NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Sebastopol Community Hub starting to come to life

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    A project that will transform Sebastopol and become a vital part of community life has reached a major construction milestone.

    The concrete slab of the Sebastopol Community Hub is about to be poured, as significant progress continues to be made towards the community-shaping project.

    It is expected the structural steel framing will be complete in autumn as the designs start to become reality.

    The community hub will provide a vital facility for Sebastopol and surrounding suburbs and has extensive financial support from all three tiers of government.

    The collaborative project is jointly funded by the City of Ballarat (up to $5 million), the Federal Government ($4.5 million) via the Investing in Our Communities program and the State Government ($4.5 million) via the Building Blocks Capacity program.

    The Sebastopol Community Hub will include:  

    • Three 22-place kindergarten rooms  
    • A main hall with a 150-person capacity
    • Three meeting rooms with varying capacities ranging from 12-50 people
    • Maternal child health consulting rooms
    • A community kitchen
    • A kindergarten play space and an undercover play area
    • On-site carparking

    City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves joined Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison for an inspection of the early stages of the works on Friday.

    Significant progress has been made since the previous site tour in June 2024, with the project on track for completion in early 2026.

    Cr Hargreaves said it was an exciting stage for the project at the corner of Vickers and Beverin streets.

    “We are extremely proud to have both Federal and State support for this project and to see it starting to come to life is incredible,” she said.

    “This is going to be a transformational project for the Sebastopol area that will provide an enormous boost to community life for a wide range of people.”

    Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King said the facility would provide a boost for a range of generations.

    “It’s so exciting to see this important project taking shape,” she said.  

    “The new Sebastopol Community Hub will be a place of learning and social connection for both kinder kids and senior citizens.

    “It will be a special, multi-generational facility and that will serve our community for generations to come.”

    Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said the facility would benefit the entire community.

    “By investing $4.5 million into the Sebastopol Community Hub through our Building Blocks Capacity program, we are not only creating new kindergarten rooms and places – but contributing funds for a much-needed purpose built space for the whole community,” she said. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Liquidity Adjustment Facility – Change in rates

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    RBI/2024-25/109
    FMOD.MAOG.No.150/01.01.001/2024-25

    February 07, 2025

    All Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) participants

    Madam/Sir,

    Liquidity Adjustment Facility – Change in rates

    As announced in the Monetary Policy Statement dated February 07, 2025, it has been decided by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to reduce the policy repo rate under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from 6.50 per cent to 6.25 per cent with immediate effect.

    2. Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate and marginal standing facility (MSF) rate stand adjusted to 6.00 per cent and 6.50 per cent respectively, with immediate effect.

    3. All other terms and conditions of the extant LAF Scheme will remain unchanged.

    Yours sincerely,

    (G. Seshsayee)
    Chief General Manager

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – Afternoon Briefing with Patricia Karvelas

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: To discuss this and more, let’s bring in one of our regulars, Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly, who’s also been promoted in the latest reshuffle. Welcome.

    MINISTER ANNE ALY: Thank you so much, Patricia. Great to be with you.

    KARVELAS: We’re going to start there because that’s the big talking point around the world. A bit of clarification from Marco Rubio. Does that sound like a better plan that the US would redevelop Gaza?

    ALY: Well, look, I want to start by first of all, Patricia, if I may, acknowledging the significant pain and distress that this caused to Palestinians across the world, particularly as they’re preparing to return to their homeland. You know, certainly I think there is, there needs to be a concerted effort across the world to rebuild Gaza. And in fact, when I was at the conference in Jordan last year, that was on the table already, the countries that were represented there were talking about psychosocial recovery and rebuilding Gaza – what happens in rebuilding Gaza. So, I think, you know, it will take significant effort from right around the world for rebuilding Gaza. But in terms of, you know, the position that this government has around a two-state solution, inherent in that two-state solution is a self-determination for Palestinian people and the right of return.

    KARVELAS: So, that means that you would never accept Gazans being pushed off or Palestinians being pushed off that land in Gaza.

    ALY: I think the response that we’ve had from across the world to President Trump’s statement yesterday makes it very clear that it is widely accepted that Palestinians have a right of return to their homeland.

    KARVELAS: But you mentioned, which I thought was really interesting. You often say interesting things, Minister —

    ALY: I do, do I?

    KARVELAS: You do, that you want to acknowledge the hurt and the concern because there was.

    ALY: There was right, it was, yeah.

    KARVELAS: Just talk to me about that concern.

    ALY: So, I think, you know, like just even talking to Palestinians in the community and to the community more broadly here in Australia, there was a real sense of shock and a real sense of, yeah, real concern that, you know, this could mean that there would basically an eradication of a Palestinian state when we’ve long held the principle of a two-state solution with a right of return and self-determination for Palestinian people. And I think, you know, if I were a Palestinian person preparing to return to my homeland, one of the things that we want to make sure of in Australia and you know, this government has done that consistently in the votes that we’ve done in the UN and the actions that we’ve taken is to ensure that this current ceasefire is sustainable and long-lasting and that there is an enduring peace for both Palestinians and Israelis.

    KARVELAS: So, given how strong your comments have been about the Palestinians right to return, there has been a criticism that the Prime Minister could have used stronger words. Other foreign leaders who are also allies of the United States have used stronger words. Do you understand that frustration?

    ALY: Look, I listened to the Prime Minister yesterday and I think he was quite correct in reiterating that we have a long-standing position that we’re not changing, which is a two-state solution. And I think, you know, anybody could listen to that and recognise what the Prime Minister is saying is that we believe in the right and we support the right of Palestine and Palestinians and Gazans to exist in their homeland.

    KARVELAS: And now you’re kind of, you know, being pretty empathetic about how people heard that and their ongoing concerns. Is it important that the government makes that clear? Because I saw all those concerns too.

    ALY: Yeah. And I think, I think, you know, we have made it clear, I think —

    KARVELAS: I feel like you’re making it clearer.

    ALY: Well, I think the actions that we’ve taken that the Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, has taken, the votes that we’ve had in the United Nations, have sent a very clear message that we stand for human rights and that we stand for justice and that we stand for a two-state solution and an everlasting peace.

    KARVELAS: I just want to move to some other issues because there are lots of issues in our country.

    ALY: So many.

    KARVELAS: There are. The Australian Federal Police has just spoken in a committee hearing. They have not given any detail as to, basically there’s no answers on when they briefed the Prime Minister on this caravan attack. Shouldn’t the Prime Minister just say it, or the Opposition says, call an inquiry?

    ALY: Well, I think what we need to do here is take the lead from the law enforcement agencies because in an investigation, it’s the law enforcement agencies that take the lead. And we have to, we absolutely have to respect the integrity of the law enforcement agencies and support them to do their work. As you know, Patricia, I’ve got a husband in law enforcement. I know exactly what he can and can’t tell me. Most of the time he can’t tell me anything. Like we do not talk about the investigations that he is undertaking in any capacity. So, when the law enforcement agencies say that we did not want this information out there because it is an ongoing investigation and could compromise the investigation, we need to respect that.

    KARVELAS: But telling the Prime Minister is a different thing.

    ALY: Well, I think, you know, I don’t think it’s here nor there. I’ve not had a single person say to me, hey, I want to know when the Prime Minister found out. So, I think it’s a little bit of a Canberra bubble —

    KARVELAS: Oh, a Canberra story.

    ALY: Yeah.

    KARVELAS: Ok. I don’t want to just labour on that because there are other things Labor did break with your policy, which is a national platform to oppose mandatory sentencing. Former Labor Senator Kim Carr has criticised the party and said, this is profoundly disappointing. What’s your response to that?

    ALY: Okay, so I’ve got a bit of a different response, Patricia, because I know the impact of hate crimes personally and as a member of a community that has been the target of hate crimes. That to me, hate crimes are some of the most heinous crimes. When you target an individual or a group because of who they are, because of their identity, whether it’s religious, racial, gender, sexual, whatever, to me, that’s one of the most heinous and cowardly crimes that you can commit. So, I want to see, I want to see us get tough on hate crimes. I support being tough on hate crimes and I think what we’ve seen recently, the escalation in the kinds of hate crimes that we’ve seen, warrants this kind of action by the Government.

    KARVELAS: So, you want. Instead of – because I know some people in the party are concerned, you want the mandatory sentences.

    ALY: I want to see us to be tough on hate crimes. And you know, I’ve been there. I know, I know the impact that it has. So, I want us to get tough on hate crimes and I know that right now Jewish Australians are the victims of a lot of hate crimes as well. And I want —

    KARVELAS: The Law Council says it’s bad policy.

    ALY: Well, people will have their different opinions. I will also say, though, that, you know, we know laws don’t change behaviour. The prevention of hate crimes and vilification in all its forms is a responsibility for every single person. It’s about societal change as well.

    KARVELAS: Okay, let’s get to some of your issues before we say goodbye. Child care is obviously one of the areas that you focus on. The government has decided to put this bill, which would mean three days of care without activity testing, where you get the rebate, essentially, through the Parliament. Do you expect it to pass in the next fortnight?

    ALY: I do. I hope it will pass [the House]. I know that there is widespread support for this from the sector. It is a recommendation of the PC Review. And you know what? It’s just good policy. It’s good policy that when you have people in a partnership, one works full time, one might work two days a week in casual, and they’re not eligible for subsidised care. It has locked out children from early childhood education and care and locked out families from being able to access the childcare subsidy. It’s good policy. It has good support, and I do, and I look forward to seeing it pass.

    KARVELAS: But it doesn’t have to pass. It doesn’t even start till next year. So, is it a wedge to try and get the Coalition to actively vote against it?

    ALY: Well, I don’t know what the Coalition’s position is —

    KARVELAS: They think that you should have to be earning or, you know, working or studying to get the activity test.

    ALY: Well, the thing is, you can be working or studying to get the activity test but still might not meet the activity test. And the other thing is the activity test, when it was introduced in 2018 by the Liberals, it was supposed to be to increase workforce participation. It did none of that. Instead, it locked out some of the most vulnerable children from early childhood education and care. We’re fixing that. We’re making sure that every child has access to opportunity because there should be no barriers to opportunity.

    KARVELAS: Anne Aly, always a pleasure to speak to you. Thanks for joining us.

    ALY: You too. Thanks so much, Patricia.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Misleading and false election ads are legal in Australia. We need national truth in political advertising laws

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Monash University

    An ad falsely depicting independent candidate Alex Dyson as a Greens member. ABC News/Supplied

    The highly pertinent case of a little-known independent candidate in the Victorian seat of Wannon has exposed a gaping hole in Australia’s electoral laws, which allow for misleading political advertisements in the lead-up to an election campaign. It’s all entirely legal and is already being exploited to try to shape the outcome of the coming federal election.

    Conservative activist group Advance Australia has widely distributed digitally altered flyers attacking independent Alex Dyson, who is challenging senior frontbencher Dan Tehan.

    It’s part of a campaign to damage Dyson’s electoral prospects after he helped slash the Liberal Party’s margin in the seat at the last election to less than 4%.

    The material depicts Dyson ripping open his shirt in a “Superman” pose, to reveal a t-shirt bearing the official Greens party logo.

    Dyson is not a Greens candidate. So why are the ads permissible? And what does it tell us about the urgent need for truth in political advertising laws to prohibit material that lies to voters?

    Why are misleading ads allowed?

    Section 329 of the Electoral Act prohibits the publication of material likely to mislead or deceive an elector in casting their vote.

    But in a narrow interpretation by the Electoral Commission, the ban only applies after an election has been called by the prime minister.

    That means the Wannon ad, and maybe countless others like them from across the political spectrum, could be distributed for months without repercussion.

    Advance Australia has form when it comes to misleading material.

    At the 2022 election, it displayed placards that falsely depicted independents David Pocock and Zali Steggall as Greens candidates.

    In that case, the Electoral Commission ruled that because the corflutes were deployed during the campaign proper, they breached the electoral laws.

    It is absurd and dangerous to democracy to have a law that only bans ads that mislead voters in casting their vote during the official election period, and allows them to proliferate unchecked at other times.

    It should not be permissible to lie to voters just because of a technicality. In an era of permanent campaigning, voters can be influenced by political messages received well before a campaign officially starts.

    Furthermore, there is little justification for allowing political parties to mislead while banning corporations from engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct. If consumers and shareholders are protected from fraudulent and dishonest claims, why not electors, who have the solemn task of deciding who runs the country?

    How can the electoral laws be fixed?

    There are available remedies to the problem, starting with reforming the Electoral Act. It should be clearly specified that the provision on misleading electors applies to any material calculated to affect the result of an election, regardless of when it is distributed.

    Broader truth in political advertising provisions should also be introduced. This would cover a wider range of factually misleading ads beyond the existing narrow ambit of misleading a voter in the casting of their vote.

    If the Electoral Commission determines the material is false or misleading to a material extent, it would order a withdrawal and a retraction.

    Importantly, the laws would be confined to false or misleading statements of fact. Parties and other political players would still be free to express their opinions. Freedom of speech would not be impeded.

    Parliamentary stalemate

    The Albanese government has taken tentative steps to fix the problem. Truth in advertising laws introduced to parliament last year would have forced Advance Australia to retract and correct its dishonest flyers in Wannon.

    However, the bill was pulled due to a lack of support.

    Any doubters on the opposition benches should look to the experience in South Australia and the ACT, which have both enacted truth in advertising laws.

    My research has shown these laws operate effectively in both jurisdictions.

    What’s at stake

    Spreading political lies has the potential to cause harm on multiple fronts.

    The first is the damage to the candidate or political party in terms of their reputation and electoral prospects.

    The second danger is to the integrity of the electoral process if lies cause people to switch their votes to such an extent that it changes election outcomes.

    The spread of disinformation has become prevalent in an era of “fake news” and “alternative facts”, exacerbated by the rise of social media.

    In 2024, the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report ranked misinformation and disinformation as the most severe risk facing the world over the next two years.

    False information can alter elections, affect voting participation, silence minorities, and polarise the electorate. It is time to reform our electoral laws to mitigate the significant dangers to our democratic system.

    Yee-Fui Ng received funding from the Susan McKinnon Foundation on a project regarding the operation and effectiveness of truth in political advertising laws.

    – ref. Misleading and false election ads are legal in Australia. We need national truth in political advertising laws – https://theconversation.com/misleading-and-false-election-ads-are-legal-in-australia-we-need-national-truth-in-political-advertising-laws-249279

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Questions U.S. Trade Representative Nominee Jamieson Greer at Senate Finance Committee Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today spoke with United States Trade Representative (USTR) nominee Jamieson Greer about the need to move away from China on trade and unlock new export markets for long term stability.

    During the hearing, Grassley emphasized the importance of reducing or eliminating Brazil’s tariff on American ethanol. Grassley also questioned Greer about USTR’s cooperation with the Department of Commerce on trade matters. 

    Video and excerpts of his questions follow. 

    [embedded content]

    VIDEO

    Brazilian Tariffs on American Ethanol:

    “Brazil is a leading competitor with the United States on agriculture. One example is that Brazil has displaced the United States as the world leader in soybean production.

    “Another issue with Brazil that I brought up to your predecessor, Ms. Tai, is the drastically unfair advantage Brazil has on ethanol. U.S. exporters face an 18% tariff on ethanol going to Brazil. However, Brazilian ethanol enjoys nearly duty-free access to the U.S. market.  

    “I hope you will address this trade imbalance with Brazil that Ambassador Tai wasn’t successful in doing: taking action to reduce or eliminate this harmful tariff on American ethanol.”

    The Role of USTR and the Department of Commerce: 

    “Now that you and Mr. Lutnick have been nominees for several weeks, I’d like to know exactly how much authority do you have on trade matters relative to Mr. Lutnick and other cabinet members?” 

    Moving Away from China and Unlocking New Markets: 

    “I’d like to make a statement and see if you agree: 

    “While I think it is important to hold China to its obligations under the Phase 1 Agreement, I also fear it may keep us reliant on the Chinese markets. So, we need to be looking around the world at other markets. 

    “We need to balance our short-term profitability with long term stability.  

    “I have for a long time voiced my own concerns about unfair trade practices by China, and I hope that you and President Trump are successful in holding China accountable on issues including fentanyl, intellectual property theft and government subsidization of industries.  

    “That said, I believe we must pursue freer trade with other countries to create new markets so that we can move away from China without losing even more global market share of our commodities to Brazil and other countries. 

    “The free trade agreements that were negotiated under George W. Bush have resulted in large trade surpluses in key industries like agriculture and manufacturing. I think we need more free trade, and I know that President Trump is more interested in bilateral agreements than multi-state agreements. 

    “I think if we look away from Brazil and South Korea and Japan and China and [the European Union] as being problem countries for us on trade issues. But there’s so many other countries where, if we have these agreements — and I use George W. Bush as an example and his negotiator Allen Johnson — about 13 countries, probably six or seven different agreements with countries you don’t even think much about being significant in world trade, we’ve increased tremendously with these free trade agreements, our surpluses with those countries in trade.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 33-2025: *Cancelled* Scheduled Outage: Saturday 08 February to Sunday 09 February 2025 – Multiple Systems

    Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture

    07 February 2025

    Who does this notice affect?

    Approved arrangements operators who will be required to view and/or update details of their Approved Arrangement via the Approved Arrangement Management Product (AAMP).

    All clients required to use the Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON) during this planned maintenance period.

    All clients required to use the Export / Next Export Documentation (EXDOC/NEXDOC) systems during this planned maintenance period.

    …

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Eliminate Trump’s Outsourcing Tax Breaks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 06, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Thursday joined U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and 15 of their Senate colleagues in reintroducing the No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act, legislation that would reverse the Trump tax law’s breaks for offshoring jobs and profits. The announcement comes as President Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico remain under negotiation, while Republicans push to expand those offshoring incentives in their reconciliation bill.

    The No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act would level the playing field for American companies by requiring multinational corporations to pay the same tax rate on profits earned abroad as they do in the United States. The Trump tax law created a special tax rate for offshore profits that is half the domestic rate. Since the law’s passage, studies have found that multinationals have increased foreign, rather than domestic investment. Extending the Trump tax law would mean maintaining this half-off rate, which is otherwise scheduled to slightly increase.

    If passed, the senators’ legislation would boost U.S. economic competitiveness by encouraging domestic investment, leveling the playing field for domestic companies, and bringing the U.S. into compliance with the global minimum tax agreement. The Joint Committee on Taxation found that large U.S. multinationals paid an average tax rate of just 7.8 percent the year after the Trump law passed, lower than their foreign competitors. They would still pay less than their competitors with a higher rate on foreign profits. Moreover, with over 140 countries moving to implement the global tax agreement, U.S. and foreign multinationals alike will be subject to the new minimum tax whether the U.S. complies or not. Failure to join, however, will mean the revenue fills foreign coffers instead of the U.S. Treasury.  

    U.S. Senators Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) also cosponsored the legislation.

    The No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act would repeal offshoring incentives by:

    • Equalizing the tax rate on profits earned abroad to the tax rate on profits earned here at home.  The bill would end the preferential tax rate for offshore profits by eliminating the deductions for “global intangible low-tax income (GILTI)” and “foreign-derived intangible income” and applying GILTI on a per-country basis.  
    • Repealing the 10 percent tax exemption on profits earned from certain investments made overseas.  In addition to the half-off tax rate on profits earned abroad, the Trump tax law exempts from tax a 10 percent return on tangible investments made overseas, like plants and equipment.  The legislation would eliminate the zero-tax rate on certain investments made overseas. 
    • Treating “foreign” corporations that are managed and controlled in the U.S. as domestic corporations.  Ugland House in the Cayman Islands is the five-story legal home of over 18,000 companies – many of them actually American companies in disguise.  The bill would treat corporations worth $50 million or more and managed and controlled within the U.S. as the American entities they in fact are, and subject them to the same tax as other U.S. taxpayers.
    • Cracking down on inversions by tightening the definition of expatriated entity.  This provision would discourage corporations from renouncing their U.S. citizenship.  It would deem certain mergers between a U.S. company and a smaller foreign firm to be a U.S. taxpayer, no matter where in the world the new company claims to be headquartered. Specifically, the combined company would continue to be treated as a domestic corporation if the historic shareholders of the U.S. company own more than 50 percent of the new entity. 
    • Combating earnings stripping by restricting the deduction for interest expense for multinational enterprises with excess domestic indebtedness.  Some multinational groups reduce or eliminate their U.S. tax bills by concentrating their worldwide debt, and the resulting interest deductions, in U.S. subsidiaries.  The bill would disallow interest deduction for U.S. subsidiaries of a multinational corporation where a disproportionate share of the worldwide group’s debt is located in the U.S. entity, a tactic commonly known as “earnings stripping.”  
    • Eliminating tax break for foreign oil and gas extraction income.  Oil and gas extraction income earned abroad gets an even further break on the already half-off rate other industries pay on offshore profits.  

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, 37 Colleagues Reintroduce Right To Contraception Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 06, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), joined 37 of their Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Right to Contraception Act, legislation that would create a statutory right to obtain and use contraceptives. The bill would also help ensure health care providers have a right to provide contraceptives and share information about this essential care. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas).

    In July 2022, the Right to Contraception Act passed the House with a vote of 220-195. That same month, Republicans blocked an attempt in the U.S. Senate to pass the bill by unanimous consent. They did the same in June 2023. In June 2024, Republicans blocked Senate Democrats’ attempt to pass the bill on the floor.

    U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the legislation.

    The Right to Contraception Act is endorsed by Power to Decide, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Women’s Law Center, Guttmacher Institute, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America), Population Connection Action Fund, Americans for Contraception, Advocates for Youth, National Partnership for Women & Families, American Public Health Association, American Humanist Association, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health , Center for Biological Diversity, Ibis Reproductive Health, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Upstream USA, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Health Law Program, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Reproductive Health Access Project, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Upstream USA, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Center for American Progress, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, All* Above All, and Center for Reproductive Rights.

    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    Last year, Murphy released statements after Senate Republicans blocked the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act, the Right to Contraception Act and the Right to IVF Act.

    In March, Murphy co-sponsored legislation to protect IVF access and other assisted reproductive technology, but passage was blocked by Senate Republicans. That month, Murphy also submitted an amicus brief calling on the Supreme Court to affirm the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide emergency stabilizing care, including abortion care.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Are eggs good or bad for our health?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland

    Nik/Unsplash

    You might have heard that eating too many eggs will cause high cholesterol levels, leading to poor health.

    Researchers have examined the science behind this myth again, and again, and again – largely debunking the claim.

    A new study suggests that, among older adults, eating eggs supports heart health and even reduces the risk of premature death.

    Let’s unpack the details.

    What was the study?

    Researchers examined data from a large, ongoing study that is following older adults and tracking their health (the ASPREE study).

    In their analysis of more than 8,000 people, they examined the foods people usually eat and then looked at how many participants died over a six-year period and from what causes, using medical records and official reports.

    Researchers collected information on their diet through a food questionnaire, which included a question about how frequently participants ate eggs in the past year:

    • never/infrequently (rarely or never, 1–2 times per month)
    • weekly (1–6 times per week)
    • daily (daily or several times per day).

    Overall, people who consumed eggs 1–6 times per week had the lowest risk of death during the study period (29% lower for heart disease deaths and 17% lower for overall deaths) compared to those who rarely or never ate eggs.

    Eating eggs daily did not increase the risk of death either.

    How reputable is the study?

    The research was published in a peer-reviewed journal, meaning this work has been examined by other researchers and is considered reputable and defensible.

    Study participants reported their egg intake on an questionnaire.
    Sincerely Media/unsplash

    In the analysis, factors such as socioeconomic, demographic, health-related and clinical factors, and overall dietary quality were “adjusted” for, as these factors can play a role in disease and the risk of early death.

    Researchers received funding from a variety of national funding grants in the United States and Australia, with no links to commercial sources.

    What are the limitations of this study?

    Due to the type of study, it only explored egg consumption patterns, which participants self-reported. The researchers didn’t collect data about the type of egg (for example, chicken or quail), how it was prepared, or how many eggs are consumed when eaten.

    This analysis specifically looked for an association or link between egg consumption and death. Additional analyses are needed to understand how egg consumption may affect other aspects of health and wellbeing.

    Lastly, the population sample of older adults were relatively healthy, limiting how much findings can be applied to older adults with special needs or medical conditions.

    The study didn’t look at the type of eggs or serving sizes.
    Jakub Kapusnak/Unsplash

    What is ASPREE?

    ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) is an ongoing, large, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving more 19,000 participants in Australia and the US. This means some people in the trial were given an intervention and others weren’t but neither the participants nor the researchers knew who received the “placebo”, or dummy treatment.

    ASPREE started in 2010 to investigate whether low-dose aspirin (100 micrograms daily) could help prolong older adults’ health and lifespan, specifically by preventing heart disease and stroke. The first findings were published in 2018.

    One of the fundamental conclusions of the ASPREE trial was there was no benefit from taking aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease (heart disease or stroke).

    ASPREE is still ongoing as a longitudinal study, which means it provides information on other aspects of healthy living and long-term outcomes in older adults – in this case, the link between egg intake and the chance of death.

    Why the focus on eggs?

    Eggs are a good source of protein, and contain B vitamins, folate, unsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), choline, and minerals.

    The fuss over eggs comes down to their cholesterol content and how it relates to heart disease risk. A large egg yolk contains approximately 275 mg of cholesterol — near the recommended daily limit of cholesterol intake.

    In the past, medical professionals warned that eating cholesterol-rich foods such as eggs could raise blood cholesterol and increase heart disease risk.

    But newer research shows the body doesn’t absorb dietary cholesterol well, so dietary cholesterol doesn’t have a major effect on blood cholesterol levels.

    Rather, foods such as saturated and trans fats play a major role in cholesterol levels.

    The body doesn’t absorb the cholesterol from eggs very well.
    Nichiiro/Unsplash

    Given these changing recommendations over time, and the nuances of nutrition science, it’s understandable that research on eggs continues.

    What does this mean for me?

    Whether you prefer boiled, scrambled, poached, baked or fried, eggs provide a satisfying source of protein and other key nutrients.

    While the science is still out, there’s no reason to limit egg intake unless specifically advised by a recognised health professional such as an accredited practising dietitian. As always, moderation is key.

    Lauren Ball receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Queensland Health and Mater Misericordia. She is a Director of Dietitians Australia, a Director of Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, a Director of the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network and an Associate Member of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

    Karly Bartim is a member of Dietitians Australia and the Australian Association of Gerontology and is an Accredited Practising Dietitian.

    – ref. Are eggs good or bad for our health? – https://theconversation.com/are-eggs-good-or-bad-for-our-health-249168

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Firearms and ammunition seized following a Porirua traffic stop

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Detective Sergeant Vincent Smylie:

    A man is before the courts following a vehicle stop which led to the discovery of two firearms and shotgun ammunition.

    Around 4pm on Tuesday 4 February, Police conducted a vehicle stop in Cannons Creek, after seeing a person of interest in the passenger seat of a vehicle.

    The 34-year-old man was arrested in relation to a warrant to arrest.

    The day after, Wednesday 5 February, Police conducted a search warrant at his house nearby, leading to the discovery of two firearms, shotgun ammunition, and gang insignia that had allegedly been displayed in an earlier incident in January.

    He is due to reappear in Porirua District Court on Friday 21 February, facing charges of prohibited display of gang insignia in a public place, burglary, male assaults female, intentional damage, speaks threateningly, and unlawful possession of ammunition. Further charges relating to the two firearms are being considered.

    Police are glad to have been able to pull two more unlawfully possessed firearms off the street, as they have the ability to cause serious harm in our community.

    “We will continue to target offenders who show little regard for the community, including violent offenders, and those who unlawfully possess firearms,” Detective Sergeant Smylie said.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Maintenance work ahead on SH1 through Rangitikei

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Road users travelling through the Rangitikei district are advised to expect some minor delays on State Highway 1 in the coming weeks due to planned maintenance and resilience works.

    The Manawatū-Whanganui 2024/25 renewals season is nearing completion, with less than 2 months left.

    Some crucial work on SH1 is still to be completed, with crews scheduled to be at different sites over the coming weeks.

    The timing and location of these scheduled works has been specifically chosen to minimise disruption for travellers.

    • Utiku: From Monday 10 February, tree felling works will be taking place off the state highway near Utiku. Work to remove the trees will take place over 4 days, with crews working from 7am til 7pm. Temporary traffic management will be in place, with an occasional stop/stop (stopping traffic flow completely) while trees are removed alongside the highway. Motorists can expect delays of up to 10 minutes.
    • Taihape: Preseal repair works are taking place between Manu Road and Rauma Road, just south of Taihape, from Monday 10 February to Friday 14 February. Crews will be working from 8am til 5pm. Stop/go temporary traffic management and a reduced speed limit of 30km/h will be in place, with delays of up to 15 minutes expected. Following these works, crews will return to complete resealing works before the end of this renewals season. This will be communicated closer to the time. 

    Once these works are complete, further road maintenance is planned later in the month for SH1 near Mangaweka and Bulls. 

    • North of Bulls: From Monday 17 February – Friday 28 February, planned road maintenance work will take place on SH1 near the intersection with Wellington Road. Crews will be working from 6am til 6pm each day. Stop/go temporary traffic management and a reduced speed limit will be in place, with delays of 5 minutes expected.
    • Bulls: From Wednesday 19 February, crews plan to complete a 3-week road rebuild on the passing lane north of Watson St, Bulls. This road renewal work will take place each day, with crews working from 6am til 6pm each day. The first week of work involves contraflow  (allowing both directions of travel) and the remaining 2 weeks of work involves stop/go temporary traffic management, with delays of 5 minutes expected.
    • Mangaweka: Road rebuild works are planned for the passing lane near Mangaweka, from Thursday 20 February to Thursday 20 March.  These renewal works will be completed under contraflow so minimal disruption is expected for road users.

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi acknowledges State Highway 1 has seen a lot of construction activity over the past few months during the renewals season and we really appreciate people’s patience during this work to increase the resilience of the network.

    The upcoming works are weather dependent and may be postponed or rescheduled at short notice. Changes in programming will be communicated on our online channels such as NZTA’s Journey Planner.

    Journey Planner(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Auckland overnight motorway closures 7–17 February 2025

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 14 February 2025.

    Please note this traffic bulletin is updated every Friday.

    Daily updated closure information(external link)

    Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am. Traffic management may be in place before the advertised closure times for the mainline.

    NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)

    • Onewa Road northbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Stafford Road northbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Curran Street northbound on-ramp, 9-13 February

    CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)

    • SH1 southbound to SH16 eastbound (Port) link, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • SH1 southbound to SH16 westbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Northbound lanes between Symonds Street off-ramp and Fanshawe Street on-ramp, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Wellington Street northbound on-ramp, 10-11 February
      • SH1 northbound to SH16 westbound link, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Westbound lanes between Stanely Street off-ramp and Newtown Road on-ramp, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 northbound link, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 southbound link, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Wellesley Street East (SH1) westbound on-ramp, 10-11 February
    • SH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Westbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Great North Road on-ramp, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 northbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 southbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Wellesley Street East (SH1) westbound on-ramp, 13 February
      • Hobson Street westbound on-ramp, 13 February
      • Newton Road westbound on-ramp, 13 February
      • St Lukes Road westbound on-ramp, 13 February
      • SH16 westbound to SH20 southbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • SH1 northbound to SH16 westbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH1) off-ramp and Alten Road on-ramp, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH16) off-ramp and Alten Road on-ramp, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Grafton Road eastbound on-ramp, 12 February
    • Westbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Grafton Road on-ramp, 11-13 February
    • Westbound lanes between Quay Street/Tamaki Drive and Parnell Rise, approx. 9:00pm 7 February to 5:00am 10 February (24/7)
    • Westbound lanes between Quay Street/Tamaki Drive and Parnell Rise, approx. 9:00pm 14 February to 5:00am 17 February (24/7)

    SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)

    • Southbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 9 February
      • Papakura (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 9 February
      • Papakura (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 9 February
    • Southbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Ramarama on-ramp, 10-13 February
      • Papakura (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 10-13 February
      • Papakura (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 10-13 February
      • Drury/SH22 southbound on-ramp, 10-13 February
    • Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 9-13 February
      • Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Bombay southbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Bombay northbound on-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Bombay northbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Southbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Northbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 9-13 February
      • Dragway Road northbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
      • Hampton Downs northbound on-ramp, 9-13 February

    NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)

    • SH16 eastbound link to SH20 southbound (Waterview southbound tunnel closed), 10-11 February
      • Great North Road eastbound off ramp (Waterview southbound tunnel closed), 10-11 February
    • Westbound link to SH20 southbound (Waterview southbound tunnel closed), 10-11 February
    • Eastbound lanes between Great North Road off-ramp and Alten Road, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Great North Road eastbound on-ramp, 12 February
      • St Lukes Road eastbound on-ramp, 12 February
      • SH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 eastbound to SH16 (Port) link, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)

    UPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)

    • None planned

    SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)

    • Southbound lanes between Maioro Street off-ramp and Hillsborough Road on-ramp, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Maioro Street southbound on-ramp, 10-11 February
      • Dominion Road southbound on-ramp, 10-11 February
    • Northbound lanes between Maioro Street off-ramp and Great North Road on-ramp (Waterview northbound tunnel closed), 12-13 February
      • SH20 Northbound to SH16 Eastbound Link, 12-13 February
      • SH20 Northbound to SH16 Westbound Link, 12-13 February
      • Maioro Street northbound on-ramp, 12-13 February
    • Southbound lanes between Massey Road off-ramp and Puhinui Road on-ramp, 9 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Massey Road southbound on-ramp, 9 February

    GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)

    • None planned

    PUHINUI ROAD (SH20B)

    • None planned

    STATE HIGHWAY 22 (SH22)

    • None planned

    STATE HIGHWAY 2 (SH2)

    • None planned

    Please follow the signposted detours. NZ Transport Agency thanks you for your co-operation during these essential improvements and maintenance.

    Current overnight closure information(external link)  

    Auckland roads and public transport(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Panasonic in Numbers: 100% Marine Biodegradable Molding Material

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Panasonic in Numbers: 100% Marine Biodegradable Molding Material

    Growing concern over environmental impact, including marine plastic pollution, depletion of petroleum resources, and global warming, has led to a global effort to reduce the use of traditional plastic resins.Today, 80% of all plastic waste is discarded and expectations are that by 2050, the amount of plastic in our oceans will outweigh the fish*.Following years of R&D, Panasonic HD has developed a 100% marine biodegradable molding material based on plant-derived resins that is comparable in strength to polypropylene.Certified as a “Marine Biodegradable & Biobased Plastics” by the Japan Bioplastics Association, Panasonic HD plans to commercialize this material by 2027, leveraging its unique properties for household appliance casings, automotive parts, consumer goods, and beverage and food containers, among other applications.
    * http://www.jbpaweb.net/gp/index.html

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Further measles case in Victoria

    Source: Government of Victoria 3

    Key messages

    • A new case of measles has been reported in Victoria, with the total number of cases linked to travel in Vietnam since December 2024 now standing at eight. Growing outbreaks continue to be reported internationally including in Vietnam and Thailand.
    • Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can spread from person-to-person and potentially lead to serious health complications.
    • This most recent case was infectious on VietJet Air flight VJC81/ VJ81 from Ho Chi Minh City to Melbourne, while at Melbourne Airport, and at Sunshine Hospital and The Royal Children’s Hospital.
    • Anyone who develops symptoms of measles should seek medical care. Wear a mask and call ahead to make sure you can be isolated from others.
    • People who have attended the listed exposure sites during the specified dates and times should monitor for symptoms of measles and follow the instructions below.
    • Healthcare professionals should be alert for measles in patients with fever and rash, particularly those who have recently returned from overseas or attended a listed exposure site during the specified period.
    • Suspected cases should be tested, advised to isolate, and notified to the Department of Health immediately by calling 1300 651 160.
    • All Victorians are eligible to receive the free measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine if born during or after 1966 and do not have documentation of having received two doses of measles-containing vaccine. Clinicians should vaccinate all individuals who are unsure of their vaccination history, regardless of Medicare status.
    • There is no need to check measles serology prior to vaccination.
    • Anyone planning overseas travel should make sure they have received appropriate travel vaccinations, including the MMR vaccine. This is especially important for anyone planning on travelling to South-East Asia, including Vietnam.

    What is the issue?

    A new case of measles has been identified in Victoria, after travel overseas to South-East Asia where there is an ongoing and large international outbreak. There have now been 17 cases of measles identified in Victoria in the last 12 months.

    Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can lead to uncommon but serious complications, such as pneumonia and brain inflammation (encephalitis).

    There is currently a large measles outbreak in Vietnam. Vietnam’s Ministry of Health reported over 38,364 suspected measles cases for 2024, including 13 deaths. At the present time, any overseas travel could lead to exposure to measles, with outbreaks also reported in areas outside of Southeast Asia including India, Africa, Europe and the UK, the Middle East, and the USA.

    Active public exposures sites in Victoria for recent cases are listed in the table below.

    Date Time Location Monitor for onset of symptoms up to
    Sunday 26 January 2025 Arrival 12:45am

    VietJet Air flight VJC81/ VJ81

    Departure: Ho Chi Minh City

    Arrival: Melbourne

    		 Thursday 13 February 2025
    Sunday 26 January 2025 12:45am to 3:30am Melbourne Airport, VIC 3005 Thursday 13 February 2025
    Tuesday 28 January 08:15am to 10:50pm

    Sunshine Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department

    176 Furlong Rd, St Albans VIC 3021

    		 Saturday 15 February 2025
    Friday 31 January 9:00am to 1:50pm

    Sunshine Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department

    176 Furlong Rd, St Albans VIC 3021

    		 Tuesday 18 February 2025
    Monday 3 February 2025 5:55pm to 11:30pm

    The Royal Children’s Hospital Emergency Department

    50 Flemington Rd, Parkville VIC 3052

    		 Friday 21 February 2025
    Monday 3 February 2025 11:10pm to 00:00am (midnight)

    The Royal Children’s Hospital

    Sugar Glider Ward

    50 Flemington Rd, Parkville VIC 3052

    		 Friday 21 February 2025
    Tuesday 4 February 00:01am to 1:30pm

    The Royal Children’s Hospital

    Sugar Glider Ward

    50 Flemington Rd, Parkville VIC 3052

    		 Saturday 22 February 2025
    Wednesday 5 February 9:55am to 11:15am

    The Royal Children’s Hospital Emergency Department

    50 Flemington Rd, Parkville VIC 3052

    		 Sunday 23 February 2025

    Anyone who has attended a listed exposure site during the specified times above should monitor for symptoms and seek medical care if symptoms develop for up to 18 days after the exposure. Anyone who presents with signs and symptoms compatible with measles should be tested and notified to the Department of Health immediately. There should be an especially high level of suspicion if they have travelled overseas or visited any the sites listed above and are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated for measles.

    Who is at risk?

    Anyone born during or since 1966 who does not have documented evidence of having received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or does not have documented evidence of immunity, is at risk of measles.

    Unvaccinated infants are at particularly high risk of contracting measles.

    Young infants, pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system are at increased risk of serious complications from measles.

    Symptoms and transmission

    Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, sore or red eyes (conjunctivitis), runny nose, and feeling generally unwell, followed by a red maculopapular rash. The rash usually starts on the face before spreading down the body. Symptoms can develop between 7 to 18 days after exposure.

    Initial symptoms of measles may be similar to those of COVID-19 and influenza. If a symptomatic person tests negative for COVID-19 and/or influenza but develops a rash, they should be advised to continue isolating and be tested for measles.

    People with measles are potentially infectious from 24 hours prior to the onset of initial symptoms until 4 days after the rash appears. Measles is highly infectious and can spread through airborne droplets or contact with nose or throat secretions, as well as contaminated surfaces and objects. The measles virus can stay in the environment for up to 2 hours.

    Figures: Examples of a typical measles rash.

    Recommendations

    For the general public

    • Anyone who has attended a listed exposure site during the specified date and time should monitor for symptoms and seek medical care if symptoms develop for up to 18 days after the exposure.
    • Symptoms of measles can initially resemble a cold or flu and include fever, cough, sore or red eyes (conjunctivitis), runny nose, and feeling generally unwell, followed by a red rash. The rash usually starts on the face before spreading down the body.
    • Anyone who develops symptoms of measles should seek medical care. Call the health service beforehand to advise that you may have been exposed to measles and wear a mask.
    • The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine provides safe and effective protection against measles. The MMR vaccine is available for free:
      • on the National Immunisation Program, routinely given at 12 months and 18 months of age.
      • for anyone born during or after 1966 who have not already received two doses of measles-containing vaccine, are unsure of their vaccination status, or do not have evidence of immunity to measles.
      • for young infants aged 6 to 12 months prior to overseas travel to countries where measles is endemic or where outbreaks of measles are occurring. If an infant receives an early dose of MMR vaccine prior to travel, they should still receive routine doses at 12 months and 18 months of age as per the National Immunisation Program schedule.
    • For further information, speak to your immunisation provider.
    • Anyone planning overseas travel should make sure they have received appropriate travel vaccinations.

    For health professionals

    • Anyone who is not fully vaccinated for measles may be eligible to receive the MMR vaccine if they present within 72 hours (3 days) of exposure. Anyone who is immunocompromised or pregnant and not fully vaccinated for measles may be eligible to receive normal human immunoglobulin (NHIG) if they present up to 144 hours (6 days) after close exposure to a measles case.
    • Clinicians are advised to be alert for measles in patients presenting with compatible illness, particularly those with overseas travel or who attended a listed exposure site during the specified dates and times or who are not fully vaccinated against measles.
    • Anyone who presents with signs and symptoms compatible with measles should be tested and notified to the Department of Health immediately. There should be an especially high level of suspicion if they have travelled overseas or visited any sites listed above and are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated for measles.
    • Suspected cases should be tested, isolated, and notified to the Department of Health immediately by calling 1300 651 160 and connecting to the relevant Local Public Health Unit.
    • Discuss the need for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing using nose and throat swabs with the Local Public Health Unit (PCR testing for measles does not attract a Medicare rebate).
    • Take blood samples for measles serology in all suspected cases.
    • Minimise the risk of measles transmission within your practice/department:
      • avoid keeping patients with fever and rash in shared waiting areas (send to a separate room).
      • if measles is suspected, give the patient a single use, fitted mask and isolate under airborne precautions until a measles diagnosis can be excluded.
      • leave all rooms that were used to assess the suspected case vacant for at least 30 minutes after the consultation.
    • Offer MMR vaccine to people born during or after 1966 who do not have documented evidence of receiving two doses of a measles-containing vaccine or documented evidence of immunity. Serology is not required before vaccinating. People who are not Medicare eligible can also receive the free MMR vaccine. Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook – MeaslesExternal Link for further guidance on immunisation.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN signs a book of condolence at the German Embassy in Jakarta

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this morning visited the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of Indonesia to sign the condolence book, following the passing of H.E. Prof. Dr. Horst Köhler, former President of the Federal Republic of Germany, on 1 February 2025.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN signs a book of condolence at the German Embassy in Jakarta appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign visitors experience China’s mobile payment environment

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Tourists from France enjoy a soup dumpling at Yuyuan Garden Mall in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Foreign visitors in China experienced a smoother, more convenient travel environment during this year’s Spring Festival, thanks to improvements to the country’s mobile payment systems.

    The latest data from the People’s Bank of China shows that the volume of transactions made by international tourists during the Chinese New Year holiday, which ran from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 this year, surged significantly from last year. The total number of cross-border transactions processed by China UnionPay and NetsUnion Clearing Corporation increased 124.54 percent, and the total transaction value grew 90.49 percent.

    This jump in payment activity reflects not only the growing appeal of China as a travel destination but also the seamless integration of mobile payment systems for foreign visitors.

    In cities like Shanghai, foreign tourists can now use international credit cards or mobile payment apps such as Alipay for shopping, dining and sightseeing, which allowed tourists to enjoy the cultural experiences on offer fully during the Chinese New Year.

    German tourist Carla Uhrmacher, who visited the famous Yuyuan Garden in the eastern Chinese metropolis of Shanghai, was impressed by the ease with which she could use her mobile payment app to buy traditional Chinese crafts and souvenirs. “Whether using Visa or Mastercard, or mobile payment systems, it’s all very seamless,” she noted, highlighting how accessible these payment methods are for international visitors.

    This Spring Festival saw an increase in payment transactions and a significant rise in the number of foreign visitors to China. Inbound arrivals during this year’s Spring Festival hit a record high, with a 150 percent year-on-year leap reported, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, told a press conference on Wednesday, citing data from third-party platforms.

    While popular destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou continued to attract large numbers of foreign travelers during the holiday, cities like Suzhou, Xi’an, Chengdu and Xiamen emerged as new favorites for international tourists using mobile payment services, Alipay data shows.

    This surge in international visitors can be largely attributed to China’s ongoing efforts to enhance its payment services for foreigners. The country has made it easier for international travelers to use their foreign credit cards by allowing them to link these cards directly to popular Chinese mobile payment platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay.

    An increasing number of international e-wallets are now also supported for use in China. Alipay, for example, now allows users to link 13 different overseas e-wallets from countries like the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore.

    Though cashless payment services have improved significantly, foreign tourists can also take advantage of a network of nearly 70,000 bank branches, 320,000 ATMs, and currency exchange facilities across the country.

    This year’s Spring Festival also saw a notable increase in foreigner spending, particularly in cities like Beijing, where tourists from various countries flocked to shopping areas such as Qianmen Street to purchase souvenirs, local teas and trendy clothing.

    This spending boom is backed by figures, with the number of transactions made by foreign visitors on WeChat increasing 134 percent compared to last year’s Spring Festival, and with the total spent via Alipay rising 150 percent during the first five days of the holiday. These figures reflect not only the convenience of mobile payments but also the growing enthusiasm of foreign tourists to purchase Chinese goods and immerse themselves in local culture.

    An increasingly open China is becoming an even more attractive destination for international tourists as Chinese New Year is celebrated globally, and as payment services continue to improve, analysts in China have noted. And these improved payment experiences will make China travel even smoother and more enjoyable for international visitors.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: France, Japan, U.S. Partner in Multi-Large Deck Event in Philippine Sea

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    PHILIPPINE SEA   –  

    U.S. forces will participate in Exercise Pacific Steller 2025, a multi-large deck event (MLDE) hosted by the French Navy in the Philippine Sea beginning Feb. 8. The exercise will involve ships from the U.S. Navy’s Vinson Carrier Strike Group (VINCSG), the French Carrier Strike Group, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

    This MLDE is designed to advance coordination and cooperation between French, Japanese and U.S. maritime forces while simultaneously demonstrating capabilities in multi-domain operations, promoting a shared dedication to regional stability, and highlighting the U.S. Navy’s enduring power projection capability.

    “Pacific Steller 2025 allows us to practice seamless integration with our French and Japanese allies in a multi-domain environment,” said Rear Adm. Michael Wosje, commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1. “Coordinated operations between USS Carl Vinson, FS Charles De Gaulle, and JS Kaga strengthen our alliances and deter our adversaries. Together, we seek to maintain an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, free of all forms of coercion, and we’re excited to work alongside our allies and partners who share that vision.”

    The U.S.-France alliance is built on a legacy of shared interests, values, and a commitment to freedom and human rights.

    “It is a great opportunity for the French Carrier Strike Group to cooperate with our partners in the Indo-Pacific during the whole deployment. While France is a resident nation of the Indo-Pacific, it has not deployed its CSG to this part of the world for a long time,” said Rear Adm. Jacques Mallard, commander, French CSG. “Since January 14, the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, based in Toulon more than 6000 miles from here, is sailing in a different area. There is no doubt that PACIFIC STELLER will ramp up to a new level of interoperability for our three navies and represents a challenge that we are more than eager to take up alongside Japanese and US partners.”

    The most recent MLDE in the Indo-Pacific occurred in August 2024 between the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and the Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550). The event marked the first MLDE conducted between the U.S. and Italian navies in the Indo-Pacific region.

    “Our routine integration aims to showcase our partnership and demonstrate our ability to work together with our French and Japanese allies,” said Capt. Matthew Thomas, commanding officer of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). “Pacific Steller 2025 is one of many exercises with the goal to enhance the maritime security of the Indo-Pacific region. As the flagship of CSG-1, Carl Vinson stands ready and looks forward to participating alongside Charles De Gaulle and Kaga.”

    MLDEs are conducted in a manner that is consistent with international law and with due regard to the safety of navigation and the rights and interests of other states.

    Participating large-deck ships include the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the French carrier FS Charles De Gaulle, and Japan’s Izumo-class multi-functional destroyer JS Kaga (DDH-184).

    CSG-1 consists of Carl Vinson, embarked staffs of CSG-1 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) one, Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW) 2, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59), and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110).

    CVW-2 is composed of nine squadrons flying the F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey and MH-60R/S Seahawks.

    French Carrier Strike Group consists of Charles De Gaulle, its embarked French Strike Force staff and carrier air wing, an air-defense destroyer, multi-mission frigates, a supply ship, an attack submarine, and a detachment of Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft.

    The French carrier air wing flies the Rafale Marine (F4) fighter aircraft, E-2C Hawkeye, and Dauphin, Caiman Marine, and Panther helicopters.

    The French Carrier Strike Group is currently engaged in Mission CLEMENCEAU 25, sailing alongside its allies and strategic partners to promote a free, open and stable Indo-Pacific space for the benefit of French populations, interests, and those of their regional partners, within the framework of international law.

    The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    For more news from CSG-1 and Carl Vinson visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CSG1, https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CVN70

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: WRAIR empowers far-forward medics with advanced behavioral health training

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  –  

    In January 2025, the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research joined forces with the 65th Medical Brigade at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, to conduct a train-the-trainer course on Behavioral Health Guidelines for mEdic Assessment and Response. Designed to equip medics and unit helpers—many without prior behavioral health training—with essential skills for assessing and addressing mental health issues, the course marks a significant step toward bolstering mental health support within military units.

    Led by Dr. Katie Nugent, a behavioral health epidemiologist at WRAIR’s Military Psychiatry branch, the three-and-a-half-day program was supported by an expert team that included Dr. Josh Wilk, Ms. Kristina Clarke-Walper, Maj. Jose Nunuz, Capt. George Mesias, and Ms. Mary Sampson. The training provided a comprehensive, hands-on experience that prepared participants not only to implement BH GEAR within their own units but also to train others, thereby creating a multiplier effect.

    “We know that behavioral health problems are commonly experienced, but in garrison and far-forward environments, there just aren’t enough trained providers to meet the need” said Dr. Nugent on BH GEAR’s origin. “Medics are ideally suited to fill this need because they are already monitoring their unit’s health.”

    Recent data underscores that medics often feel less confident when discussing mental health compared to physical health. To address this, BH GEAR was developed to enhance medics’ knowledge and confidence in identifying and managing mental health concerns, ensuring they have the practical tools needed to support their units effectively.

    This course was the fifth iteration of the BH GEAR train-the-trainer program, following successful sessions at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Fort Drum, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, and Fort Bliss. The training format is dynamic and interactive: after observing a sample session on the first day, participants were divided into groups to practice segments of the training, receive targeted feedback, and refine their delivery techniques. The curriculum also covered common challenges in facilitation and provided extensive training materials to ensure that every participant could confidently conduct BH GEAR sessions independently.

    Dr. Nugent emphasized the importance of this hands-on approach: “you can’t just show them the training and be done with it. Our method of breaking into groups, practicing, and receiving feedback ensures that each trainee is fully prepared to lead BH GEAR training within their own unit.”

    The successful delivery of the training at Camp Humphreys represents a significant milestone toward more widespread implementation of BH GEAR. “Our team is excited to meet the increasing demand for mental health support,” Dr. Nugent said. “We are actively working to integrate BH GEAR into the initial, annual, and pre-deployment training curricula for Army, Navy, and Air Force medics. This integration is essential for ensuring that medics are equipped to safeguard not only the physical but also the mental well-being of their units.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Call With Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:

    Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh held an introductory call today to reaffirm their shared commitment to the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership. The leaders agreed to pursue an ambitious agenda to accelerate our operational cooperation and defense industrial and technology collaboration to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific. The Secretary noted he looks forward to holding the next 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue and concluding the next ten-year U.S.-India Defense Framework this year.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Money Market Operations as on February 06, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 5,62,738.64 6.29 3.50-8.00
         I. Call Money 14,447.56 6.45 5.15-6.60
         II. Triparty Repo 3,61,611.60 6.25 6.10-6.35
         III. Market Repo 1,84,089.88 6.33 3.50-6.60
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 2,589.60 6.94 6.45-8.00
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 69.50 6.28 6.10-6.35
         II. Term Money@@ 368.50 – 6.60-6.70
         III. Triparty Repo 2,346.00 6.35 6.30-6.40
         IV. Market Repo 1,000.00 6.50 6.50-6.50
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo Thu, 06/02/2025 1 Fri, 07/02/2025 21,674.00 6.51
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Thu, 06/02/2025 1 Fri, 07/02/2025 163.00 6.75
    4. SDFΔ# Thu, 06/02/2025 1 Fri, 07/02/2025 1,22,506.00 6.25
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -1,00,669.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo Fri, 24/01/2025 14 Fri, 07/02/2025 1,62,096.00 6.51
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       8,328.42  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     1,70,424.42  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     69,755.42  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on February 06, 2025 8,95,198.92  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending February 07, 2025 9,12,544.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ February 06, 2025 21,674.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on January 10, 2025 -40,102.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2024-2025/2093

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta and Coalition of 14 Attorneys General Release Statement on DOGE Access to Sensitive Personal Information

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, February 6, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 14 attorneys general in releasing the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of the Treasury granting Elon Musk and his so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) staffers access to sensitive payment systems containing Americans’ personally identifiable information:

    “In the past week, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has given Elon Musk access to Americans’ personal private information, state bank account data, and other information that is some of our country’s most sensitive data.

    “As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law. The President does not have the power to give away our private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress. 

    “This level of access for unauthorized individuals is unlawful, unprecedented, and unacceptable. DOGE has no authority to access this information, which they explicitly sought in order to block critical payments that millions of Americans rely on – payments that support health care, childcare, and other essential programs. 

    “In defense of our Constitution, our right to privacy, and the essential funding that individuals and communities nationwide are counting on, we will be filing a lawsuit to stop this injustice.”

    Joining Attorney General Bonta in releasing this statement are the attorneys general of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Antitrust Legislation to Take on Algorithmic Price Fixing, Bring Down Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    February 06, 2025

    Senator says Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act “will send a strong message to corporations that they won’t get away with coordinating to ratchet up prices on consumers.”

    Washington D.C.—U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today joined Senate colleagues to introduce legislation that would prevent companies from using algorithms to collude to set higher prices. This legislation builds off legislation Wyden introduced last year to crack down on companies that help landlords increase rents in already high-priced markets.

    “Collusion is collusion, whether you do it over the phone or using an algorithm. This legislation, along with my End Rent Fixing Act, will send a strong message to corporations that they won’t get away with coordinating to ratchet up prices on consumers,” said Wyden.

    As recent reporting, a Justice Department lawsuit, and multiple private lawsuits have shown, big corporations are using algorithms to raise prices and limit competition. This includes companies like RealPage that have facilitated collusion to increase rents by more than $3 billion in 2023 alone. This legislation would make such collusion illegal to lower costs for families and support small businesses.

    Price fixing and other forms of collusion are illegal under current antitrust laws. However, current antitrust laws may be insufficient when competing companies delegate their pricing decisions to an algorithm without agreeing to fix prices. Current law requires proof of an agreement to fix prices before condemning the conduct. When pricing decisions of multiple competitors are delegated to a single algorithm, that agreement may not exist even though the use of the algorithm may have the same effect as a traditional agreement to fix prices. This type of conduct has already occurred in rental housing.

    To strengthen current price fixing law, this Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act would do the following:

    • Close a loophole in current law by presuming a price-fixing “agreement,” when direct competitors share non-public information through a pricing algorithm to raise prices;
    • Increase transparency by requiring companies that use algorithms to set prices to disclose that fact and give antitrust enforcers the ability to audit the pricing algorithm when there are concerns it may be harming consumers;
    • Ban companies from using non-public, competitively sensitive information from their direct competitors to inform or train a pricing algorithm;
    • Direct the Federal Trade Commission to study pricing algorithms’ impact on competition. 

    The legislation was led by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. Along with Wyden, the bill was co-sponsored by Senators Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Peter Welch, D-Vt. The Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act is endorsed by Consumer Reports, the Open Markets Institute, and Accountable.US. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Belle Gibson built a ‘wellness’ empire on a lie about cancer. Apple Cider Vinegar expertly unravels her con

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University

    Netflix

    Netflix’s new limited series, Apple Cider Vinegar, tells the story of the elaborate cancer con orchestrated by Australian blogger Annabelle (Belle) Gibson.

    The first episode opens with Gibson’s character (played by Kaitlyn Dever) breaking the wall between the performance and the audience, saying:

    This is a true story based on a lie. Some names have been changed to protect the innocent. Belle Gibson has not been paid for the recreation of her story.

    And from these first few seconds, we know, Gibson herself is not innocent.

    A familiar story

    For anyone who followed Gibson during her rise to fame in the 2010s – or her spectacular fall – the show feels eerily familiar.

    From the clothing, to the makeup, to the food, Apple Cider Vinegar excels in set design and staging. Every effort has been made to ensure this true story, based on a lie, looks like it did when it was unfolding on our phone screens in 2010s.

    As someone who followed Gibson closely and spent months hunting down the recalled cookbook to see if the health claims were as outlandish as I’d heard (they were), this show was a treat to watch.

    The scenes are cut with recreations of Belle’s stylised Instagram pictures of green juices, beaches and food with “no nasties”. Belle’s account was removed from Instagram after the massive public ousting of her hoax.

    Apple Cider Vinegar has done an incredible job recreating this account and breathing life back into the deleted content.

    Even after being caught out, the real Gibson claimed ‘unscrupulous natural therapists duped her into believing she was dying’, according to 60 Minutes.
    Netflix

    The cancer con

    While the core story of Apple Cider Vinegar is unpacking Gibson’s lies and path to destruction, it also shows us a very real and heartbreaking side to cancer.

    Other prominent characters include fellow influencer, Milla Blake (played by Alycia Debnam-Carey) and follower Lucy (played by Tilda Cobham-Harvey). Both of these women are battling cancer. We learn about their relationships with Gibson and how her lies so easily bled into their lives.

    We witness how alluring Gibson’s lies were for people who were desperately looking to feel “well”. We understand her magnetism, and just as easily to feel the rage of the families who watched as their loved ones deteriorated. In the words of Lucy’s partner:

    I’m not letting some influencer with a nose ring undercut years of medical research.

    Apple Cider Vinegar demonstrates how one can be taken down a path of cancer treatment quackery. The allure of alternative medicine is presented compellingly when contrasted with the painful realities of traditional cancer treatment.

    Milla, suffering from an aggressive form of cancer, seeks out alternative options after doctors recommend an amputation. She says:

    I didn’t know the words to describe the rage I felt when the doctors looked at my body and only saw disease.

    While holistic approaches to many diseases can be helpful when combined with traditional treatment, Apple Cider Vinegar illustrates how toxic it can be to “moralise” health.

    When people assign moral properties to neutral health conditions such as cancer, AIDS or COVID, this can lead to stigmatisation and feelings of being “bad”. Some characters in the show talk about how their behaviours led them to sickness and how “healthy” actions would save them (rather than medical treatment).

    The show also regularly uses language that is prominent in online health communities, such as referring to certain foods as “good” or “toxic”. In one scene, we see a character fall into a panic and call a holistic health professional after her parent takes a pain killer.

    The real story

    Apple Cider Vinegar is based on the book The Woman Who Fooled the World by Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, two journalists who were instrumental in uncovering Gibson’s lies.

    Creator Samantha Strauss crafts this story expertly. We see Gibson’s story from all sides. We feel sympathy for her – for her childhood and loneliness – before being put in the shoes of someone whose partner is dying because they followed Gibson’s advice.

    Some characters and scenes have clearly been fabricated, such as when Gibson claims to see a doctor named “Dr Phil”. But these fabrications seem acceptable, because we are told from the beginning that’s what this show would do: create and fictionalise some characters.

    Other scenes feel very real. The character Milla Blake, a fellow influencer, is heavily inspired by the real woman who died in 2015 from epithelioid sarcoma.

    She made a platform online by sharing how she rejected traditional cancer treatment in favour of alternative treatments (Gerson therapy). Like Belle, she was a part of the inspirational speaking and author circuit at the time.

    Alycia Debnam-Carey (left) plays Milla Blake, a character based on a real woman who died from epithelioid sarcoma in 2015.
    Netflix

    In their book The Woman Who Fooled the World, Donelly and Toscano speculate about how Belle got close to this influencer (to follow her pattern of success online) and to other cancer patients, including a young boy and his family (to mimic symptoms and appear more authentic).

    Apple Cider Vinegar shows us hints of this behaviour. We see Belle begin to mimic the language of other people sharing their experiences with cancer and act in similar ways.

    Whether or not you are already familiar Gibson’s story, Apple Cider Vinegar is a compelling watch. You’ll especially love it if you enjoy non-fiction productions that play with ideas of truth such as iTonya, the Tinder Swindler and Inventing Anna.

    Apple Cider Vinegar is streaming now on Netflix.

    Edith Jennifer Hill 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. Belle Gibson built a ‘wellness’ empire on a lie about cancer. Apple Cider Vinegar expertly unravels her con – https://theconversation.com/belle-gibson-built-a-wellness-empire-on-a-lie-about-cancer-apple-cider-vinegar-expertly-unravels-her-con-248999

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Taking the ‘forever’ out of ‘forever chemicals’: we worked out how to destroy the PFAS in batteries

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jens Blotevogel, Principal Research Scientist and Team Leader for Remediation Technologies, CSIRO

    Mino Surkala, Shutterstock

    Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power small rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops. They enable electric vehicles. And larger versions store excess renewable energy for later use, supporting the clean energy transition.

    Australia produces more than 3,000 tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste a year. Managing this waste is a technical, economic and social challenge. Opportunities exist for recycling and creating a circular economy for batteries. But they come with risk.

    That’s because lithium-ion batteries contain manufactured chemicals such as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The chemicals carry the lithium – along with electricity – through the battery. If released into the environment, they can linger for decades and likely longer. This is why they’ve been dubbed “forever chemicals”.

    Recently, scientists identified a new type of PFAS known as bis-FASIs (short for bis-perfluoroalkyl sulfonimides) in lithium-ion batteries and in the environment. Bis-FASIs have since been detected in soils and waters worldwide. They are toxic – just one drop in an Olympic-size swimming pool can harm the nervous system of animals. Scientists don’t know much about possible effects on humans yet.

    Bis-FASIs in lithium-ion batteries present a major obstacle to recycling or disposing of batteries safely. Fortunately, we may have come up with a way to fix this.

    There’s value in our battery wastes

    Currently, Australia only recycles about 10% of its battery waste. The rest is sent to landfill.

    But landfill sites could leak eventually. That means disposal of battery waste in landfill may lead to soil and groundwater contamination.

    We can’t throw away lithium-ion batteries in household rubbish because they can catch fire.

    So once batteries reach the end of useful life, we must handle them in a way that protects the environment and human health.

    What’s more, there’s real value in battery waste. Lithium-ion batteries contain lots of valuable metals that are worth recycling. Lithium, cobalt, copper and nickel are critical and finite metal resources that are in high demand. The recoverable metal value from one tonne of lithium-ion battery waste is between A$3,000 and $14,000.

    As more lithium-ion batteries explode in flames, waste chiefs say change is necessary (7.30)

    What does this mean for recycling of batteries?

    Battery recycling in Australia begins with collection, sorting, discharging and dismantling, before the metal is recovered.

    Metal recovery can be done via mechanical, high-temperature, chemical or biological methods. But this may inadvertently release bis-FASI, threatening recycling workers and the environment.

    Pyrometallurgy is the most common technique for recycling lithium-ion batteries. This involves incinerating the batteries to recover the metals. Bis-FASIs are incinerated at the same time.

    Yet PFAS chemicals are stable and can withstand high temperatures. The exact temperature needed to destroy PFAS is the biggest unknown in lithium-ion battery recycling.

    Determining this temperature was the focus of our research.

    The solution is hot – very hot!

    We teamed up with chemistry professor Anthony Rappé at Colorado State University in the United States. We wanted to work out the temperature at which bis-FASIs can be effectively incinerated.

    But figuring this out is tricky, not only because of the danger of working with high temperatures.

    The inside of incinerators is a hot mess. Molecules get torn apart. Some recombine to form larger molecules, and others interact with ashes produced during the burning process. This could produce toxic new substances, which then exit through a smokestack into the air outside.

    We don’t want PFAS going out through the smokestack.
    HJBC, Shutterstock

    To make matters worse, it’s not possible to measure all the substances that bis-FASIs break down into, because many of them are unknown.

    To help, we applied the science of quantum mechanics and solved the problem on a computer without ever going into the lab. The computer can accurately simulate the behaviour of any molecules, including bis-FASIs.

    We found that at 600°C, bis-FASI molecules start to separate into smaller fragments. But these fragments are still PFAS chemicals and could be more harmful than their parent chemicals.

    As a consequence, the absence of bis-FASIs in stack exhaust is not enough to deem the process safe. Much higher temperatures of 1,000°C and above are needed to break down bis-FASIs completely into harmless products. This is likely to be much higher than temperatures currently used, although that varies between facilities.

    Based on these findings, we built an innovative model that guides recyclers on how to destroy bis-FASIs during metal recovery by using sufficiently high temperatures.

    How do we avoid future risks?

    We are now collaborating with operators of high-temperature metal recovery and incineration plants to use our model to destroy PFAS in batteries.

    Recycling plants will have to use much higher temperatures to avoid problematic fumes and this will require more energy and financial investment.

    After our new guidance is implemented, we will test the recovered metals, solid residues, and exhausts to ensure they are free from PFAS.

    While we can tackle the PFAS problem now, it remains an expensive undertaking. Metal recovery processes must be upgraded to safely destroy bis-FASIs. Ultimately, consumers are likely to foot the bill.

    However, sending lithium-ion battery waste to landfill will damage the environment and be more expensive in the long run. Landfilling of bis-FASI-containing waste should therefore be avoided.

    Clearly, the battery recycling rate must improve. This is where everyday people can help. In the future, manufacturers should avoid using forever chemicals in batteries altogether. Development of safer alternatives is a key focus of ongoing research into sustainable battery design.

    Jens Blotevogel receives funding from the United States Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.

    Naomi Boxall receives funding from the Australian Government under the National Environmental Science Program.

    – ref. Taking the ‘forever’ out of ‘forever chemicals’: we worked out how to destroy the PFAS in batteries – https://theconversation.com/taking-the-forever-out-of-forever-chemicals-we-worked-out-how-to-destroy-the-pfas-in-batteries-242769

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is botulism? How this ‘nerve-paralysing illness’ can be linked to dodgy botox

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University

    Tijana Simic/Shutterstock

    The news last week that three people in Sydney were hospitalised with botulism after receiving botox injections has raised questions about the regulation of the cosmetic injectables industry.

    The three women allegedly received injections of unregulated anti-wrinkle products from the same provider at a Western Sydney home in January.

    The provider, who is not a registered health practitioner, is allegedly also linked to a case of botulism that occurred following a botox injection in Victoria in 2024.

    The provider has been banned from performing cosmetic procedures in New South Wales and Victoria while the incidents are investigated. Meanwhile, health authorities in both states have issued warnings about the practitioner.

    So, what exactly is botulism? And how can it be linked to botox?

    Botox and botulism

    Botox, or botulinum toxin, is a drug made from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

    The botox toxin is a neurotoxin, which means it prevents the functioning of cells in the central nervous system. Specifically, it blocks the messages your nerves send to your muscles telling them to contract. In this way it can temporarily reduce wrinkles.

    While botox is best known for its cosmetic applications, it can also be used in the treatment of certain medical conditions, such as chronic migraines and muscle spasms.

    The toxin is used in a highly diluted form in botox injections. Notwithstanding the possibility of side effects (such as temporary pain and swelling at the injection site), botox is generally considered safe when conducted by licensed health practitioners.

    Botulism is likewise caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria C. botulinum.

    Instances of botulism linked to botox injections in the past have been attributed to counterfeit or mishandled product. Mishandling might include contamination from the toxin source in the diluted product, leading to a higher dose of the toxin, or improper refrigeration. Poor injection technique can also be a factor.

    When the botulinum toxin is not handled properly, the toxin can enter the bloodstream. This is how botulism occurs.

    Botulism can also be a food-borne illness

    C. botulinum can form spores and survive in tough conditions, meaning it can withstand many food preparation techniques.

    People who consume homemade preserved foods such as vegetables, particularly those that are not cooked during preparation, can be at a higher risk of food-borne botulism. Lower levels of salt and acid, as is the case with mild fermentation, can also increase the risk of the toxin being present.

    Botulism can be picked up from food.
    Dale Jackson/Pexels

    C. botulinum can also survive in soil and water. In this way, botulism can also be caused by bacteria from the environment. This can present as wound infections, or intestinal infection with C. botulinum in infants specifically.

    Intravenous drug users are at a higher risk of wound-borne botulism, while infants tend to suffer from gastrointestinal botulism because their gut microbiomes are still developing.

    It’s extremely rare

    Botulism is very unusual, with generally only about one case reported annually in Australia.

    However it’s very serious. It’s commonly referred to as a nerve-paralysing illness.

    Symptoms can develop within a few hours to several days after exposure to the toxin, and include drooping eyelids, difficulty breathing, facial weakness, blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and slurred speech. In infants it can cause floppy limbs and a weak cry.

    It’s treated by supporting breathing if necessary, and urgently administering a botox antitoxin, which binds to the toxin, preventing it from attaching to nerve cells in the body.

    Usually patients recover, although in some cases they may need to be in hospital for months, and sometimes symptoms such as fatigue and trouble breathing can last years.

    Botulism is fatal in 5–10% of cases.

    Botulism is a serious illness.
    Jason Grant/Shutterstock

    Is there anything people can do to stay safe?

    The cosmetic injectables industry is estimated to be worth A$4.1 billion in Australia and forecast to grow by almost 20% annually until 2030. These recent incidents in NSW and Victoria highlight the need for stronger regulation in this booming industry.

    If you’re considering a cosmetic botox injection, make sure it’s administered by a trusted professional, ideally someone registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

    Asking your practitioner about the injectable they’re using, and ensuring the specific product is registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration, can further limit any risk associated with botox procedures.

    If you make your own preserved foods, careful food production techniques and hygiene, as well as the addition of fermentation, acid, salt or heat treatment can limit the risk of food-borne botulism.

    Thomas Jeffries 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. What is botulism? How this ‘nerve-paralysing illness’ can be linked to dodgy botox – https://theconversation.com/what-is-botulism-how-this-nerve-paralysing-illness-can-be-linked-to-dodgy-botox-248765

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Extradition file to be prepared in Wellington assault case

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police investigating alleged criminal behaviour by visiting Vietnamese officials are preparing an extradition file.

    Police received two complaints of assault following an incident at a Wellington restaurant in March last year.

    Detectives investigating the matter identified the suspects as members of a Vietnamese delegation, who had already left the country.

    While no extradition treaty exists between New Zealand and Vietnam, Police have continued to explore all available options.

    Police Commissioner Richard Chambers says extradition needed to be explored, and preparing an extradition file is the next step in progressing this matter.

    “We have had positive engagement with Vietnamese officials to date, and I am confident that will continue.

    “While this process is ongoing and complex, we hope our ongoing efforts provide some assurance to the complainants that we are taking this matter seriously,” Commissioner Chambers says.

    Travel alerts are in place at the border to ensure Police are notified, and given the opportunity to take affirmative action, if the individuals of interest in this case return to New Zealand.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: SH30/Wharenui Road intersection upgrade starting

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises work begins Monday (10 February) to upgrade and install traffic lights at the intersection of State Highway 30 (SH30) Te Ngae Road and Wharenui Road.

    NZTA advises Rotorua drivers that, as part of this work, a short section of Wharenui Road, between SH30 Te Ngae Road and Reeve Road/Glenfield Road, will be closed to through-traffic.

    This closure will be in place from Monday 10 February, not Monday 3 February as earlier stated, until the project is completed in May this year.

    Access for residents, pedestrians and cyclists will be maintained. A detour will be in place for other traffic.

    Temporary footpaths and pedestrian access will be available and clearly signposted.

    Residents, service providers, and visitors will be able to take vehicles into the closed section of Wharenui Road from the Reeve/Glenfield intersection.

    All other traffic will need to use Brent Road or Coulter Road to access eastern Wharenui Road, Reeve Road and Glenfield Road, and any connected roads.

    While this work is underway a temporary speed limit of 30km/h will be in place on SH30 Te Ngae Road through the work zone.

    More information about additional traffic management will be shared as construction progresses.

    View larger map [PDF, 104 KB]

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Regional Australia’s job market: A tale of two trends

    Source: Australia Jobs and Skills

    Regional Australia’s job market: A tale of two trends

    Linda


    News and updates
    Australia’s Food Bowl now with an ‘above average’ compared to the ‘below average’ and ‘average’ ratings in December 2023.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing hits back after new tariffs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China will not initiate trade conflicts and is willing to resolve differences through dialogue, while regarding unilateral bullying measures, China will take necessary measures to firmly defend its own rights and interests, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

    The ministry made the remarks following Washington’s levy of an additional 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China.

    The unilateral imposition of tariffs by the United States seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organization and exacerbates global trade tensions. China is willing to work with relevant countries to firmly advocate for free trade and multilateralism, jointly address the challenges of unilateralism and trade protectionism, and maintain the orderly and stable development of international trade, the ministry said.

    “China’s countermeasures aren’t meant to provoke trade disputes, but to defend national interests and international fairness,” said Cui Fan, a professor of international trade at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

    “If the US persists in its unilateral actions, China will not hesitate to take more powerful countermeasures. China has the confidence and ability to respond to any challenge and safeguard its own rights, and contribute to the stability of the global economy,” Cui said.

    Meanwhile, China launched a series of export control policies for rare metal products and related technologies on Tuesday. The ministry said the export control on tungsten and other related items is an international practice. The listed items this time have certain attributes for military and civilian use, and the downstream products boast high military risks.

    “The move indicates China’s consistent stance of maintaining world peace and regional stability. The Chinese government will approve export applications that comply with regulations,” said He Yongqian, a spokeswoman for the commerce ministry.

    The ministry also put US clothing company PVH Corp and biotechnology company Illumina Inc on its unreliable entity list on Tuesday. The two firms violate normal market trading principles, interrupt normal transactions with Chinese enterprises, take discriminatory measures against Chinese firms, and seriously damage the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, the ministry said.

    “China has always handled export controls and unreliable entity lists with caution. The Chinese government is willing to strengthen cooperation with different countries to jointly maintain the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains. We welcome foreign enterprises to invest and develop in China, and we are committed to providing a stable, fair and predictable business environment for law-abiding and compliant foreign enterprises,” she said.

    Separately, the US Postal Service announced on Wednesday that it will continue accepting all inbound mail and packages from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, quickly reversing the suspension that went into effect on Tuesday.

    In addition, the US government has canceled the “de minimis” tariff exemption rule for small packages and low-value items imported from China — a measure that exempted shipments worth less than $800 from import duties.

    The Ministry of Commerce said the US levying of an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese products and the adjustment of its “de minimis” policy will undoubtedly increase the cost of consumption for US shoppers and affect their purchasing experiences.

    “No matter how a country adjusts its trade policy, cross-border e-commerce shopping boasts strong competitiveness, and the trend of digital development in international trade will not change. We hope that the US can follow the trend and create a fair and predictable policy environment for the development of cross-border e-commerce,” said He.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: S. Korea’s court holds 6th hearing of Yoon’s impeachment trial

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    South Korea’s constitutional court held the sixth hearing of impeachment trial on President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday, with the arrested president being present for the fourth time.

    Yoon, dressed in a black suit and red necktie, presented himself at the courtroom in central Seoul at about 10:00 a.m. local time (0100 GMT).

    Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, former chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, said in the hearing that it was exactly correct that Yoon ordered him to remove “lawmakers” from the chamber of the National Assembly, where the lawmakers gathered to lift an emergency martial law which was declared by Yoon on the night of Dec. 3 last year.

    About two hours after the declaration, Yoon called Kwak through a scrambler phone, giving orders that the lawmakers should be dragged out of the chamber before the quorum to revoke the martial law is filled, according to Kwak.

    Kwak also received a call from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun who ordered access to the National Assembly to be blocked so that the quorum of 150 lawmakers would not be filled.

    Yoon denied the allegations, saying it would be impossible between superiors and inferiors of public offices to give calls out of the blue and give orders to block access to the parliament and drag lawmakers out.

    Throughout the midnight hours of the short-lived martial law imposition, military helicopters landed at the National Assembly and hundreds of armed special forces troops broke into the parliamentary building, TV footage showed.

    Under the constitution, a president is required to report the martial law imposition to the National Assembly, a sole body with the right to repeal martial law.

    According to the prosecution’s indictment, Yoon urged military commanders over the phone to push martial law troops into the parliamentary chamber by “firing guns” and “using axes” to break the door open.

    Col. Kim Hyun-tae, chief of the Army Special Warfare Command’s 707th Special Mission Group, said in the hearing that he was ordered by Kwak to seal off and secure the National Assembly building, not ordered to drag lawmakers out.

    Kim stressed that when the special forces troops tussled with citizens inside and outside the parliamentary building, the troops only defended, not attacked, as they felt a lot of shame, noting that the troops were people who could not aim guns at or use force against ordinary people.

    Next hearings were scheduled to be held on Feb. 11 and 13.

    The motion to impeach Yoon was passed through the National Assembly on Dec. 14 last year and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon’s presidential power is suspended.

    Yoon was apprehended in the presidential office on Jan. 15, becoming the country’s first sitting president to be arrested.

    Yoon, who was named as a suspected ringleader of insurrection, was indicted under detention on Jan. 26, becoming the country’s first incumbent president to be put on trial in custody.

    Yoon was accused of conspiring with the former defense minister, who had already been indicted under detention, to declare unconstitutional, illegal martial law and dispatch armed forces into the National Assembly.

    MIL OSI China News –