can of soft drink. And research shows strangulation can result in serious harms even when it’s consensual.

    Surveying young Australians

    In 2023, we surveyed a representative sample of 4,702 Australians aged between 18 and 35 about their experiences and opinions of strangulation during sex.

    In 2024, we published a study about the prevalence of sexual strangulation based on the results of this survey. We found 57% of participants reported they had been strangled during sex, and 51% had strangled a partner.

    At the end of the survey, we asked respondents:

    What are your thoughts or insights regarding choking during sex?

    For this new study, we wanted to understand perceptions around sexual strangulation. More than 1,500 participants commented on issues related to safety in their responses, and we analysed these.

    We surveyed young people in Australia about sexual strangulation.
    ImYanis/Shutterstock

    Many mistakenly believed choking could be safe

    It was concerning to us that many of the respondents seemed to believe sexual strangulation can be done safely. Most commonly, participants perceived it to be safe when done with a low level of pressure applied to the sides of the neck.

    One participant, a 31-year-old straight man, said:

    My partner likes a firm hand on the throat but more so not choking off the windpipe, but lightly restricting the blood flow when she can feel an orgasm building up.

    A 24-year-old straight woman commented:

    I think there should be a conversation before hand about how hard and how much pressure.

    Some respondents suggested it was safe to hinder blood flow, rather than oxygen flow. However, restricting blood flow to the brain can also have serious health implications.

    While not all pressure on the neck will be fatal, research shows even relatively low pressure can cause death by strangulation.

    Also, if the person using strangulation or being strangled has used alcohol and other drugs, differences in pressure may be more difficult to discern, increasing the risks for the person being strangled.



    Read more:
    More than half of Australian young people are using strangulation during sex: new research

    Communication and consent

    Participants also linked safety – whether emotional or physical – to consenting to sexual strangulation. As a 32-year-old straight woman wrote:

    If between two consensual adults who have discussed it prior with a safety plan in place then I do not see any harm in the act however I have been subjected to non consensual choking in a previous sexual encounter which left me angry and scared.

    A 23-year-old bisexual woman said:

    As long as both parties agree to it and the amount of pressure, it can be an enjoyable experience. Consent must be given.

    In general, consent was seen as an ongoing process, where it could be withdrawn at any point. A 32-year-old straight man said:

    Should be strictly base on consensus, be aware of your partner body language and breathing and ask them whether they want to continue the activity or not if they say no respect it and back off.

    However, research has found a person being strangled may not be able to withdraw their consent using gestures or words, despite wanting to.

    Several participants did comment on the limitations of consent as a harm-reduction mechanism, acknowledging that even where it was consensual, strangulation during sex could cause damage.

    Many participants discussed consent in relation to sexual strangulation.
    LightField Studios/Shutterstock

    Worryingly, several respondents expressed concern that consent was often overlooked, intentionally or accidentally. A 35-year-old straight woman said:

    The amount of men who just initiate it without asking the woman is scary and they feel entitled to do so.

    Some respondents – usually women, but not always – identified pressure to engage in strangulation (both to be strangled and to strangle their partner). A 24-year-old straight man said:

    I get scared to do it but my partner kinda makes me feel like i have to sometimes.

    A need for better education

    Studies from other countries such as the United States have also shown a misunderstanding of the potential dangers of sexual strangulation, and a false perception that it can be safe if undertaken with the “proper precautions”.

    Previous research has shown young people commonly learn about sexual strangulation through online pornography, social media and each other. Information from these sources is often misleading.

    While consent is a crucial part of any sexual activity, it doesn’t make strangulation safe. Neither does relying on regulating the pressure applied.

    It was positive to see many respondents in our survey identified a desire for more information about sexual strangulation. Accurate information about the risks associated with sexual strangulation should be easily available both online and through public health campaigns.

    Heather Douglas receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Leah Sharman receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Choking during sex: many young people mistakenly believe it can be done safely, our study shows – https://theconversation.com/choking-during-sex-many-young-people-mistakenly-believe-it-can-be-done-safely-our-study-shows-248867

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The transformation of Jordan Mailata: from rugby league in Sydney to a second NFL Super Bowl

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Keogh, Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University

    Jordan Mailata is an Australian-born NFL star who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles as an offensive left tackle. This position favours very tall, heavy and strong athletes who also possess good footwork, agility and tactical awareness.

    His main job is to protect his quarterback and provide gaps for his running backs to run through.

    Mailata is one of four Australians to play in a Super Bowl, with the others being punters (kickers) Ben Graham, Arryn Siposs and Mitch Wishnowsky.

    Unfortunately, no Australian has won the game that matters most every year but Mailata has a chance in his second Super Bowl, against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday morning.

    So, how did Mailata reach the pinnacle of his “new” sport?



    Read more:
    It’s the most American of sports, so why is the NFL looking to Melbourne for international games?

    A rugby league giant

    Mailata’s initial sporting success came in rugby league.

    He played in the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs under-18 team and was offered a contract by the South Sydney Rabbitohs under-20 team. Both of these clubs are part of the elite National Rugby League (NRL) competition.

    Mailata, who still hadn’t reached his 21st birthday when offered the Rabbitohs contract, stood out as a giant even in professional rugby league circles at 203cm and 147 kilograms.

    But after fainting during a rugby league training session, he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required surgery. He then became even bigger, reportedly tipping the scales at close to 170kg.

    Ultimately, this resulted in some of the South Sydney staff and sport agents suggesting American football might be a better option for someone of his stature and physical capacities.

    Tranasferring his talent

    This brings us to what is known as “talent transfer”.

    In high-performance sport, talent transfer refers to a high-level athlete from one sport transferring to another based on their existing skills and physical capacities.

    This can be done for a number of reasons, like injury, burnout, loss of interest, or, in the case of Mailata, finding another sport that would suit their physicality better.

    Examples of talent transfer include sprinting to bobsleigh (Jana Pittman), rowing to cycling (Bridie O’Donnell and Rebecca Romero) or Sonny Bill Williams, who was highly successful at rugby league, rugby union and heavyweight boxing.

    For talent transfer to be successful, there needs to be a lot of similarities between the two sports in areas such as skill requirements (kicking, passing, tackling), physical traits (height, mass) and physiological demands (aerobic vs anaerobic).

    These similarities can allow athletes to capitalise on their previous training to succeed in their new sport faster and to a higher level than their competitors.

    The similarities between American football and rugby (league and union) – such as catching and kicking an oval-shaped ball, evading or running through defenders and full-body tackling – would have benefited a mature athlete like Mailata to transfer from one code to another.

    A whole new ball game

    His transition from a monster-sized rugby league player in Australia to a more regular-sized offensive tackle in the NFL was initially facilitated through the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) program.

    The IPP was established in 2017 to provide high performance adult athletes from all over the world (like Mailata) the opportunity to learn the complexities of American football and increase the number of international players in the NFL.

    The program has been highly successful, with 37 international players signing with NFL teams, of which 18 are currently on NFL rosters.

    When Mailata was drafted to the NFL in 2018, he had to work on many aspects of his body to meet the physical challenges of playing in the NFL against other exceptionally massive and strong athletes.

    He also had to learn a range of sport-specific technical and tactical skills.

    As a part of the IPP, he started working with coaches including Jeff Stoutland, the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach.

    Stoutland took Mailata into the classroom, teaching him the intricacies of offensive line play including protection and run schemes. These lessons extended into what footwork patterns he would need to master, where and how to position his body when initiating contact and how to use his hands to control the defensive line.

    Such skills are the bread and butter of the offensive line – these athletes provide the quarterback time to make key passing decisions and increase the chance of their running backs making big yards on their carries.

    Mailata has also mentioned how Strickland taught him the importance of critically watching NFL games, initially to learn the technicalities of the sport and now to further refine his performance against the best defensive lines.

    The next wave

    In addition to the IPP that looks at talent transfer from adult athletes, the NFL has developed the NFL Academy for school-aged children.

    The first academy was based at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom and the second was developed at A.B. Patterson College on the Gold Coast.

    These academies combine full-time education with intensive American football training in the hope of promoting pathway opportunities at US colleges.

    Hopefully, these academies will see more young Australians transferring their skills and following Mailata into the NFL.

    The authors 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. The transformation of Jordan Mailata: from rugby league in Sydney to a second NFL Super Bowl – https://theconversation.com/the-transformation-of-jordan-mailata-from-rugby-league-in-sydney-to-a-second-nfl-super-bowl-248658

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Whalesong patterns follow a universal law of human language, new research finds

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Allen, Postdoctoral research associate, Griffith University

    A humpback whale mother and calf on the New Caledonian breeding grounds.

    Mark Quintin

    All known human languages display a surprising pattern: the most frequent word in a language is twice as frequent as the second most frequent, three times as frequent as the third, and so on. This is known as Zipf’s law.

    Researchers have hunted for evidence of this pattern in communication among other species, but until now no other examples have been found.

    In new research published today in Science, our team of experts in whale song, linguistics and developmental psychology analysed eight years’ of song recordings from humpback whales in New Caledonia. Led by Inbal Arnon from the Hebrew University, Ellen Garland from the University of St Andrews, and Simon Kirby from the University of Edinburgh, We used techniques inspired by the way human infants learn language to analyse humpback whale song.

    We discovered that the same Zipfian pattern universally found across human languages also occurs in whale song. This complex signalling system, like human language, is culturally learned by each individual from others.

    Learning like an infant

    When infant humans are learning, they have to somehow discover where words start and end. Speech is continuous and does not come with gaps between words that they can use. So how do they break into language?

    Thirty years of research has revealed that they do this by listening for sounds that are surprising in context: sounds within words are relatively predictable, but between words are relatively unpredictable. We analysed the whale song data using the same procedure.

    A breaching humpback whale in New Caledonia.
    Operation Cetaces

    Unexpectedly, using this technique revealed in whale song the same statistical properties that are found in all languages. It turns out both human language and whale song have statistically coherent parts.

    In other words, they both contain recurring parts where the transitions between elements are more predictable within the part. Moreover, these recurring sub-sequences we detected follow the Zipfian frequency distribution found across all human languages, and not found before in other species.

    Whale song recording (2017)
    Operation Cetaces916 KB (download)
    Close analysis of whale song revealed statistical structures similar to those found in human language.
    Operation Cetaces

    How do the same statistical properties arise in two evolutionarily distant species that differ from one another in so many ways? We suggest we found these similarities because humans and whales share a learning mechanism: culture.

    A cultural origin

    Our findings raise an exciting question: why would such different systems in such incredibly distant species have common structures? We suggest the reason behind this is that both are culturally learned.

    Cultural evolution inevitably leads to the emergence of properties that make learning easier. If a system is hard to learn, it will not survive to the next generation of learners.

    There is growing evidence from experiments with humans that having statistically coherent parts, and having them follow a Zipfian distribution, makes learning easier. This suggests that learning and transmission play an important role in how these properties emerged in both human language and whale song.

    So can we talk to whales now?

    Finding parallel structures between whale song and human language may also lead to another question: can we talk to whales now? The short answer is no, not at all.

    Our study does not examine the meaning behind whale song sequences. We have no idea what these segments might mean to the whales, if they mean anything at all.

    A competitive pod of humpback whales on the New Caledonian breeding grounds.
    Operation Cetaces

    It might help to think about it like instrumental music, as music also contains similar structures. A melody can be learned, repeated, and spread – but that doesn’t give meaning to the musical notes in the same way that individual words have meaning.

    Next up: birdsong

    Our work also makes a bold prediction: we should find this Zipfian distribution wherever complex communication is transmitted culturally. Humans and whales are not the only species that do this.

    We find what is known as “vocal production learning” in an unusual range of species across the animal kingdom. Song birds in particular may provide the best place to look as many bird species culturally learn their songs, and unlike in whales, we know a lot about precisely how birds learn song.

    Equally, we expect not to find these statistical properties in the communication of species that don’t transmit complex communication by learning. This will help to reveal whether cultural evolution is the common driver of these properties between humans and whales.

    Ellen Garland received funding from the following grants for this work:
    Royal Society University Research Fellowship (UF160081 and
    URFR221020), Royal Society Research Fellows Enhancement
    Award (RGFEA180213), Royal Society Research Grants for
    Research Fellows 2018 (RGFR1181014), National Geographic
    Grant (NGS-50654R-18), Carnegie Trust Research Incentive Grant
    (RIG007772), British Ecological Society Small Research Grant
    (SR18/1288), and School of Biology Research Committee funding.

    Inbal Arnon, Jenny Allen, and Simon Kirby 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. Whalesong patterns follow a universal law of human language, new research finds – https://theconversation.com/whalesong-patterns-follow-a-universal-law-of-human-language-new-research-finds-249271

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: DR Congo: Summit must stop atrocities of war and hold criminals to account

    Source: Amnesty International –

    ‘Failure to seize this moment will only embolden the perpetrators and increase the likelihood of further atrocities’ – Agnès Callamard

    A joint summit on 7 and 8 February will be held for the heads of state and government of the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community on the escalation of fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:

    “This special summit on the grave situation in the DRC is well overdue. The catastrophic human rights consequences of the country’s armed conflicts have gone on for far too long. Now hundreds of thousands of women, children and men have once again been forced to flee the fighting, enduring dire conditions and desperately trying to stay alive.

    “States and intergovernmental organisations including the East African Community, Southern African Development Community, African Union, United Nations and European Union should intensify their engagement at this watershed moment, expose enablers of the current attacks in Goma and beyond, and make it clear that all those suspected of criminal responsibility for the ongoing atrocities will be held to account in fair trials.

    “It is time to ensure accountability for nearly 30 years of crimes under international law committed in the DRC. Failure to seize this moment will only embolden the perpetrators and increase the likelihood of further atrocities.”

    Renewed onslaught of violence

    On 18 January, the M23 armed group, backed by Rwandan forces, launched a military operation to expand its territory, violating a ceasefire agreement between Rwanda and the DRC established through the Luanda Peace Process. Since then, the M23 and the Rwandan Defence Force have captured several towns and cities, including the North Kivu capital of Goma. 

    On 27 January, Amnesty called on the DRC’s regional and international partners to exert pressure on all warring parties in the east of the country – including the Rwandan-backed M23 fighters, the Rwandan and Congolese armies, and their allies – to prioritise the protection of civilians in the aftermath of the recent fighting in Goma.

    Amnesty report into explosive weapon use

    Between January and July 2024 in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group and the Congolese army launched explosive weapons, with wide area effects, into densely populated areas more than 150 times over a seven-month period.

    The attacks, which killed more than 100 civilians and wounded hundreds, violated international humanitarian law and are likely constitute war crimes.

    Amnesty interviewed 60 people, visited several strike sites and analysed dozens of verified photos, videos and statements from the warring parties and others. They documented the M23 and Congolese army repeatedly using ground-launched unguided rockets, including 122mm Grad rockets. These weapons systems are inherently inaccurate and their use in populated areas poses an extremely high risk of civilian casualties.   

    The report can be found here.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Iran: Kurdish humanitarian worker at risk of execution ‘at any moment’ – urgent action

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Urgent global action needed to halt imminent execution of Pakhshan Azizi

    Take action here: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/kurdish-woman-activist-sentenced-death

    Responding to reports that Iran’s Supreme Court rejected the request for judicial review of the conviction and death sentence of humanitarian aid worker Pakhshan Azizi, 40, from Iran’s oppressed Kurdish ethnic minority, Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said:

    “The international community must immediately urge the Iranian authorities to halt the execution of arbitrarily detained humanitarian aid worker Pakhshan Azizi, who was sentenced to death following a grossly unfair trial before a Revolutionary Court last year.

    “Pakhshan Azizi was detained solely in relation to her peaceful human rights and humanitarian activities, including providing humanitarian support to women and children in northeast Syria who were displaced following attacks by the Islamic State armed group. Instead of facing imminent execution she should be immediately and unconditionally released.

    “The Supreme Court’s decision to reject her request for judicial review highlights yet again how the Iranian authorities remain adamantly resolved to use the death penalty as a tool of political repression to instil fear among the population.

    “The death penalty is abhorrent in all circumstances, but imposing it after a grossly unfair trial before a Revolutionary Court, in which Pakhshan Azizi’s allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, including gender-based violence, have gone uninvestigated.

    “Yet again the Iranian authorities’ show shameless disregard for the right to life. Governments worldwide must speak out loudly now against this injustice to halt Pakshan Azizi’s execution before it is too late.”

    Execution could be carried out at any moment

    In a media interview one of Azizi’s lawyers, Amir Raesian, said he was notified of the decision on 5 February, adding that her execution could now be carried out at any moment. He also noted that shocking errors made in the case by the lower court were repeated in the Supreme Court’s verdict.

    Sentenced to death

    Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Pakshan Azizi to death in July 2024. She was convicted of “armed rebellion against the state” (baghi) solely in relation to her peaceful human rights and humanitarian activities. For instance, between 2014 and 2022 she was involved in providing humanitarian support to women and children displaced following attacks by the Islamic State armed group and sheltering in camps in northeast Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In early January 2025, the Supreme Court upheld her conviction and death sentence. Her request for judicial review was subsequently rejected by Branch Nine of the Supreme Court.

    Held at Evin Prison

    On 4 August 2023, Ministry of Intelligence agents arbitrarily arrested Pakhshan Azizi in Tehran and transferred her to section 209 of Tehran’s Evin prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence and held her in prolonged solitary confinement for five months without access to a lawyer and her family. According to informed sources, during this time Pakhshan Azizi was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment during interrogations. Agents repeatedly told her that she had no right to live and threatened to execute her. They also subjected her to gender-based violence in order to compel her to make forced “confessions” of having ties to Kurdish opposition groups, which she repeatedly denied. In early December 2023, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin prison, where she continues to be held.

    Amnesty opposes the death penalty unconditionally, in all cases and under any circumstances.

    Take action here: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/kurdish-woman-activist-sentenced-death

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Global: Google’s shameful decision to reverse its ban on AI for weapons and surveillance is a blow for human rights 

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Responding to Google’s decision to remove its prohibition on artificial intelligence (AI) being used for developing weapons and surveillance tools, Matt Mahmoudi, Researcher and Adviser on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, said: 

    “It’s a shame that Google has chosen to set this dangerous precedent, after years of recognizing that their AI programme should not be used in ways that could contribute to human rights violations. Amnesty has got a long history of documenting the possible human rights violations posed by AI when it is used as a means of societal control, mass surveillance and discrimination. 

    “AI-powered technologies could fuel surveillance and lethal killing systems at a vast scale, potentially leading to mass violations and infringing on the fundamental right to privacy. Google’s decision to reverse its ban on AI weapons enables the company to sell products that power technologies including mass surveillance, drones developed for semi-automated signature strikes, and target generation software that is designed to speed up the decision to kill. 

    It’s a shame that Google has to chosen to set this dangerous precedent, after years of recognizing that their AI programme should not be used in ways that could contribute to human rights violations. Amnesty has got a long history of documenting the possible human rights violations posed by AI when it is used as a means of societal control, mass surveillance and discrimination. 

    Matt Mahmoudi, Researcher and Adviser on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights

    “Google must urgently reverse recent changes in AI principles and recommit to refraining from developing or selling systems that could enable serious human rights violations.  

    “It is also essential that state actors establish binding regulations governing the deployment of these technologies grounded in human rights principles. The facade of self-regulation perpetuated by tech companies must not distract us from urgent need to create robust legislation that protects human rights.” 

    Background 

    On Tuesday, Google removed from their website the pledge promising not to pursue technologies that “cause overall harm” including weapons and surveillance systems and “technologies whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.” Google defended the change, outlining that businesses and governments needed to work together on AI that “supports national security.” 

    Amnesty International’s research has documented how facial recognition systems amplify racially discriminatory policing and threatens the right to protest.   

    In 2019, Amnesty International’s research revealed how Google’s surveillance-based business model is inherently incompatible with the right to privacy and poses a threat to a range of other rights including freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of thought, and the right to equality and non-discrimination. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Iran: Urgent global action needed to halt imminent execution of Kurdish humanitarian worker

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Responding to reports that Iran’s Supreme Court rejected the request for judicial review of the conviction and death sentence of humanitarian aid worker Pakhshan Azizi, 40, from Iran’s oppressed Kurdish ethnic minority, Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said:

    “The international community must immediately urge the Iranian authorities to halt the execution of arbitrarily detained humanitarian aid worker Pakhshan Azizi, who was sentenced to death following a grossly unfair trial before a Revolutionary Court last year.

    “Pakhshan Azizi was detained solely in relation to her peaceful human rights and humanitarian activities, including providing humanitarian support to women and children in northeast Syria who were displaced following attacks by the Islamic State armed group. Instead of facing imminent execution she should be immediately and unconditionally released.

    The international community must immediately urge the Iranian authorities to halt the execution of arbitrarily detained humanitarian aid worker Pakhshan Azizi, who was sentenced to death following a grossly unfair trial 

    Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International

    “The Supreme Court’s decision to reject her request for judicial review highlights yet again how the Iranian authorities remain adamantly resolved to use death penalty as a tool of political repression to instil fear among the population. In a media interview one of her lawyers, Amir Raesian, said he was notified of the decision on 5 February, adding that her execution could now be carried out at any moment. He also noted that shocking errors made in the case by the lower court were repeated in the Supreme Court’s verdict.

    “The death penalty is abhorrent in all circumstances; but imposing it after a grossly unfair trial before a Revolutionary Court, in which Pakhshan Azizi’s allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, including gender-based violence, have gone uninvestigated, renders its use arbitrary and illustrates yet again the Iranian authorities’ shameless disregard for the right to life. Governments worldwide must speak out loudly now against this injustice to halt Pakshan Azizi’s execution before it is too late.”

    Background

    Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Pakshan Azizi to death in July 2024. She was convicted of “armed rebellion against the state” (baghi) solely in relation to her peaceful human rights and humanitarian activities. For instance, between 2014 and 2022 she was involved in providing humanitarian support to women and children displaced following attacks by the Islamic State armed group (IS) and sheltering in camps in northeast Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In early January 2025, the Supreme Court upheld her conviction and death sentence. Her request for judicial review was subsequently rejected by Branch Nine of the Supreme Court.

    On 4 August 2023, Ministry of Intelligence agents arbitrarily arrested Pakhshan Azizi in Tehran and transferred her to section 209 of Tehran’s Evin prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence and held her in prolonged solitary confinement for five months without access to a lawyer and her family. According to informed sources, during this time Pakhshan Azizi was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment during interrogations. Agents repeatedly told her that she had no right to live and threatened to execute her. They also subjected her to gender-based violence in order to compel her to make forced “confessions” of having ties to Kurdish opposition groups, which she repeatedly denied. In early December 2023, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin prison, where she remains held.

    Amnesty International opposes the death penalty unconditionally, in all cases and under any circumstances.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Tunisia: Authorities step up crackdown on LGBTI individuals with wave of arrests

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Authorities in Tunisia have stepped up their crackdown on LGBTI individuals, carrying out dozens of arrests over recent months, said Amnesty International today.

    Between 26 September 2024 and 31 January 2025 at least 84 people in the cities of Tunis, Hammamet, Sousse and El Kef – mainly gay men and trans women – were arrested, arbitrarily detained and unjustly prosecuted solely based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, according to the Tunisian NGO Damj Association for Justice and Equality.

    “The recent spike in arrests targeting LGBTI people is an alarming setback for human rights in Tunisia. No one should face arrest, prosecution or imprisonment based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Instead of harassing individuals based on gender stereotypes and deeply entrenched homophobic attitudes, the Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release anyone detained because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity and introduce safeguards to protect the rights of LGBTI people,” said Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.

    Amnesty International interviewed four LGBTI rights activists and three lawyers representing individuals arrested between September and December 2024 for their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The organization also reviewed legal documents, and official statements.

    The recent spike in arrests targeting LGBTI people is an alarming setback for human rights in Tunisia. No one should face arrest, prosecution or imprisonment based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

    Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International

    Wave of arrests

    The wave of arrests followed a large-scale online campaign that began on 13 September 2024, which saw homophobic and transphobic hate speech and discriminatory rhetoric against LGBTI activists and organizations spreading across hundreds of social media pages, including those espousing support for the Tunisian President Kais Said. Traditional media outlets also broadcast inflammatory messages by popular TV and radio hosts attacking LGBTI organizations, calling for their dissolution and for the arrests of LGBTI activists.

    Saif Ayadi, queer activist and head of programs at Damj, fears that the actual number of LGBTI people arrested and prosecuted is higher than the numbers Damj was able to document. He explained: “Our numbers are based on the direct assistance we provide to members of the community including legal assistance; it is not exhaustive. We estimate the real number to be at least three times higher because when we used to have access to official numbers of prosecutions a few years ago, we found that the on average our documentation only covers at most a third of the people affected.”

    Gay men and transgender people in Tunisia are often arrested based on gender stereotypes, behaviour or physical appearance. According to lawyers who represent LGBTI individuals, frequently digital evidence unlawfully seized from their devices after the arrests is used to prosecute them. Most of those arrested, report to their lawyers having their phones confiscated and illegally searched by police officers.

    The criminalization of consensual same-sex relations makes LGBTI people vulnerable to violence and abuse by the police, who often exploit their fear of arrest and prosecution and subject them to blackmail, extortion and, at times, sexual abuse. In some cases, those arrested were victims of entrapment and phishing on social media and dating applications by security officers. Some individuals reported to Damj being entrapped by security forces impersonating LGBTI people on social media and same-sex dating applications, to extort and blackmail them including through threats of outing, doxxing or arrest including for “soliciting prostitution online”. Lawyers have also reported on an increase in police raids without warrants on homes of LGBTI people during 2024.

    Abusive prosecutions on “morality” and “indecency” grounds

    Those arrested have been detained and prosecuted under Article 230, which criminalizes same-sex relations (for “sodomy and lesbianism”), and/or Articles 226 and 226 bis of the Penal Code, which criminalize “indecency” and acts deemed to be offensive to “public morals”. Article 230 provides for up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine while Articles 226 and 226 bis provide for up to six months’ imprisonment.

    “Articles in the penal code that criminalize ‘public indecency’ or acts deemed to be ‘against good morals or public morality’ are particularly dangerous as they are overly broad, vague and do not meet the principle of legality, allowing for a wide scope of interpretation and inconsistency. These overbroad provisions and their subjective and discretionary application allow law enforcement to carry out sweeping arrests of individuals simply for failing to adhere to gender norms or having a non-conforming gender appearance or expression,” said Diana Eltahawy.

    On 27 October 2024, the justice ministry issued a statement condemning the increasing use of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to spread content “contrary to public morals”, urging prosecutors to “take necessary judicial measures and launch investigations against anyone producing, displaying or publishing data, images and video clips with content that undermines moral values”. According to Damj, the ministry’s statement sparked a campaign against LGBTI individuals.

    A few days after this statement, five content creators, including Khoubaib, who is gender non-conforming, were arrested and charged with “public indecency, dissemination of content contrary to good morals” among other charges. They were convicted and sentenced on 31 October 2024 to prison terms of up to four and a half years. Upon their appeal, on 5 February, the convictions were upheld and four were released after their sentences were reduced. The fifth defendant who is gender non-confirming remains imprisoned as he was sentenced to a two-year prison term and a 1,000 dinar fine under Article 234 of the penal code for “violating morals by inciting minors to debauchery ” over videos that he created and posted on social media.

    Forced anal ‘examinations’ amounting to torture

    Men accused of engaging in same-sex relations are routinely subjected to forced anal “examinations” by medical doctors. Amnesty International considers forced anal examinations a form of torture. The Tunisian authorities must halt all such examinations immediately.

    On 3 December 2024, the El Kef Court of First Instance sentenced two men to one year imprisonment under Article 230. Both were subjected to forced anal examinations to obtain “proof” of same-sex sexual activity.

    Targeting to LGBTI activists

    LGBTI activists and associations have also faced increasing harassment by authorities. Queer activists Saif Ayadi, Assala Madoukhi and Mira Ben Salah were summoned for questioning several times, most recently in October and November 2024.  Police interrogated them about their activism, their work with civil society organizations and their participation in protests. Mira Ben Salah, who is a trans activist and the coordinator of Damj’s office in Sfax, was subject to repeated interrogation in relation to the organization’s work, including with migrants and refugees. Mira is facing multiple charges in connection with her work with Damj and is awaiting the outcome of the investigation.

    In July 2023 and February 2024, Mira Ben Salah filed complaints with the Public Prosecutor at the Court of First Instance in Sfax over her repeated harassment by police. She told Amnesty international: “I have been summoned and questioned so many times because of my work and my activism but when I filed complaints for harassment, threats and violence that I faced they don’t call me to testify nor take my complaints seriously.”  She added that while the authorities’ investigation against her was progressing swiftly, the investigation into her own complaints has not made any progress.

    MIL OSI NGO –