THORNTON – Today, Governor Polis visited the Thornton Police Department to tour a new state-of-the-art training facility and to meet with interim police chief Greg Reeves and officers following the recent incident that injured two Thornton Police officers.
“Violent crime has no place in Colorado. Thank you to the brave peace officers across the state who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our fellow Coloradans and to keep our communities safe. I’m grateful for the service of our men and women in uniform and was honored to visit a new state-of-the-art police training facility in Thornton, which will help train and retain high-quality officers,” said Governor Polis.
Recently two Thornton Police officers were injured during an incident while on duty. Governor Polis spoke with Chief Reeves and officers at the facility to express his relief that both officers were not seriously harmed and wished both officers a speedy recovery. Under Governor Polis the state has invested millions to enhance law enforcement recruitment, retention, and training, including awarding a recruitment and training assistance grant specifically for the Thornton Police Department.
The Government is making changes so that more veterans who have served New Zealand will be formally recognised as part of official Anzac Day commemorations, Veterans Minister Chris Penk and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith say.
“Veterans often tell me that recognition is the most meaningful form of thanks. Serving your country comes with great personal sacrifice which can never be fully repaid, but recognising the bravery, honour and dedication of service personnel through official commemorations like Anzac Day goes a long way,” Mr Penk says.
“Anzac Day commemorations were originally designed to remember those who fell at Gallipoli. But increasingly New Zealanders are using the occasion to remember and honour all who have served New Zealand.
“What many people don’t realise is that as a matter of law Anzac Day doesn’t commemorate the contribution New Zealand forces have made in conflicts after 1966, when the Anzac Day Act was last updated. The final conflict mentioned in the Act is the Vietnam War.
“The Government is doing something about this by progressing a Bill to amend the Anzac Day Act so that the day will officially recognise those who have taken part in more recent war-like conflicts, including our peacekeeping forces, as well as those from previous wars.
“We know that there is more we can – and should – do to better recognise service personnel’s sacrifices. Even the question of who is officially recognised as a ‘veteran’ is more complicated than most would realise, with not all people who have operationally served in the New Zealand Defence Force recognised as a veteran.
“However, today’s announcement, made by the Prime Minister at the RSA’s 108th National Council meeting in Wellington, is an important step in the right direction.”
Mr Goldsmith emphasised that it is time for the Act to catch up with public sentiment.
“Kiwis are grateful for the courage, commitment and sacrifice of servicemen and women not only in the past, but also in the present, and Anzac Day is one of the ways they want to show it,” Mr Goldsmith says.
“The service personnel of today are part of a long and proud tradition. A change is well overdue, and we need to acknowledge that all those who have served New Zealand in time of war and war-like conflicts deserve to be officially recognised and honoured. It’s appropriate to do that on Anzac Day.”
The Anzac Day Amendment Bill is expected to be introduced in the House before Anzac Day 2025 and passed in time for Anzac Day 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44), alongside Reps. Jesus “Chuy” García (IL-04) and Steven Horsford (NV-04), introduced a resolution to designate September 22, 2024, as “National Hispanic Nurses Day” and to recognize the work of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) as the leading organization in representing and advocating for Hispanic Nurses.
The designation of National Hispanic Nurses Day would raise awareness of the significant contributions of Hispanic nurses in their communities and the country, recognizing the importance of culturally and ethnically competent care within the nursing profession, particularly within underserved communities.
The resolution also shows support for the goals and ideas of NAHN, including the promotion of health care equity and the elimination of health care disparities within the United States. Since 1975, NAHN has been the nation’s leading professional society for Latino nurses. With a growing membership and more than 40 local chapters, the non-profit organization represents the voices of Latino nurses throughout the United States.
“As the sister of a nurse, I see firsthand the hard work of Hispanic nurses within all of our communities,” said Rep. Barragan. “Hispanic nurses play a critical role in advancing healthcare for under resourced communities and add much needed diversity to the nursing profession. As we close out National Hispanic Heritage Month, which recognizes the history and contributions of all Hispanic Americans, I am proud to reintroduce this resolution to recognize the unique care provided by Hispanic nurses as well as NAHN’s work to support our current workforce and future nursing generations. Today, and every day, we must advocate for increased honor and support for our healthcare professionals.”
“Hispanic nurses are key advocates for our community’s health care needs,” said Rep. García. “They provide care through culturally sensitive practices including speaking the language our community prefers. Their efforts uplifting appropriate treatments and approaches to address Latino community needs is critical to policy-making and resource allocation across federal, state and local agencies. On National Hispanic Nurses Day I’m proud to co-lead this resolution recognizing their work.”
“Hispanic nurses often serve as the backbone of our healthcare system, leading the charge in providing lifesaving care and reducing health disparities in underserved communities,” said Rep. Horsford. “By recognizing National Hispanic Nurses Day, we can honor their commitment and contributions to the well-being of millions. I’m proud to join my colleagues in celebrating the essential role Hispanic nurses play in creating a healthier, more equitable future.”
“The collective strength of Hispanic nurses is rooted not only in our professional expertise but also in our unwavering commitment to making a difference in the lives of those we serve,” said Veronica Vital, National Association of Hispanic Nurses, President. “The National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) has played a pivotal role in advancing health equity, promoting higher education, and empowering our members to become influential leaders shaping health policy. As a rich, diverse mosaic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and safe environment where every voice is heard and valued.”
In addition to García and Horsford, the National Hispanic Nurses Day resolution is cosponsored by 13 original cosponsors: Representatives Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), Luis Correa (CA-46), Jim Costa (CA-21), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Rául Grijalva (AZ-7), Delia Ramirez (IL-3), Andrea Salinas (OR-6), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Darren Soto (FL-9), Mark Takano (CA-39), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07).
The resolution is endorsed by the National Association of Hispanic Nurses.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
# # #
Congressmember Nanette Barragán represents California’s 44th District. She sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and works on environmental justice and healthcare issues. She is also Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).
The death toll of a gasoline tanker explosion in Nigeria’s northern state of Jigawa early this week exceeded 100, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s spokesman said Wednesday.
A statement issued Wednesday evening by Bayo Onanuga, a senior presidential spokesman, on behalf of Tinubu, described as “devastating” the night inferno in Majiya, a town in the Taura local government area of Jigawa late Tuesday.
According to the statement, the Nigerian leader directed a delegation of senior officials to condole with the families of the deceased, assess the situation at the scene of the incident, and visit scores of injured people in the hospital. He also directed that emergency aid, including medical supplies, food, and shelter, be extended to the victims receiving treatment and others affected by the tanker fire.
While assuring the citizens of the government’s better commitment to the swift and comprehensive review of fuel transportation safety protocols across the country, Tinubu further directed the road safety police to strengthen night travel measures, such as increased patrols, stricter enforcement of safety regulations, and other highway safety mechanisms to prevent recurrences of the incident.
Earlier the police had confirmed at least 90 people killed and 50 others injured following the explosion. The victims were mostly people who had rushed to the scene to collect gasoline after the tanker lost control and overturned, a police spokesman earlier told Xinhua.
A mass burial for the deceased was held Wednesday morning, said Shi’isu Lawan Adam, the spokesman for the police in Jigawa.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Oct. 16 — China’s central bank on Wednesday said that it has renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the State Bank of Pakistan.
The total value of the agreement is 30 billion yuan (about 4.21 billion U.S. dollars), or 1.18 trillion Pakistani rupees, the People’s Bank of China said in a statement on its website.
The agreement is valid for three years and can be renewed upon mutual consent, according to the statement.
The currency swap arrangement will strengthen financial cooperation between China and Pakistan, expand the use of the two currencies, and promote and facilitate bilateral trade and investment, the statement said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Vocational skills competition kicks off in Xi’an, NW China
Updated: October 17, 2024 08:17Xinhua
Participants compete in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. The competition kicked off Wednesday in Xi’an, featuring 20 categories like mobile robots, internet marketing, and intelligent technology of NEVs. [Photo/Xinhua]A participant competes in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Participants compete in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]A participant competes in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Participants compete in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Participants compete in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]A participant competes in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]A participant competes in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]A participant competes in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Participants compete in a vocational skills competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met with Johnny Koanapo, president of Vanuatu’s Vanuaaku Party and the country’s minister of finance.
The two sides exchanged views on jointly implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthening inter-party exchanges, deepening exchanges of experience in state governance, and promoting the construction of a China-Vanuatu community with a shared future in the new era.
China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) on Wednesday expressed their willingness to deepen cooperation at the local level to promote steady and long-term cooperation between China and CEEC.
Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, addressed the opening ceremony of the 6th Local Leaders’ Meeting of China and CEEC held in Yantai, east China’s Shandong Province.
Li, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that since the establishment of the cooperation mechanism between China and CEEC 12 years ago, the two sides have jointly promoted the continuous development of the mechanism, achieved positive results, and set a model of trans-regional cooperation in the context of globalization.
China-CEEC cooperation has not only put relevant practical cooperation on the fast track, but also injected more positive energy into the development of China-Europe relations, Li noted.
He called on the two sides to synergize their development strategies, improve the mechanism of sub-national cooperation, and strengthen exchanges and mutual learning on governance experience, to make local level cooperation more fruitful and promote steady and long-term cooperation between China and CEEC.
More than 300 people from CEEC attended the meeting. They spoke highly of the positive role played by China-CEEC cooperation in promoting bilateral relations, local development and China-Europe cooperation, expressing the hope to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Chinese localities, consolidate traditional friendship and seek common development.
Ahead of the COP16 Biodiversity summit, which runs from 21 October to 1 November in Cali, Colombia, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, said:
“At the last meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal in 2022, states agreed the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a set of ambitious targets to strengthen the protection and promotion of biodiversity globally by 2030. That was an important first step towards tackling the biodiversity crisis that has brought about the total or near extinction of countless species and threatens the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
“The Global Biodiversity Framework includes many human rights safeguards, but it will only prove effective if states agree on a robust mechanism to monitor and enforce it. Delegates at COP16 must finalize a monitoring framework that comprehensively tracks all of those human rights safeguards and the appropriate channelling of funds, holds states accountable for failing to respect them, and is informed by submissions from Indigenous Peoples, peasant and Afro-descendant organizations, and civil society.
“The Global Biodiversity Framework, including its monitoring mechanism, is particularly crucial for Indigenous Peoples and land-dependent communities who are bearing the brunt of the loss of biodiversity but are also victimized by the responses to this loss. In particular, and as documented by Amnesty International, they are at risk of being thrown off their land in the name of creating protected conservation areas – a shameful practice known as fortress conservation.
The Global Biodiversity Framework includes many human rights safeguards, but it will only prove effective if states agree on a robust mechanism to monitor and enforce it.
Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard
“It is therefore crucial that the monitoring framework to be agreed in Cali contain indicators to measure the protection of Indigenous Peoples’ land rights and their traditional and scientific knowledge and practices, as well as the rights of Afro-descendants, peasants and other local land-dependent communities. The monitoring mechanism must track the channelling of biodiversity financing directly to those actors, and formally recognize their conservation work on their lands, which is often more effective than state-sanctioned protected areas.
“Similarly, environmental defenders and land protectors often risk their lives to protect our planet and its biodiversity. Delegates must keep this harsh reality at the front of their minds as they meet in Colombia, long the world’s deadliest country for environmental activists. The monitoring framework must thus include metrics to capture initiatives and legal protections for land defenders, and their impact and outcome, including on impunity.”
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Thursday that the roads and railways connecting South Korea in the eastern and western parts of the DPRK southern border have been completely blocked, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
“Under an order of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) on Oct. 15th took a measure to physically cut off the DPRK’s roads and railways which lead to the ROK through the east and west sections of the southern border of the DPRK as part of the phased complete separation of its territory, where its sovereignty is exercised, from the ROK’s territory,” the KCNA said, referring to South Korea by using the acronym of its official name, the Republic of Korea.
“In the daytime of October 15th, the 60-metre-long sections of the roads and railways in Kamho-ri, Kosong County, Kangwon Province and the 60-metre-long sections of the roads and railways in Tongnae-ri, Panmun District, Kaesong Municipality have been completely blocked through blasting,” a spokesman for the DPRK Ministry of National Defence was quoted by the KCNA as saying.
“This is an inevitable and legitimate measure taken in keeping with the requirement of the DPRK Constitution which clearly defines the ROK as a hostile state, and due to the serious security circumstances running to the unpredictable brink of war owing to the grave political and military provocations of the hostile forces,” according to the KCNA report.
A spokesman for the DPRK Ministry of Land and Environment Protection confirmed that the blasting had no negative effect on the surrounding ecological environment and that the routes linking the DPRK to the ROK have been completely separated, the KCNA said.
The Ministry of National Defence said that the DPRK will continue to take measures to “permanently fortify the closed southern border”, the KCNA added.
The KPA General Staff said on Oct. 9 that the DPRK will completely cut off roads and railways connecting South Korea amid the precarious situation on the Korean Peninsula, according to a previous KCNA report.
At least three people died and four others were injured after a bridge collapsed in the southern U.S. state of Mississippi on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said, calling it “a work site accident.”
The deaths and injuries were confirmed by Simpson County Sheriff Paul Mullins, local media outlet WLBT reported.
The bridge over the Strong River on Highway 149, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Jackson, had been closed to traffic since Sept. 18 as part of a bridge replacement project, the Mississippi Department of Transportation said in a news release.
The department said it “would share more information with the public as it becomes available.”
A 5.3-magnitude earthquake jolted Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 6:23 a.m. Thursday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter was monitored at 41.11 degrees north latitude and 78.53 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, said the CENC.
The Palestinian presidency condemned on Wednesday the Israeli army’s ongoing siege of northern Gaza, which has continued for the 11th consecutive day.
In a press release published by the Palestinian news agency WAFA, presidency spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh called Israel’s siege and ongoing military operations that force residents to evacuate their homes “war crimes punishable under international law.”
“It is unacceptable to allow the continuation of Israeli aggression while the UN Security Council remains paralyzed due to U.S. policies that support Israel and its actions, which defy international will,” he said.
Abu Rudeineh stressed that these U.S. policies “have violated all prohibitions of international law and provided the criminal occupation forces with all forms of financial and military support, encouraging them to commit heinous crimes against our people and the peoples of the region.”
Witnesses told Xinhua that the Israeli army is besieging dozens of families, primarily consisting of women and children, preventing them from leaving the northern areas and putting them at risk of death.
The Israeli army has been conducting a large-scale offensive and imposing a tight siege on Jabalia and the surrounding areas since October 6, allegedly to target militants and their infrastructure in Jabalia and prevent Hamas from regrouping there.
“This operation to systematically dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the areas will continue as long as required in order to achieve its objectives,” the army said.
China’s anti-graft chief Li Xi has urged efforts to further improve conduct and build integrity among the Party and combat corruption, thus achieving new progress on the front. Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, made the remarks during an inspection tour to north China’s Tianjin Municipality from Monday to Wednesday. While visiting different localities in the city, Li called for efforts to tackle Party discipline and law violations in the field of eco-environmental protection, and continue to address misconduct and corruption occurring at people’s doorsteps, among other efforts. At a seminar during the tour, Li also urged deepening the reform of the discipline inspection and supervision system to make it more regulated and rule-based, and ensuring that political responsibility for full and rigorous Party self-governance is fulfilled.
A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday reaffirmed that Taiwan’s status as part of China has never changed and will never change. Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks during a press conference in response to a speech made by Taiwan’s leader, Lai Ching-te, on Oct. 10, in which Lai claimed that “the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has no right to represent Taiwan.” A host of documents with international legal effect, including the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation, confirm China’s sovereignty over Taiwan, Chen said. He emphasized that the government of the PRC was established on Oct. 1, 1949, replacing the government of the Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China. At its 26th session in 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, which restored the representation and seat of the whole of China, including Taiwan, to the government of the PRC, based on the recognition that Taiwan is part of China, Chen noted. Lai’s framing of “China” and “Taiwan” as oppositional reflects a clear separatist assertion of “Taiwan independence,” Chen said, adding that this undermines China’s sovereignty and challenges the international community’s commitment to the one-China principle. “Any action or statement that challenges the one-China principle and seeks to divide the country is doomed to fail,” the spokesperson said. Any attempt to undermine the national identity of Taiwan compatriots and exacerbate cross-Strait tensions will not gain public support, he added.
Gambling, especially sports and race betting, is a hot political issue at the moment.
This is largely due to the recommendations from a 2023 report from a nonpartisan federal government committee, chaired by the late Peta Murphy, called You Win Some, You Lose More.
This report recommended “the Australian government, with the cooperation of the states and territories, implement a comprehensive ban on all forms of advertising for online gambling”.
This has led to lots of debate and controversy.
Recently, Peter V’landys, head of the NRL and Racing NSW, claimed lotteries were more harmful than race and sports betting combined, citing independent statistics.
Let’s explore the relative harm of different types of gambling and see if this claim holds up.
Australians love a punt
Gambling is widespread in Australia, with more than half of adults engaging in at least one form each year.
According to the latest national data, lotteries are the most common type (40% of Australians buy a ticket annually), followed by race betting (17%), pokies (16%), scratchies (15.7%) and sports betting (9.6%).
However, the popularity of a gambling form doesn’t necessarily reflect its harm. Different gambling activities have distinct characteristics.
Two key factors mean that some gambling forms are more harmful than others: the speed of gambling and bet size.
Pokies allow for frequent, small bets, with spins every three seconds. Race and sports betting can involve much larger sums and betting that is relatively fast, but still slower than pokie spins.
Sports betting, in particular, is getting faster with in-play betting and microbetting.
Poker machines, or ‘pokies’ are the biggest single source of gambling losses in Australia.
Lotteries, on the other hand, are much slower-paced.
People typically spend a small amount on tickets and wait for a draw to find out if they’ve won.
Although it’s possible to spend a lot on tickets, people tend not to, unlike with faster gambling forms.
The average spend on pokies among the 16% who play them is around $4,782 per year, compared to an average spend on lotteries of $377 per year. These are averages. Most won’t spend these amounts but some will spend far more, which raises the average amount.
V’landys’ claim about lotteries being more harmful than race and sports betting was based on “independent statistics”.
He said that of 100 people seeking help from a gambling hotline, 70 had issues with pokies, 15 with lotteries, eight with race betting, four with sports betting, and three with casinos.
We were unable to verify these figures – if anyone has the data, we’d love to see the research to assess them.
However, we do have publicly available data.
What the data say
The NSW GambleAware website’s 2020-21 report shows that of 2,886 people seeking help, 73.3% identified pokies as their primary form of gambling, while only 13 people (less than 1%) listed lotteries. Race betting accounted for 13.1%, and sports betting for 7.9%.
People who experience problems also usually take part in more than one form of gambling, as the NSW report showed.
When these secondary gambling activities were considered, sports betting was cited by 35.5%, race betting by 33.5%, pokies by 19.5%, and lotteries by 13.7%.
What we discovered
The best evidence on gambling problems and harm comes from large-scale prevalence studies, typically commissioned by governments and conducted by independent researchers.
These studies offer high-quality insights into how each gambling form contributes to problems.
While one prevalence study is great, our team recently combined data from seven national and state-based prevalence studies. This resulted in a very high-quality dataset that we can use to study this question.
In our analysis, we used statistical techniques to show how strongly each gambling form is associated with problems.
These techniques give us regression coefficients, which are just numbers that tell us how strong the association is. A higher number means a stronger association between that form and gambling problems.
The most problematic form was pokies (coefficient = 0.147), followed by casino games (0.136), sports betting (0.068) and race betting (0.038).
Lotteries, with a coefficient of 0.001, were the least problematic and were not statistically significant even in our large sample.
As you might guess from such a low number, there’s very little relationship between lotteries and gambling problems.
What about prevalence?
Prevalence matters too – while pokies were most strongly associated with problems, the number of people participating in each gambling form is also important.
Let’s consider an analogy – a car that gives out a lot of exhaust fumes. That car is harmful, but if virtually no one owns one, then it’s not going to account for much pollution.
The same idea applies for gambling forms. If a gambling form is very harmful but very few people do it, it doesn’t account for many problems in the population.
It works the other way, too – if there is a very clean type of car that many people drive, they also won’t add up to much pollution.
Similarly, if we have gambling forms that have very little association with problems, it won’t add up to many problems in the population, even if lots of people take part.
The regression coefficients tell us how problematic each gambling form is. Prevalance tells us how many people do it.
When we combine these two bits of information, we can work out the degree of problems in the community that come from each form.
When we did this, pokies were responsible for 52-57% of gambling problems in the community.
Sports and race betting each contributed 9-11%, with a combined total of around 20%.
Lotteries accounted for just 0.1-1% of problems.
Even if we include scratchies as part of lotteries, this only adds another 2-5% of problems, still far below sports and race betting.
The real issue
What’s the takeaway?
Lotteries are widely played but are not typically associated with much harm.
Sports and race betting, despite having fewer participants, are more harmful due to their faster pace and the potential for large, frequent bets.
Lotteries involve slower betting and lower spending, making them much less risky.
If we aim to reduce gambling harm in our community, the focus should be on pokies, which are widespread in pubs and clubs outside WA, casino games and race and sports betting.
These forms have features that make them far more harmful than slower-paced gambling like lotteries.
Alex Russell receives funding from Gambling Research Australia, the Department of Social Services, the NSW Responsible Gambling Fund, the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission, the New Zealand Ministry of Health, the South Australian Government, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade, the Alberta Gambling Research Institute and Arts Queensland. He previously provided statistical advice on projects to inform a casino group about gambling and gambling problems amongst their employees, and what could be done to reduce this.
He is a board member for the Australian Loneliness Research Foundation.
Matthew Browne has received funding from the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission, the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling, the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Gambling Research Australia, the Alberta Gambling Research Institute, the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General, the Commonwealth Department of Social Services, the Office of Responsible Gambling, and the South Australian Independent Gambling Authority for various research studies on gambling behaviour, youth gambling, and the social costs of gambling, and gambling-related harm.
Matthew Rockloff receives funding from Matthew Rockloff has received funding from the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission, the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling, the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Gambling Research Australia, the Alberta Gambling Research Institute, the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General, the Commonwealth Department of Social Services, the Office of Responsible Gambling, and the South Australian Independent Gambling Authority for various research studies on gambling behaviour, youth gambling, and the social costs of gambling, and gambling-related harm.
It was a busy night for officers in Counties Manukau, with six people taken into custody following a spate of vehicle crime across the district.
At about 10.35pm, officers in Papatoetoe attempted to stop a vehicle travelling on Plunket Road.
Counties Manukau West Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Steve Albrey, says the vehicle failed to stop for Police and continued to drive dangerously through the area.
“Police elected not to pursue and the Eagle helicopter was able to provide commentary.
“The vehicle has continued to drive in a dangerous manner before coming to a stop outside an address in Gray Avenue, where one person was quickly taken into custody.”
A 34-year-old man will appear in Manukau District Court today facing charges including unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and failing to stop.
A couple of hours later at 12.40pm, Police received a report from a member of the public who had allegedly interrupted two offenders stealing a vehicle parked on Fusion Road, Flat Bush.
Counties Manukau East Area Commander, Inspector Rod Honan, says the informant also believed one of the offenders pointed an object that looked like a firearm in their direction before driving off in the stolen vehicle.
“At about 1pm, the vehicle was observed travelling on the motorway near Newmarket.
“Eagle was able to get overhead and units subsequently spiked the vehicle on State Highway 20, before it exited at Hillsborough Road.”
Inspector Honan says the vehicle came to a stop and officers quickly took five people into custody.
He says a search of the vehicle didn’t locate any firearms.
“We hope the public can be reassured with have no tolerance for this brazen behaviour in our community.”
Four people, aged 12-16, will appear in Manukau Youth Court today charged with dangerous driving and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
The Bungleboori picnic area will be the focus of major construction work from Monday 21 October 2024, with new facilities to include a car park, toilets, picnic shelters and seating.
Located in the centre of the park at the junction of Maiyingu Marragu Trail and Glowworm Tunnel Rd, Bungleboori will become the main meeting point for the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, with visitor signage and wayfinding to inform and direct park users to key precincts and points of interest.
The new picnic area will transform the site from a degraded area to a centralised visitor information hub, with connections to walking tracks and cycling trails to be established over the next 24 months.
Bungleboori picnic area will also cater for visitors of all abilities, with accessible toilets, picnic facilities and accessible pathways with connectivity to visitor information.
Work will begin in the coming weeks, commencing with road closures to facilitate the removal of weeds.
Work is also continuing in other areas of the park, with walking track, road, lookout and car park works underway at Lost City.
Access to Lost City South Road remains closed while work continues.
Quotes attributed to NPWS Blue Mountains Branch Director David Crust
It is exciting to see key visitor precincts come to life as our visitor infrastructure program for Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area continues.
When completed in early 2025, Bungleboori will be the starting location for many future park activities, with maps and information available to guide visitors.
The new visitor facilities at Bungleboori will include accessible parking as well as long vehicle parking, along with accessible toilets, shelters and seating.
Closures will be in place while work is underway at Bungleboori and on Lost City South Road.
Work on Lost City South Road is expected to continue until the end of the year, with visitor facilities to follow early in 2025.
Visitors can access Lost City via Lost City North Road during the closure.
Once Lost City South Road is open to visitors, Lost City North Road will be closed for improvement works.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)
BALTIMORE – Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, with Governor Wes Moore and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey, announced $13.9 million in federal funding to support workforce development and postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities. Administered through the Maryland Department of Disabilities, the funding will help increase access to resources, promote data sharing, and improve employment outcomes.
“Team Maryland continues to drive federal investment in Marylanders’ futures. These new funds will bolster the use of evidence-based strategies to engage individuals with disabilities in careers of their choice, enhancing inclusion, economic mobility, and career growth,” said members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation Congressman Mfume, Senators Cardin, Van Hollen, and Hoyer; and Congressmen Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Raskin, Trone and Ivey. “One in four Americans has a disability, and these investments will empower those Americans to achieve greater economic independence while supporting our changing economic and workforce needs. This is an important investment in ensuring people with disabilities are able to continue playing a meaningful role in their community.”
“’Leave no one behind’ is not just a talking point for us, it’s a governing philosophy. Today’s action reaffirms Maryland’s commitment to building a state where every person is seen and supported,” said Gov. Moore. “I want to thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their partnership. Together, we will open paths to work, wages, and wealth for Marylanders; grow our economy; and create an equitable future for all.”
The U.S. Department of Education allocated $9.4 million from the Disability Innovation Fund Program to develop a tool that connects students with accessible services, including vocational rehabilitation and long-term support. The tool represents a pioneering data-sharing system that will enable school and state agency personnel—including the Maryland State Department of Education Division of Rehabilitative Services and the Developmental Disabilities Administration at the Maryland Department of Health—to share information about student applications, eligibility, and services.
The Maryland Department of Disabilities also received $4.5 million from the Social Security Administration’s Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program. The funding will be used to assess the impact of outreach and assistance for children with disabilities who qualify for both Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income, in an effort to enhance access to transition services and improve employment outcomes through competitive, integrated employment.
The two grants begin this month and will continue over five years.
“Both grants underscore our unwavering commitment to advancing opportunity, access and choice for individuals with disabilities,” said Maryland Department of Disabilities Secretary Carol A. Beatty. “Allowing them to live a life of their own choosing in their communities. Everyone can work with the right support and services and jobs are a critical element of independence.”
Governor Moore issued a proclamation in support of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, highlighting that people with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be unemployed than their non-disabled peers. By removing barriers to employment, Maryland is putting young people with disabilities on the road to financial independence.
For more information on the Disability Innovation Fund grant visit ed.gov.?
For more information on the Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program grant visit ssa.gov.
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says construction on a significant expansion to Nelson Hospital’s emergency department marks a major milestone in work to improve services for the local community.
“Next week, Health New Zealand will be breaking ground on a $10.6 million expansion to the existing ED, which will increase its capacity, provide a more functional and efficient workspace for staff and a more comfortable environment for patients,” says Dr Reti.
The expansion will provide:
six additional patient spaces, including two new isolation rooms and a state-of-the-art negative pressure pod, improving the ability to manage and contain infectious diseases
a new fast-track area for patients who can be treated and discharged quickly
two dedicated mental health consultation rooms
an additional triage room
a whānau room.
“Last month, approximately 78 per cent of patients spent less than six hours in Nelson Hospital ED.
“This is another example of our Government’s commitment to achieving our target of 95 per cent of patients being admitted, discharged or transferred from an ED within six hours.
“These additions will help reduce wait times for patients, ultimately helping provide more timely access to quality healthcare.”
The ED expansion is part of a broader plan to redevelop Nelson Hospital.
“Providing care to the local community remains our priority and careful planning means existing ED services will remain open as usual,” says Dr Reti.
“I want to assure the people of Nelson, wider Tasman and Marlborough regions that the Government remains committed to delivering a hospital that meets their needs and provides modern models of care.
“The redevelopment of Nelson Hospital is important to provide timely access to quality healthcare for the people of the Top of the South.”
This follows ongoing reports of disturbing events involving sexist abuse by students in both independent and government schools in Victoria and around the country.
But while this week’s announcement is a welcome and necessary step, we need a more comprehensive plan to eliminate gender-based violence in our schools.
What is the ‘manosphere’?
The “manosphere” is an overlapping collection of extreme men’s communities on social media that are anti-women and against women’s empowerment. This includes Tate, the “misogynist influencer” who is facing trial in Romania on charges of human trafficking and rape (which he denies).
Our recent research found women teachers are increasingly exposed to sexism, misogyny and sexual harassment as the result of boys’ exposure to “manfluencer” ideas and behaviours. These problems are further compounded by the infiltration of far-right sentiments into schools, which has been linked to far-right online forums.
At the same time, women teachers report they are not being supported by school leadership.
The new teaching resources were developed by education academics Helen Cahill and Debbie Ollis, in consultation with teachers, students and parents.
They aim to give students skills to counter the influence of “Tate-types”, and to navigate issues such as consent, sextortion, pornography and gender-based bullying.
They will be part of respectful relationships education, which is mandatory in Victorian government schools (following a recommendation of the 2015 Royal Commission into Family Violence).
Problems with respecful relationship education
There have been implementation issues with respectful relationships education.
A 2022 review (of which one of us, Naomi Pfitzner, was an author) found problems with the funding, quality of resources and training supplied to schools, and with schools’ levels of commitment
Previous research also suggests teachers may be hesitant to engage with controversial or tricky topics. There is a risk some issues are being left out of classroom discussions.
Crucially, respectful relationships is not mandatory in all Victorian schools — independent and faith-based schools in Victoria need to opt in.
In other Australian states and territories, respectful relationships education is not compulsory in any school system.
We need more information
Education departments around the country collect various forms of data about school life, such as learning and attendance. But we don’t have accurate national data on the prevalence of gender-based violence in schools.
Without the full picture of how widespread gender-based violence is in Australian schools, it is difficult to resource and design an appropriate response.
Gender-based violence in schools is inextricably connected to the endemic levels of violence against women in Australia.
We cannot separate a broader culture that enables gendered slurs, misogyny and gender inequity — known enablers of gender-based violence — from attitudes towards women and girls in schools.
The proliferation of online misogynist content requires a new, tailored approach.
Our current project with Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety is examining how online misogyny in the manosphere influences young boys and men in Australia. We will then create resources to support teachers and help make schools safer for all young people.
It is shameful many girls’ first experience of gendered violence happens as students at school. And teachers deserve a safe workplace free from misogyny and sexism.
Stephanie Wescott receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS).
Alexandra Phelan receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS).
Naomi Pfitzner has received funding from the Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety, the Victorian and Queensland governments and the Australian government. She was an author of the review into Respectful Relationships Education in Australia mentioned in this article.
Sarah McCook receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS).
Steven Roberts receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), the Australian government and the Australian Research Council. He is a Board Director at Respect Victoria, but this article is written wholly independently from that role.
MENDOZA, Argentina – From October 13-16, 2024, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro led the United States delegation to the XVI Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CDMA) in Mendoza, Argentina. The delegation included senior officials from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Northern Command were also represented.
CDMA is the premier defense forum in the Western Hemisphere, convening the senior most national security and defense officials biennially to address hemisphere-wide challenges while forging strong partnerships throughout the region. This year’s event featured discussions on the responsible use of artificial intelligence, and climate and environmental challenges from a defense perspective.
Secretary Del Toro held bilateral meetings with Ministry of Defense leaders from the following countries:
Argentina
Secretary Del Toro and Minister of Defense Petri reaffirmed their mutual commitment to the U.S.- Argentina defense relationship and discussed efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including in Women, Peace, and Security, and peacekeeping operations. Secretary Del Toro thanked Minister Petri for hosting the XVI CDMA and for Argentina’s contributions to global security.
Brazil
Secretary Del Toro and Minister Múcio discussed cooperating on emerging defense areas, including cyber, space, and special operations; military-to-military activities in the South Atlantic; and expanding defense industrial base cooperation. The two sides recognized the progress made towards finalization of the U.S.-Brazil Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement.
Colombia
Secretary Del Toro and Vice Minister Suárez discussed the strong bilateral U.S.-Colombia defense relationship, and tackling emerging challenges such as counter-unmanned aircraft system, climate change, and support to special operations. The delegations discussed countering transnational criminal organizations, and regional security.
Peru
Secretary Del Toro and Minister Astudillo discussed the strength of the U.S.-Peru bilateral defense relationship, especially in areas of security cooperation and countering transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). The U.S. commended Peru’s recent progress toward the lifting of aerial interdiction restrictions.
The Ministers endorsed the United States’ proposal to host the XVIII CDMA in 2028.
GREG O’CONNOR (Assistant Speaker—Labour): Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations, that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom, justice, mercy, and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.
Hon CHRIS BISHOP (Leader of the House): Next week, the House will consider the first readings of the Mental Health Bill and the Policing (Police Vetting) Amendment Bill. We will consider further stages of the Gambling (Definition of Remote Interactive Gambling) Amendment Bill, the Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, and the Contracts of Insurance Bill. On Thursday morning, there will be extended hours for private, local, and members’ business. On Thursday afternoon there will be a two-hour debate on constituency and local issues.
Just finally, in closing, I’ve just been informed that today is the final day of the Australian Associated Press news outlet in New Zealand. I think they’ve been here for 50 years, including in the press gallery, and I’m sure all members wish them well.
Hon KIERANMcANULTY(Labour): I thank the Leader of the House for the update and thank him for including an extended sitting to cover off the deficit in members’ days. By my calculation, there still is one owing to the House. Can he commit to ensuring there’ll be another extended sitting before the end of the year to tally it up?
Hon CHRIS BISHOP (Leader of the House): Ha, ha! I think it depends on how you define the “owing” point. As the member will be aware, we have had some unanticipated and quite tragic interruptions to the House this year. But certainly, from the Government’s point of view, we will do our best, subject to other important business between now and the end of the year, to fit that in.
Hon CHRIS BISHOP (Leader of the House): Next week, the House will consider the first readings of the Mental Health Bill and the Policing (Police Vetting) Amendment Bill. We will consider further stages of the Gambling (Definition of Remote Interactive Gambling) Amendment Bill, the Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, and the Contracts of Insurance Bill. On Thursday morning, there will be extended hours for private, local, and members’ business. On Thursday afternoon there will be a two-hour debate on constituency and local issues.
Just finally, in closing, I’ve just been informed that today is the final day of the Australian Associated Press news outlet in New Zealand. I think they’ve been here for 50 years, including in the press gallery, and I’m sure all members wish them well.
Hon KIERANMcANULTY(Labour): I thank the Leader of the House for the update and thank him for including an extended sitting to cover off the deficit in members’ days. By my calculation, there still is one owing to the House. Can he commit to ensuring there’ll be another extended sitting before the end of the year to tally it up?
Hon CHRIS BISHOP (Leader of the House): Ha, ha! I think it depends on how you define the “owing” point. As the member will be aware, we have had some unanticipated and quite tragic interruptions to the House this year. But certainly, from the Government’s point of view, we will do our best, subject to other important business between now and the end of the year, to fit that in.
Select committee hearings on banking inquiry to start next week
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has released its plans for the parliamentary inquiry into banking competition, along with the written submissions received on the inquiry so far.
Public hearings on the inquiry are set to kick off next week on Wednesday, 23 October.
The committee has hearings scheduled with all the major banks—including the Australian-owned “Big 4” and the main New Zealand-owned banks—over the remainder of 2024. The schedule of hearings is appended to this media release as Appendix 1. Please note that the schedule is subject to change at short notice, particularly if the House of Representatives sits under urgency. Up to date information for the week ahead can be found on the Parliament website (see links at end).
The committee received over 140 written submissions in response to its call for public submissions. Written submissions have been published online and are available on the Parliament website (see links at end). Over 60 submitters have asked to speak to the committee at public hearings.
The committee intends to progress hearings with all submitters—including organisations and individual members of the public—in 2024. Submitters will be contacted in the coming weeks to schedule their time with the committee. We intend to organise one hearing focused particularly on rural communities and agricultural lending. Once the schedule of hearings has been finalised, we intend to publish the schedule via a further media release.
The committee has invited members of the Primary Production Committee to attend all hearings. The Primary Production Committee has a particular interest in the relationship between rural bank lending and banking competition. We look forward to working with our colleagues from that committee over the course of our inquiry.
The committee intends to consider the overall timetable for completing the inquiry once hearings have been completed. The committee also intends to consider whether it is necessary to invite targeted written cross-submissions once hearings have been completed.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
On Monday this week, Northern Territory Police Search and Rescue Section conducted a search operation north of Adelaide River following reports of a missing 73-year-old man.
John had not been seen since 10pm Sunday night with the alarm being raised with police early Monday morning prompting a search by Adelaide River Police members with the assistance of John’s carer.
It was quickly escalated to the Search and Rescue Section (SRS) as temperatures reached 34°c and John was known to suffer from late-stage dementia as well as type 2 diabetes.
A large-scale response was deployed including one Longranger helicopters with TRG air observers, 3 members from the mounted unit, 4 motorcycles and one ATV, 3 Australian Search and Rescue K9’s, 7 SRS members and one drone.
Just before 5pm that evening, a police search team located John approximately 800 meters from his residence on a vacant property.
He was found in a disoriented state and was transported to the local medical clinic for assessment and treatment before being safely returned to his carer.
Acting Sergeant Chris Grotherr said, “The report of a missing person who suffers from dementia is always concerning, particularly considering the high temperatures in the area.
“We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone involved in this rescue.
“Without the support of each responder, this successful outcome wouldn’t have been possible.”
BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) received a $20,000,000 award through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program. This funding will help NDDOT enhance the US 52 route by adding railroad bypass lanes, improving safety, and increasing the efficiency of passenger and freight transportation across the state.
Specifically, this project will rehabilitate approximately 45 miles of existing asphalt pavement from west of Drake to Fessenden, consolidate access points at the intersection of US 52 and North Dakota Highway 3 in Harvey, and add acceleration and deceleration lanes at existing at-grade railroad crossings. It will also add turn lanes at intersections from seven miles south of Portal to Carrington.
“As we say, North Dakota feeds and fuels the world, and Highway 52 is an essential artery for the flow of many of our goods getting to markets,”said U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “This grant will help expand this really important transportation corridor and then at the same time, improves the safety for producers and the traveling public.”
In May, the North Dakota delegation sent a letter in support of NDDOT’s Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant application. Cramer led an amendment to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act which passed the Senate EPW Committee in 2021, requiring the Secretary of Transportation to prioritize states which have never received an INFRA grant. After Cramer’s efforts, North Dakota received its first INFRA grant the same year. This is North Dakota’s second INFRA award since the passage of Cramer’s amendment to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act.
The Australian Government is expanding the Connected Beginnings program, helping more First Nations children thrive in the crucial early years.
Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly today announced $1.8 million for Dalaigur Pre-School and Children’s Services Aboriginal Corporation to deliver Connected Beginnings program in Kempsey.
The program connects First Nations children aged zero to five with a range of early childhood education, health and family support services – helping children meet the learning and development milestones necessary to achieve a positive transition to school.
The new site will support around 700 local First Nations children. The Kempsey site joins 47 other locations across the country supporting more than 23,700 First Nations children.
The community-led program is a key contributor to the early childhood Closing the Gap targets, driving an increase in preschool enrolments and improvements to developmental outcomes.
The Government partners with SNAICC – National Voice for our Children and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to deliver the program.
The new Kempsey site is part of an investment of $81.8 million from the Australian Government to expand the program to 50 sites nationally. Once all 50 sites are established, the program has the potential to support up to 20 per cent of all First Nations children aged zero to five.
Other Connected Beginnings sites in New South Wales include Bourke, Broken Hill, Doonside, Dubbo, Gosford, Mount Druitt, Taree, Wagga Wagga and Wyong.
Once all New South Wales sites are up and running, the program will support around 6,900 First Nations children across the state.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly:
“All children, no matter their background or where they live, should be able to access the transformational benefits of quality early childhood education and care.
“Connected Beginnings is delivering significant positive results for First Nations children right across the country, helping to Close the Gap by improving developmental outcomes.
“The Connected Beginnings program is empowering communities to design and deliver the program in a way which supports their individual needs and aspirations.”
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health Ged Kearney:
“Labor is committed to closing the health gap that leads to a significantly lower life expectancy for First Nations people.
“Connected Beginnings is all about centring the voices of First Nations Australian and a community-led approach.
“From child care, to pre-school, to primary school, Connected Beginnings is setting First Nations kids up for best start in life.”
Quotes attributable to SNAICC Chief Executive Catherine Liddle:
“SNAICC is very proud to be the Community Partner in the Connected Beginnings program, that is expanding access to culturally-centred early education and care to many more children and families around the country.
“This is helping to drive positive outcomes in early childhood for Aboriginal and Torres Strait children by increasing participation in early education activities and increasing school readiness.
“The benefits of Connected Beginnings extend to the entire community, as we know closing the gap starts with our children.”
Quotesattributable toDalaigur Pre-School and Children’s Services Aboriginal Corporation Chairperson Fred Kelly:
“It is essential that all our Aboriginal children have a sense of their culture and in particular a strong cultural identity. Dalaigur Pre-School and Children’s Services Aboriginal Corporation provide this through language and culture educators working with both preschools.
“Connected Beginnings is an exciting new program that will provide the resources and services for this solid foundation to be further expanded upon by providing the opportunity to draw upon the experience of existing and new connections and accessing the extensive knowledge from our local community to increase the support for the varied needs of our children.”