NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Tuesday, June 17, 2025

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Note: All times local

    Kananaskis, Alberta

    8:00 a.m. The Prime Minister will welcome the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Mark Rutte.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    • Pooled photo opportunity

    8:15 a.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Mark Rutte.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    8:45 a.m. The Prime Minister will welcome the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    • Pooled photo opportunity

    8:55 a.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    9:30 a.m. The Prime Minister will participate in the G7 working breakfast on a strong and sovereign Ukraine with G7 leaders and invited guests.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    10:30 a.m. The Prime Minister will participate in the G7 closing session.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Closed to media

    11:00 a.m. The Prime Minister will welcome outreach countries and international organizations.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    • Pooled photo opportunity

    11:15 a.m. The Prime Minister will participate in a G7 family photo with outreach countries, international organizations, and invited guests.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    • Pooled photo opportunity

    11:30 a.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    11:50 a.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    1:00 p.m. The Prime Minister will participate in the G7 working luncheon on energy security with outreach countries and international organizations.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    • Pooled photo opportunity

    4:05 p.m. The Prime Minister will hold a G7 Presidency press conference.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Country Golf Course

    Open to media

    4:40 p.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    5:15 p.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae Myung.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    5:40 p.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum.

    Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

    Note for media:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: First Responders – New World Victoria Park fire update #3

    Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

    The fire at New World Victoria Park is not yet under control, with firefighters facing challenges in reaching the fire.
    Crews were alerted by fire alarm activation to the fire around 11.18am. Currently there are 20 trucks and support vehicles are on the scene, with further resources still responding.
    This includes the Hamilton aerial appliance, which has been deployed as backup for the three Auckland aerials already in use.
    Incident Controller Vaughan Mackereth says the fire is currently burning on the mezzanine floor and in the roof.
    “This means accessing it is difficult for our crews,” he says.
    “We are only fighting the fire from outside the building as it is too dangerous at this stage for internal firefighting.
    “We are expecting to be here into the evening and overnight.”
    All persons have been accounted for.
    The public is advised to continue to avoid the area, with the roads around the supermarket closed.
    An Emergency Mobile Alert was issued for people southwest of the fire to stay inside with their windows and doors closed due to the smoke.
    Fire Investigators are on scene but it is too early to speculate on the cause.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government must urgently rule out Ute Tax 2.0 – Federated Farmers

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Federated Farmers is calling on Revenue Minister Simon Watts to urgently rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars each year.
    Inland Revenue has proposed major changes to the way FBT applies to utes, which are common and essential work tools for most farmers across New Zealand.
    “This could very quickly become a ‘Ute Tax 2.0’ and it seems to be being pushed through by stealth,” says Federated Farmers transport spokesperson Mark Hooper.
    “Farmers will be incredibly concerned that the government are consulting on new rules that could add thousands of dollars of additional tax payments each year.
    “This would be a huge cost for farmers, tradies and other productive New Zealanders and unfairly punish the legitimate use of these work vehicles.
    “The previous Government’s Ute Tax was bad enough, but at least that was a one-off cost. These new FBT charges would be annual and cost farmers an arm and a leg each year.”
    Under the proposal, utes costing over $80,000 and provided to farm owners or other major shareholders would be taxed at 100% of their value (capped at $80,000), even if used almost exclusively for farm work.
    That would result in an annual tax bill of between $5,500 and $8,200.
    Everyone else, like employees and sharemilkers, would be taxed on 35% of the ute’s value. That’s around $1,800 to $2,700 annually for a $50,000 vehicle.
    “The old system at least allowed people to keep logbooks and potentially pay less tax if the private use was genuinely small,” Hooper says.
    “Now the Government wants to scrap all that and slap a flat tax on nearly every farm ute in the country, even if the ute almost never leaves the farm except to drive home.”
    Federated Farmers says the proposal completely ignores the reality of how farmers use their vehicles, often crossing public roads between blocks or driving into town for supplies at Farmlands or the vet.
    “These are not Queen Street vanity purchases. A four-wheel drive ute is a core piece of equipment that farmers need to do their job each day,” Hooper says.
    “If it leaves the farm to get fencing gear or pick something up from the vet, that’s still work. But under these new rules, it would be taxed as private use.”
    The IRD consultation period closed on 5 May, but Federated Farmers says the lack of clear direction from the Minister is causing anxiety in the rural sector.
    “The recently announced Investment Boost tax deduction was incredibly well received by farmers and has generated real economic activity, particularly at Fieldays,” Hooper says.
    “Unfortunately, all that good work risks being undone if the Government is giving with one hand and taking with the other.
    “We understand this is just a proposal and no final decisions have been made, but we’re calling on Simon Watts to move quickly and take these potential FBT changes off the table.
    “There’s no way the Government should be introducing taxes that would unfairly punish farmers for driving legitimate work vehicles.”
    Federated Farmers is calling on Revenue Minister Simon Watts to categorically rule out the Ute Tax 2.0.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why does my phone sometimes not ring when people call? A communications expert explains

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Jairo Gutierrez, Professor, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Auckland University of Technology

    Tada Images

    There’s a certain feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when I’m waiting for an important call to come through. You know the type – maybe a call from your boss, a potential new employer or news of a loved one who’s due to give birth.

    In these situations, I usually stare at my phone, willing it to ring. I make sure – over and again – it’s not on silent or “do not disturb” mode. When the screen is out of my sight, I imagine I can hear the familiar ringtone.

    Then it pops up – the missed call notification. But the phone never rang. What happened?

    How do mobile calls work?

    When making a mobile call using 4G or 5G networks, the caller dials a number and their network operator (Telstra or OneNZ, for example) routes the request to the recipient’s device.

    For this to work, both phones must be registered with an IP Multimedia Subsystem – or IMS – which automatically happens when you turn on your phone. IMS is the system that allows the combination of voice calls, messages and video communications.

    Both phones must also be connected to a 4G or 5G cell phone tower. The caller’s network sends an invite to the recipient’s device, which will then start to ring.

    This process is usually very fast. But as generations of cellular networks have evolved (remember 3G?), becoming faster and with greater capacity, they have also become more complex, with new potential points of failure.

    From phone failures to ‘dead zones’

    Mobile phones use Voice over LTE (VoLTE) for 4G networks or Voice over New Radio (VoNR) for 5G. These are technologies that enable voice calls over those two types of networks and they use the above mentioned IMS.

    In some countries such as New Zealand, if either of these aren’t enabled or supported on your device (some phones have VoLTE disabled by default), it may attempt to fall back to the 3G network, which was switched off in Australia in 2024 and is currently being phased out in New Zealand.

    If this fallback fails or is delayed, the recipient’s phone may not ring or may go straight to voicemail.

    Another possibility is that your phone may have failed to register with the IMS network. If this happens – due to something like a software glitch, SIM issue, or network problem – a phone won’t receive the call signal and won’t ring.

    Then there are handover issues. Each cell phone tower covers a particular area, and if you are moving, your call will be handed over to the tower that provides the best coverage. Sometimes your phone uses 5G for data but 4G for voice; if the handover between 5G and 4G is slow or fails, the call might not ring. If 5G is used for both data and voice, VoNR is used, which is still not widely supported and may fail.

    Mobile apps introduce other potential problems. For example, on Android, aggressive battery-saving features can restrict background processes, including the phone app, preventing it from responding to incoming calls. Third-party apps such as call blockers, antivirus tools, or even messaging apps can also interfere with call notifications.

    Finally, if your phone is in an area with poor reception, it may not receive the call signal in time to ring. These so-called “dead zones” are more common than telcos would like to admit. I live at the end of a long driveway in a well-covered suburb of Auckland in New Zealand. But, depending on where I am in the house, I still experience dead zones and often the WiFi-enabled phone apps will more reliably cause the phone to ring.

    Battery-saving features on phones can restrict background processes, including the phone app, preventing it from responding to incoming calls.
    ymgerman/Shutterstock

    What can I do to fix it?

    If your phone frequently doesn’t ring on 4G or 5G there are a few things you can do:

    • make sure VolTE/VoNR is enabled in your network settings
    • restart your phone and toggle airplane mode to refresh network registration
    • check battery optimisation settings and exclude the phone app you are using
    • contact your carrier to confirm VoLTE/VoNR support and provisioning.

    But ultimately, sometimes a call will just fail – and there’s very little an everyday person can do about it. Which yes, is annoying. But it also means you have a failsafe, expert-approved excuse for missing a call from your boss.

    Jairo Gutierrez 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. Why does my phone sometimes not ring when people call? A communications expert explains – https://theconversation.com/why-does-my-phone-sometimes-not-ring-when-people-call-a-communications-expert-explains-258400

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Introduces Resolution to Celebrate the 250th Birthday of the United States Army

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – On Monday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) introduced a resolution to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Army, honoring its storied history from the American Revolution to the Global War on Terror.
    The resolution also honors the bravery and patriotism of soldiers and veterans from Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the former of which recently joined Senator Marshall at the Army’s 250th birthday parade on Saturday, June 14, in Washington, D.C.
    “It was a pleasure and honor to host 450 troops from Kansas’ own Fort Riley, honoring the ‘Big Red One,’ especially as they passed the storied 1st Division Monument, which holds special meaning as we celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday and honor all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” said Senator Marshall. “These young men and women are the best of the best, the first division that the President calls to defend our freedoms. This event was an important demonstration of patriotism that American citizens need to see, and it is a breath of fresh air to finally have a President who is going above and beyond to honor our nation’s heroes.”
    Senator Marshall comes from a long line of Americans who served in the US Army, including his son, brother, father, and grandfather. Specifically, Senator Marshall was honorably discharged from the National Guard with the rank of Captain in 1991.
    Click here to read the full text of the resolution.
    Background:

    Kansas is home to critical military installations, including Fort Riley, home of the First Infantry Division – the oldest continuously serving division in the U.S. Army – and Fort Leavenworth, home of the U.S. Army’s Combined Arms Center (CAC) and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
    Fort Leavenworth, established in 1827, is the oldest continuously operating military installation west of the Mississippi River and the oldest permanent settlement in Kansas. Known historically as the “intellectual center of the Army,” all modern 5-star Army generals have passed through and studied at Fort Leavenworth, including George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Henry Arnold, Dwight Eisenhower, and Omar Bradley.
    The 1st Infantry Division, currently garrisoned at Fort Riley, is the oldest continuously serving division in the Army and was constituted on May 24, 1917. The Division has consistently been the first division to deploy into the wars of the United States, sending the first troops into World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During World War II, the 1st Infantry Division was the first to reach England, the first to fight the enemy in North Africa and Sicily, the first on the beaches in Normandy during D-Day, and the first to capture a major German city.
    Senator Marshall recently attended the 250th birthday parade celebration of the U.S. Army, alongside 450 troops from Fort Riley’s ‘Big Red One.’
    Senator Marshall worked for seven years on the FIRST Act, legislation that added 631 names of Big Red One Soldiers to the First Infantry Division Monument.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Op-Ed: The U.S. Army’s 250th Birthday: A Personal and National Triumph

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – On Monday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) published an op-ed in The Washington Times, marking the celebration of the 250th Birthday of the United States Army, and reflecting on how these celebrations can restore pride in America again.
    Read the full op-ed HERE or below:
    The Army’s 250th Birthday: A Personal and National Triumph
    Senator Roger Marshall
    The Washington Times
    June 16, 2024
    Standing in a quiet room at Gettysburg last month, I read about Lincoln’s Address—many headlines from 1863 called it “silly,” others “a perfected gem.” That’s the America I love: where we speak freely, protest boldly, and debate fiercely. Yet, as I scanned coverage of the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday celebration on June 14, 2025, one truth was missing: 1.3 million soldiers gave their lives to protect those freedoms. The grand parade and festival on the National Mall weren’t just a showcase of strength; it was a rebirth of patriotism, a moment that hit me personally and resonated for our nation.
    My family’s story is woven into the Army’s 250 years. Every generation has served. Three ancestors fell in the Civil War’s brutal fields. A great-uncle, along with many other brave soldiers, suffocated from nerve gas in the Argonne Forest during World War I, the “war to end all wars.” Two other great-uncles stormed Normandy’s beaches; later in the Second World War, my wife lost an uncle. My dad served, my brother served, I served, and my son serves today. I’ve always believed every American should serve, not just for duty, but to feel the weight of sacrifice. At this great celebration, watching my grandsons’ eyes light up as tanks rumbled by on the Mall, I saw history spark their young hearts. This celebration wasn’t just about the past; it was about inspiring the future.
    I’ve lived through patriotism’s highs and lows. The Korean War, before my time, sparked questions about America’s global role. Vietnam, which I watched as a kid, left us confused—protests clashed with America First pride. The Gulf Wars came, and as 9/11’s memory faded, we debated how far was too far. Over the last four years, an open border signaled a nation adrift, with our military and law enforcement wondering if their commander-in-chief had their backs. Patriotism seemed shattered. But June 14 was a new day. The first-ever Army birthday celebration on the National Mall, with 6,600 soldiers marching, felt like a reset—a bold reclaiming of national pride.
    My daughter and niece, there with their young kids, saw it too. They said the parade taught their children military history, American pride, and gratitude for freedoms won through sacrifice. Veterans at home, glued to their TVs, felt seen—many watched every moment, marveling at “cool weapons,” tanks, and drones. Nearby us was a mom whose son re-enlisted, sworn in by President Trump. Tears streamed down her face as she waved her flag, her Army shirt emblazoned with her son’s regiment. “This is for all who served,” she said. I wish every veteran could’ve been flown to D.C. to feel that joy.
    The celebration’s significance ran deeper. It honored a legacy: the Army, born a year before the Declaration of Independence, secured our freedom in the Revolutionary War and defended us through the Civil War, World Wars, and modern conflicts. It showcased unity, with events like the wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier echoing the Army’s motto, “This We’ll Defend.” It highlighted innovation—radar, the internet, wireless tech—all rooted in Army ingenuity that shaped global progress. It inspired, with the “Be All You Can Be” campaign driving recruitment to 85% of 2025’s target, promising the strongest class in years. And as a prelude to America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, it set the stage for national reflection.
    While too much of the media focused on other issues, no one can doubt that this celebration restored pride, boosted military morale, and sent a message to the world. As my grandson exclaimed, “America’s Army is undefeated,” rolling through 250 years of victories. To those burning flags or kneeling during the anthem, it’s a gut punch—a pain that breaks the hearts of those who served. I wish they’d served, felt the cost of freedom, had held a dying soldier in their arms as they said their last words, or joined a Chaplain as they delivered the news of a lost loved one to a young wife and children.  As riots flare, let’s remember: millions died so we can stand, debate, and rebuild.
    Regardless, when the President calls, the Army is rolling along!

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is ‘cognitive shuffling’ and does it really help you get to sleep? Two sleep scientists explain

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melinda Jackson, Associate Professor at Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University

    Ursula Ferrara/Shutterstock

    If you’ve been on social media lately – perhaps scrolling in the middle of the night, when you know you shouldn’t but you just can’t sleep – you might have seen those videos promoting a get-to-sleep technique called “cognitive shuffling”.

    The idea, proponents say, is to engage your mind with random ideas and images via a special formula:

    1. pick a random word (such as “cake”)
    2. focus on the first letter of the word (in this case, C) and list a bunch of words starting with that letter: cat, carrot, calendar and so on
    3. visualise each word as you go along
    4. when you feel ready, move onto the next letter (A) and repeat the process
    5. continue with each letter of the original word (so, in this case, K and then E) until you feel ready to switch to a new word or until you drift off to sleep.

    It’s popular on Instagram and TikTok, but does “cognitive shuffling” have any basis in science?

    Where did this idea come from?

    The cognitive shuffling technique was made famous by Canada-based researcher Luc P. Beaudoin more than a decade ago, when he published a paper about how what he called “serial diverse imagining” could help with sleep.

    One of Beaudoin’s hypothetical examples involved a woman thinking of the word “blanket”, then thinking bicycle (and imagining a bicycle), buying (imagining buying shoes), banana (visualising a banana tree) and so on.

    Soon, Beaudoin writes, she moves onto the letter L, thinking about her friend Larry, the word “like” (imagining her son hugging his dog). She soon transitions to the letter A, thinking of the word “Amsterdam”:

    and she might very vaguely imagine the large hand of a sailor gesturing for another order of fries in an Amsterdam pub while a rancid accordion plays in the background.

    Sleep soon ensues. The goal, according to Beaudoin, is to think briefly about:

    a neutral or pleasant target and frequently [switch] to unrelated targets (normally every 5-15 seconds).

    Don’t try to relate one word with another or find a link between the words; resist the mind’s natural tendency toward sense-making.

    While the research into this technique is still in its infancy, the idea is grounded in science. That’s because we know from other research good sleepers tend to have different kinds of thoughts in bed to bad sleepers.

    People with insomnia are more focused on worries, problems, or noises in the environment, and are often preoccupied with not sleeping.

    Good sleepers, on the other hand, typically have dream-like, hallucinatory, less ordered thoughts before nodding off.

    Good sleepers typically have dream-like, hallucinatory, less ordered thoughts before nodding off.
    fran_kie/Shutterstock

    Sorting the pro-somnolent wheat from the insomnolent chaff

    Cognitive shuffling attempts to mimic the thinking patterns of good sleepers by simulating the dream-like and random thought patterns they generally have before drifting off to sleep.

    In particular, Beaudoin’s research describes two types of sleep-related thoughts: insomnolent (or anti-sleep) and pro-somnolent (sleep-promoting) thoughts.

    Insomnolent thoughts include things such as worrying, planning, rehearsing, and ruminating on perceived problems or failings.

    Pro-somnolent thoughts on the other hand involve thoughts that can help you fall asleep, such as dream-like imagery or having a calm, relaxed state of mind.

    Cognitive shuffling aims to distract from or interfere with insomnolent thought. It offers a calm, neutral path for your racing mind, and can reduce the stress associated with not sleeping.

    Cognitive shuffling also helps tell your brain you are ready for sleep.

    In fact, the process of “shuffling” between different thoughts is similar to the way your brain naturally drifts off to sleep. During the transition to sleep, brain activity slows. Your brain starts to generate disconnected images and fleeting scenes, known as hypnagogic hallucinations, without a conscious effort to make sense of them.

    By mimicking these scattered, disconnected, and random thought patterns, cognitive shuffling may help you transition from wakefulness to sleep.

    And the preliminary research into this is promising. Beaudoin and his team have found serial diverse imagining helps to lower arousal before sleep, improve sleep quality and reduce the effort involved in falling asleep.

    However, with only a small number of research studies, more work is needed here.

    It didn’t work. Now what?

    As with every new strategy, however, practise makes perfect. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t see an improvement straight away; these things take time.

    Stay consistent and be kind to yourself.

    And what works for some won’t work for others. Different people benefit from different types of strategies depending on how they relate to and experience stress or stressful thoughts.

    Other strategies to help create the right conditions for sleep include:

    If, despite all your best efforts, night time thoughts continue to impact your sleep or overall wellbeing, consider seeking professional help from your doctor or a trained sleep specialist.

    Melinda Jackson has received funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) and Dementia Australia. She a board member of the Australasian Sleep Association.

    Eleni Kavaliotis has previously received funding from an Australian government Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship. She is a member of the Australasian Sleep Association’s Insomnia and Sleep Health Council.

    – ref. What is ‘cognitive shuffling’ and does it really help you get to sleep? Two sleep scientists explain – https://theconversation.com/what-is-cognitive-shuffling-and-does-it-really-help-you-get-to-sleep-two-sleep-scientists-explain-256444

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is ‘cognitive shuffling’ and does it really help you get to sleep? Two sleep scientists explain

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melinda Jackson, Associate Professor at Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University

    Ursula Ferrara/Shutterstock

    If you’ve been on social media lately – perhaps scrolling in the middle of the night, when you know you shouldn’t but you just can’t sleep – you might have seen those videos promoting a get-to-sleep technique called “cognitive shuffling”.

    The idea, proponents say, is to engage your mind with random ideas and images via a special formula:

    1. pick a random word (such as “cake”)
    2. focus on the first letter of the word (in this case, C) and list a bunch of words starting with that letter: cat, carrot, calendar and so on
    3. visualise each word as you go along
    4. when you feel ready, move onto the next letter (A) and repeat the process
    5. continue with each letter of the original word (so, in this case, K and then E) until you feel ready to switch to a new word or until you drift off to sleep.

    It’s popular on Instagram and TikTok, but does “cognitive shuffling” have any basis in science?

    Where did this idea come from?

    The cognitive shuffling technique was made famous by Canada-based researcher Luc P. Beaudoin more than a decade ago, when he published a paper about how what he called “serial diverse imagining” could help with sleep.

    One of Beaudoin’s hypothetical examples involved a woman thinking of the word “blanket”, then thinking bicycle (and imagining a bicycle), buying (imagining buying shoes), banana (visualising a banana tree) and so on.

    Soon, Beaudoin writes, she moves onto the letter L, thinking about her friend Larry, the word “like” (imagining her son hugging his dog). She soon transitions to the letter A, thinking of the word “Amsterdam”:

    and she might very vaguely imagine the large hand of a sailor gesturing for another order of fries in an Amsterdam pub while a rancid accordion plays in the background.

    Sleep soon ensues. The goal, according to Beaudoin, is to think briefly about:

    a neutral or pleasant target and frequently [switch] to unrelated targets (normally every 5-15 seconds).

    Don’t try to relate one word with another or find a link between the words; resist the mind’s natural tendency toward sense-making.

    While the research into this technique is still in its infancy, the idea is grounded in science. That’s because we know from other research good sleepers tend to have different kinds of thoughts in bed to bad sleepers.

    People with insomnia are more focused on worries, problems, or noises in the environment, and are often preoccupied with not sleeping.

    Good sleepers, on the other hand, typically have dream-like, hallucinatory, less ordered thoughts before nodding off.

    Good sleepers typically have dream-like, hallucinatory, less ordered thoughts before nodding off.
    fran_kie/Shutterstock

    Sorting the pro-somnolent wheat from the insomnolent chaff

    Cognitive shuffling attempts to mimic the thinking patterns of good sleepers by simulating the dream-like and random thought patterns they generally have before drifting off to sleep.

    In particular, Beaudoin’s research describes two types of sleep-related thoughts: insomnolent (or anti-sleep) and pro-somnolent (sleep-promoting) thoughts.

    Insomnolent thoughts include things such as worrying, planning, rehearsing, and ruminating on perceived problems or failings.

    Pro-somnolent thoughts on the other hand involve thoughts that can help you fall asleep, such as dream-like imagery or having a calm, relaxed state of mind.

    Cognitive shuffling aims to distract from or interfere with insomnolent thought. It offers a calm, neutral path for your racing mind, and can reduce the stress associated with not sleeping.

    Cognitive shuffling also helps tell your brain you are ready for sleep.

    In fact, the process of “shuffling” between different thoughts is similar to the way your brain naturally drifts off to sleep. During the transition to sleep, brain activity slows. Your brain starts to generate disconnected images and fleeting scenes, known as hypnagogic hallucinations, without a conscious effort to make sense of them.

    By mimicking these scattered, disconnected, and random thought patterns, cognitive shuffling may help you transition from wakefulness to sleep.

    And the preliminary research into this is promising. Beaudoin and his team have found serial diverse imagining helps to lower arousal before sleep, improve sleep quality and reduce the effort involved in falling asleep.

    However, with only a small number of research studies, more work is needed here.

    It didn’t work. Now what?

    As with every new strategy, however, practise makes perfect. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t see an improvement straight away; these things take time.

    Stay consistent and be kind to yourself.

    And what works for some won’t work for others. Different people benefit from different types of strategies depending on how they relate to and experience stress or stressful thoughts.

    Other strategies to help create the right conditions for sleep include:

    If, despite all your best efforts, night time thoughts continue to impact your sleep or overall wellbeing, consider seeking professional help from your doctor or a trained sleep specialist.

    Melinda Jackson has received funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) and Dementia Australia. She a board member of the Australasian Sleep Association.

    Eleni Kavaliotis has previously received funding from an Australian government Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship. She is a member of the Australasian Sleep Association’s Insomnia and Sleep Health Council.

    – ref. What is ‘cognitive shuffling’ and does it really help you get to sleep? Two sleep scientists explain – https://theconversation.com/what-is-cognitive-shuffling-and-does-it-really-help-you-get-to-sleep-two-sleep-scientists-explain-256444

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Previews SAC-D Hearing on FY 26 Budget Request for the Intelligence Community

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following statement in advance of the June 17th closed hearing with Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Lieutenant General William J. Hartman, Acting Director of the National Security Agency:

    “U.S. national security depends on the professionalism, objectivity, and integrity of a well-resourced intelligence community. As I’ve observed before, fighting conflict is far costlier than deterring it. And the costs of strategic surprise – the failure of intelligence – can be catastrophic. That’s why the defense subcommittee takes very seriously its responsibility to equip the IC for an array of sensitive and evolving missions.

    “In return, we expect the nation’s seniormost intelligence officials to provide candid observations on the challenges facing both the IC and the decisionmakers their work informs. I look forward, in particular, to thorough assessments of U.S. interests in ongoing conflicts:

    “I will expect Director Gabbard, Director Ratcliffe, and General Hartman to address the current state of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the potential consequences of an outcome that strengthens Vladimir Putin, and the potential damage to U.S. alliances and partnerships of withholding further support to Ukraine.

    “Likewise, I will expect them to assess Israel’s ongoing response to Iran’s decades-long war against America, Israel, and our Arab partners, and the stakes of allowing Iran to continue its nuclear enrichment operations and support for terrorist proxies.

    “Even more broadly, I will expect the leaders of the IC to demonstrate their grasp of the undeniable alignment and coordination of America’s adversaries. I expect them to outline how Chinese economic support for Iran and Iranian material support for Russia’s war informs the global assessments they offer to the Commander-in-Chief.

    “Allies and partners from Europe to Japan are looking to the United States to meet this coordinated aggression with a coordinated response. Retreating from this mantle of leadership will not strengthen or advance American interests.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Previews SAC-D Hearing on FY 26 Budget Request for the Intelligence Community

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following statement in advance of the June 17th closed hearing with Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Lieutenant General William J. Hartman, Acting Director of the National Security Agency:

    “U.S. national security depends on the professionalism, objectivity, and integrity of a well-resourced intelligence community. As I’ve observed before, fighting conflict is far costlier than deterring it. And the costs of strategic surprise – the failure of intelligence – can be catastrophic. That’s why the defense subcommittee takes very seriously its responsibility to equip the IC for an array of sensitive and evolving missions.

    “In return, we expect the nation’s seniormost intelligence officials to provide candid observations on the challenges facing both the IC and the decisionmakers their work informs. I look forward, in particular, to thorough assessments of U.S. interests in ongoing conflicts:

    “I will expect Director Gabbard, Director Ratcliffe, and General Hartman to address the current state of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the potential consequences of an outcome that strengthens Vladimir Putin, and the potential damage to U.S. alliances and partnerships of withholding further support to Ukraine.

    “Likewise, I will expect them to assess Israel’s ongoing response to Iran’s decades-long war against America, Israel, and our Arab partners, and the stakes of allowing Iran to continue its nuclear enrichment operations and support for terrorist proxies.

    “Even more broadly, I will expect the leaders of the IC to demonstrate their grasp of the undeniable alignment and coordination of America’s adversaries. I expect them to outline how Chinese economic support for Iran and Iranian material support for Russia’s war informs the global assessments they offer to the Commander-in-Chief.

    “Allies and partners from Europe to Japan are looking to the United States to meet this coordinated aggression with a coordinated response. Retreating from this mantle of leadership will not strengthen or advance American interests.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Legislation – Luxon’s ACT Party Government dragging NZ workers back in time – Workers First Union

    Source: Workers First Union

    Today’s introduction of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill to Parliament shows that the ACT Party – a fringe libertarian party with the support of fewer than one in ten New Zealanders – is now the leading force in Christopher Luxon’s “hands-off” Government and has been given a green light to drag Aotearoa backwards with a disastrous suite of anti-worker ‘reforms’.
    “It’s clear that Brooke van Velden and the ACT Party are now redefining the future of workers in New Zealand with the blessing of a negligent Prime Minister,” said Dennis Maga, Workers First Union General Secretary.
    “These are the most significant anti-worker law changes that this country has seen in decades, and they will make life worse for every working person in the country to the benefit of exploitative employers.”
    “This Bill ‘am

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Environment – EPA seeks feedback about new weedkiller for wheat and barley crops

    Source: Environmental Protection Authority

    The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) wants feedback on an application to import or manufacture Tower, a new herbicide used to control certain broadleaf and grass weeds in wheat and barley crops.
    Adama New Zealand Limited has applied to introduce the new herbicide, which contains the active ingredients:
    – chlorotoluron at 250 g/L
    – pendimethalin at 300 g/L
    – diflufenican at 40 g/L.
    Chlorotoluron is a new active ingredient to Aotearoa New Zealand. It has been approved in Europe. Pendimethalin and diflufenican have previously been assessed and substances containing these active ingredients are already approved for use in New Zealand.
    Adama says the product offers a new mode of action and should reduce the risk of resistance developing when used as part of an integrated weed management programme.
    Almost 100,000 hectares of New Zealand land is used for wheat and barley production. Annual crop sales total around $300 million for both crops combined.
    The EPA has carried out a human health and environmental risk assessment and is now inviting submissions on this application.
    If approved, Tower could only be used by professionals in commercial settings using ground-based application. It would be applied after sowing and before wheat and barley plants emerge.
    Dr Lauren Fleury, EPA Hazardous Substances Applications Manager, says the EPA is making strong progress to boost efficiency in assessing applications, with eight applications for new active ingredients currently in progress.
    “We understand the importance of timely access to new products. Since 1 July 2024, we have reduced the queue of hazardous substance release applications by 21 percent, and we are on track to complete the highest number of decisions in five years.”
    Submissions close on 30 July.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Measles alert for Sydney

    Source: Australian Green Party

    NSW Health is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being notified of a confirmed case who was infectious on an international flight and while visiting several locations in Sydney.
    The case recently returned from South-East Asia where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles in several countries including Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
    People who were on board the below flight or attended the following locations should watch for the development of symptoms. These locations do not pose an ongoing risk.
    Monday 10 March:

    Vietnam Airlines flight VN773 departed Ho Chi Minh City 9:20pm Sunday 9 March, arriving in Sydney 9:50am Monday 10 March.
    Sydney International Airport arrivals terminal and baggage claim from 10am to midday.

    Thursday 13 March:

    The Children’s Hospital Westmead Emergency Department waiting room entering via the Westmead Precinct entrance 10 from 10:30am to 5pm.

    South Western Sydney Local Health District A/Director of Public Health, Dr Mitchell Smith, said anyone who travelled on flight VN773 or visited the above locations at those times you should monitor for symptoms.
    Measles is a vaccine preventable disease that is spread through the air when someone who is infectious coughs or sneezes.
    “Symptoms to watch out for include fever, runny nose, sore eyes and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body,” Dr Smith said.
    “It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms until the end of March 2025.
    “It’s important for people to stay vigilant if they’ve been exposed, and if they develop symptoms, to please call ahead to their GP or emergency department to ensure they do not spend time in the waiting room with other patients.
    “We want to remind the community to make sure they are up-to-date with their vaccinations. The measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough.
    “This should be a reminder for everyone to check that they are protected against measles, which is highly infectious.
    “Anyone born after 1965 needs to ensure they have had two doses of measles vaccine. This is especially important before overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.”
    The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective, and is given free for children at 12 and 18 months of age. It is also free in NSW for anyone born after 1965 who hasn’t already had two doses.
    Children under the age of 12 months can have their first dose of MMR up to six months earlier if they are travelling to areas with a high risk for measles. Parents should consult their GP.
    People who are unsure of whether they have had two doses should get a vaccine, as additional doses are safe. This is particularly important prior to travel. MMR vaccine is available from GPs (all ages) and pharmacies (people over 5 years of age).
    For more information on measles, view the measles fact sheet.
    If you, or a loved one, is experiencing measles symptoms, or have questions about measles, please call your GP or healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
    ​

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: FM spokesperson: China welcomes Vietnam to join as BRICS partner country

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China welcomes Vietnam to join as a BRICS partner country, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

    Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on the news that the BRICS chair Brazil announced the formal admission of Vietnam as a partner country of the group on Friday.

    China welcomes Vietnam to join the BRICS as a partner country, Guo said, noting that Vietnam’s participation in BRICS cooperation will not only benefit its own development but also align with the common interests of BRICS and the Global South.

    “We believe that Vietnam will make positive contributions to the BRICS mechanism,” the spokesperson added.

    A new partner to the BRICS family marks a further expansion of the mechanism’s representativeness and highlights its appeal and influence, Guo said, noting that China stands ready to work with other member and partner countries to build a more comprehensive, close, practical, and inclusive partnership, advance the high-quality development of “BRICS Plus” cooperation, and make greater contributions to upholding multilateralism, defending fairness, and promoting shared development.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Central Asia Summit to draw new blueprint for future cooperation

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    At the upcoming Second China-Central Asia Summit to be held later this week, heads of state will jointly draw a new blueprint for future cooperation, open up new space for Belt and Road cooperation and build an even closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in Beijing on Monday.

    Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a press briefing when answering a related query.

    Noting Central Asia is not only the place where the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was first proposed, but also a pace-setter in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Guo said that all five Central Asian countries have signed BRI cooperation documents with China, and China and Central Asian countries have implemented a series of signature projects designed to boost development and make lives better for the people.

    Trade between China and Central Asian countries hit a record high of 674.15 billion yuan in 2024, up by 116 percent compared with that of 2013. Guo said that all sides have found a new model of mutually beneficial cooperation through the China-Kazakhstan Crude Oil Pipeline project and the China-Central Asia Gas Pipeline project. The China-Tajikistan highway, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway have taken regional connectivity to new levels, and practical cooperation is expanded to digital economy and green transition.

    “China has mutual visa exemption with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The Luban Workshops project is picking up speed. People-to-people and cultural exchanges have moved onto the fast lane and brought our peoples close to each other,” Guo said, pointing out that high-quality Belt and Road cooperation is increasingly becoming a key focus of China-Central Asia cooperation.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SITI continues visit to Netherlands (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, continued his visit to the Netherlands on June 15 (Amsterdam time).

    Professor Sun visited a start-up incubator and community workspace, Amsterdam Venture Studios Startup Village, built with containers being turned into offices. The village currently brings together 35 start-ups focusing on AI and quantum technology, with an aim to promoting interaction, collaboration and knowledge exchange among science, business and start-up ecosystem.

    Professor Sun visited Omni Wind Tech BV in the community, a Dutch start-up that focuses on the innovative development of patented power generation technology by compact wind turbines to promote the high-performance application of wind energy in commercial and community settings. He was briefed on the company’s development strategies and core technologies, and learned about its practical mode of promoting sustainable development of clean energy through green innovation.

    Professor Sun then visited Nearfield Instruments to learn about its latest technologies and global businesses. The company is a supplier of advanced metrology solutions for the semiconductor industry, focusing on high-precision measurement technology to support manufacturing in the high-end nano-electronics industry.

    In the afternoon, Professor Sun met with Deputy Director-General for Foreign Economic Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Ms Yvette Van Eechoud, to exchange views on promoting innovation and technology (I&T) collaboration. Professor Sun said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government attaches great importance to maintaining relations with European countries, including the Netherlands. He emphasised that as an international city, Hong Kong has all along been playing the roles and functions of “super connector” and “super value-adder”. The current-term Government is committed to developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre and there is a broad room of collaboration between the two places in the fields of I&T.

    Professor Sun also called on Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, Mr He Shiqing, to brief him on Hong Kong’s efforts in “deepening international exchanges and co-operation and better integration into the national development”. Professor Sun expressed his gratitude to the Embassy for supporting the enhanced co-operation between Hong Kong and the Netherlands in I&T development and attracting enterprises and investments.

    Professor Sun concluded his visit to the Netherlands and will return to Hong Kong in the morning on June 18 (Hong Kong time).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Kazakhstan to boost ties for regional, global peace, development

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hold talks at the presidential palace in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China stands ready to work with Kazakhstan to contribute more to regional and world peace and development with stability and positive energy of bilateral ties.

    Xi made the remarks when meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ahead of the second China-Central Asia Summit.

    Xi pointed out that China-Kazakhstan relations have withstood the test of international changes and have consistently maintained a high level of development. This is due to the geographical proximity and the long-standing friendship between the two peoples, as well as the inevitable choice for the two countries to pursue development together, he said.

    In recent years under joint planning of the two leaders, Xi said, the China-Kazakhstan community with a shared future has become more substantial and richer in content, with tangible and people-centered outcomes continuously emerging, effectively enhancing the sense of fulfillment among the two peoples.

    China has always viewed and developed its relationship with Kazakhstan from a strategic and long-term perspective, and is willing to work together with Kazakhstan to unswervingly consolidate the friendship between the two countries, he said.

    Xi emphasized that both China and Kazakhstan are at crucial stages of their respective development and revitalization, and the two countries should work together to advance comprehensive cooperation.

    First, high-level strategic mutual trust should guide the development of bilateral relations, Xi said, urging both countries to continue to support each other on issues involving their core interests and major concerns, to promote synergy of their development strategies, to be strong supporters of each other amid the turbulent international situation, and to be helpful partners in their respective development and revitalization.

    Second, he said, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation should be used to improve bilateral cooperation. Efforts should be made to consolidate strengths of traditional cooperation in trade, investment and energy, advance the construction of cross-border railway projects and the upgrading of port infrastructure, promote connectivity, high-tech cooperation as well as green and sustainable development, Xi said.

    Third, he said, comprehensive security cooperation should be carried out to safeguard peace and stability of the two countries. This includes expanding law enforcement and defense exchanges, jointly combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, and deepening cooperation in emergency management as well as disaster prevention and mitigation, Xi said.

    Fourth, Xi noted, diversified people-to-people exchanges should be carried out to solidify the foundation of China-Kazakhstan friendship. He also called for organizing well the China tourism year in Kazakhstan and encouraging more exchanges among youth, media and think tanks as well as at the local level.

    Xi pointed out that in the face of the international situation intertwined with changes and chaos, China and Kazakhstan should firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, practice true multilateralism, and resolutely safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

    China commends Kazakhstan for the extensive preparatory work it has done for the second China-Central Asia Summit, and believes that this meeting will write a new chapter in cooperation between China and Central Asia, Xi said.

    Meanwhile, as the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), China is willing to work with all member states to take this year’s Tianjin summit as an opportunity to strengthen the organization and demonstrate new development, new breakthroughs and new looks.

    For his part, Tokayev said that China is a friendly neighbor, close friend and reliable partner of Kazakhstan.

    The Kazakhstan-China permanent comprehensive strategic partnership is entering a new golden age, driving the sustainable economic and social development of both countries, benefiting the two peoples, and serving as a model of relations between countries, he said.

    Noting that Kazakhstan and China share a strong political will to enhance cooperation, Tokayev said the two countries have always supported each other on issues concerning their core interests, such as sovereignty and security, regardless of changes in the international landscape.

    Under the wise leadership of President Xi, great achievements have been made in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, he said.

    Kazakhstan is sincerely glad for these achievements and firmly believes that China will continue to achieve greater development accomplishments, Tokayev said, adding that Kazakhstan is willing to deepen strategic mutual trust and all-round mutually beneficial cooperation with China and elevate bilateral relations to a new level.

    The two sides should jointly advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expand cooperation in fields such as trade, investment, industry, agriculture, energy and transportation, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges in culture, education, sports and tourism, he added.

    The Kazakh side highly appreciates and actively supports China’s commitment and efforts to safeguard international fairness and justice, and is ready to continue close cooperation and mutual support with China within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the SCO, BRICS, the China-Central Asia mechanism, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, so as to push forward the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction.

    Following the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the exchange of more than 10 bilateral cooperation documents covering areas such as trade, investment, science and technology, customs, tourism, and media. 

    1   2   3   4   5   >  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Death cap mushroom detections prompt health warning

    Source: Australian Green Party

    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​NSW Health is warning people about the health risks of eating wild mushrooms as poisonous death cap mushrooms, have been found growing in NSW.
    Amanita phalloides, commonly known as death cap mushrooms, have been recently detected growing in Sydney, the Southern Highlands and Southern NSW.
    NSW Poisons Information Centre’s Senior Specialist, Genevieve Adamo, said death cap mushrooms can be deadly if eaten.
    “Symptoms of mushroom poisoning can sometimes be delayed, but early treatment is vital to health outcomes, Ms Adamo said.
    “These include vomiting and diarrhoea, and in severe cases, liver and kidney damage or death.”
    Professor Brett Summerell, Chief Scientist, Botanic Gardens of Sydney warned that identifying whether a wild mushroom is safe to eat is extremely difficult.
    “There is no easy or reliable way to identify if a wild mushroom is edible or poisonous, so we advise people against foraging for, and eating, wild mushrooms,” Professor Summerell said.
    “Cooking poisonous mushrooms does not make them safe to eat.
    “You should only eat mushrooms you buy from a reputable grocery store, supermarket or produce market.”
    In 2024, there were 23 hospitalisations for the toxic effect of ingested mushrooms, two of these in children aged under five years.
    In the same year, the NSW Poisons Information Centre responded to 363 calls regarding exposures to wild mushrooms in NSW and ACT, an increase of 26 per cent compared to 2023.
    So far this year (to 31 May 2025), there have been 190 calls.
    With the identification of highly poisonous death cap mushrooms in NSW it is a warning that there can be disastrous consequences from eating wild mushrooms.
    “As young children have a tendency to put things in their mouths, they can be at risk,” said Ms Adamo.
    “Watch your children when they are playing outside, especially around large trees in parks or your garden at home where mushrooms may grow.
    “Remove any mushrooms that may grow to keep your children safe.”
    NSW Health and local councils have been conducting ongoing surveillance for death cap mushrooms for the last two years following an initial detection in Southern NSW.
    If you worried that mushroom poisoning may have occurred, do not wait for symptoms to appear. Call the Poisons Information Centre immediately on 13 11 26.
    In an emergency call Triple Zero (000) or go to an Emergency Department. If possible, take a sample of the mushroom or a photo to help with identification.
    More information on mushroom poisoning can be found at the NSW Health website​.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New research shows Australians see influencers as major sources of misinformation

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sora Park, Professor of Communication, News & Media Research Centre, University of Canberra

    As consumption of traditional news continues to fall, audiences are turning to social media personalities and influencers for their information. These figures are increasingly shaping public debates.

    But Australian news audiences are sceptical. More Australians believe social media influencers are a major misinformation threat than other sources, according to new research.

    The Digital News Report: Australia 2025, released today, also reveals general news avoidance remains high, with 69% of people saying they try not to engage with it. This is particularly the case among women, young people and those in regional areas.

    So if people don’t want to engage with traditional news, but are suspicious of influencers, how can we ensure they get reliable information when they need it? There are some solutions.

    Suspicious of influencers

    The Digital News Report: Australia is part of a global annual survey of digital news consumption in 48 countries, commissioned by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford.

    The survey was conducted by YouGov in January and February 2025. The data are weighted for age, gender and region. Education and political quotas were also applied.

    For the 11th iteration of this study in Australia, we surveyed 2,006 online Australian adults. We asked people about sources and platforms they believe to be major misinformation threats.

    More than half of participants said online influencers/personalities are the major risk (57%), followed by activists (51%), foreign governments (49%), Australian political actors (48%), and the news media (43%).

    This is in stark contrast to the United States, where national politicians are seen as posing the biggest threat of misleading information (57%) and is ten percentage points higher than the global average of 42 countries in the survey (47%).

    Navigating truth online

    The report also finds Australians continue to be the most concerned about what is real or fake online, with 74% saying they are worried about it.

    This is especially true on social media, where Australians see Facebook (59%) and TikTok (57%) as the two platforms that are the biggest threat of spreading misinformation.

    Given the proportion of people using social media as their main source of news has increased (26%, up eight percentage points since 2016) and TikTok is the fastest growing social media platform for news (14%, up 13 percentage points since 2020), concern about misinformation will likely remain an issue in Australia.

    This problem is not necessarily with the platform itself, but who audiences pay attention to when they are on it.

    On TikTok, Australians are more likely to turn to information shared by influencers, particularly younger audiences.

    Less or more intervention?

    Deciding what is true or fake online is a complex issue. This was highlighted during the political debate over the federal government’s controversial Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation Bill, which was eventually withdrawn late last year.

    Much hinged on questions around who gets to decide what the truth is, and who might be responsible for tackling it. Is it the job of digital platforms to remove harmful and misleading content? Or do audiences need more media literacy education? Or both?

    As debate over how to reduce harm while balancing free speech continues, we asked people about the removal of harmful and offensive social media content.

    One third (33%) say social media and video networks like TikTok and YouTube are not removing enough harmful or offensive content.

    Fewer people (21%) think platforms are removing too much.

    This indicates Australians want more action from social media companies.

    Boosting media literacy

    The data also tell us improving news literacy across the community may be key to tackling the problem.

    We asked people what they do when they come across suspicious information. Thirty-nine percent said they fact-check using trusted news sources, official websites and search engines.

    But there were important differences in fact-checking behaviours between those who had received some kind of news literacy education and those who had not.

    People who had received training about how the news works were much more likely to use a reputable news source or go to an official website to verify information.

    However, few people have had such education, with only 24% of those surveyed saying they had received some.

    The data show not only are people with news literacy education more likely to fact-check, they also avoid news less, have higher interest in it, are more likely to trust the news, and more inclined to pay for it.

    This suggests increasing news literacy can help users navigate the complex online environment, and could also have both civic and economic benefits.

    While there is no single solution to reducing misinformation online, this year’s data points to two key areas for further action: increasing access to media literacy training for all Australians, and compelling digital platforms to remove more misleading and harmful content.

    Sora Park receives funding from the Australian Research Council, SBS, Creative Australia and Boundless Earth.

    Ashleigh Haw has received funding from the Australian National University’s Herbert and Valmae Freilich Project for the Study of Bigotry, and The Australian Sociological Association (TASA).

    Caroline Fisher has received funding from Australian Research Council, Google News Initiative, the Australian Communication and Media Authority, former Dept of Communication and Infrastructure, and Judith Neilsen Institute for Journalism and Ideas.

    Kieran McGuinness has received funding from Google News Initiative and the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

    – ref. New research shows Australians see influencers as major sources of misinformation – https://theconversation.com/new-research-shows-australians-see-influencers-as-major-sources-of-misinformation-257803

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appeal for information following incident in New Brighton

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Canterbury Police are wanting to speak with the man in this photo, as we believe he can assist with our enquiries into an incident on New Brighton Pier at about 3:40pm on Saturday 14 June.

    The man has a distinctive hat and bike.

    If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 250614/8679.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Green’s fiscal strategy opportunity to debate new thinking on public investment – Better Taxes

    Source: Better Taxes for a Better Future

    The Better Taxes for a Better Future campaign welcomes the recognition in the Green Party’s Fiscal Strategy of the importance of government capability in building an economy and society that delivers what our communities need. Its fiscal strategy is a significant contribution towards moving thinking on from the fiscal conservatism and market fundamentalism that has dominated the conversation but has not delivered.

    “For the last 40 – 50 years governments in New Zealand have underinvested in public infrastructure and services which would support the kind of economic and social development that would enable our communities to thrive. We need to promote debate about different ways of doing things, about ‘economics as if people mattered’,” says Glenn Barclay, campaign spokesperson.

    “The Green’s discussion document is a serious starting point for that conversation.  We strongly support the recognition of the wider value of public expenditure to the economy. We need to be able to have a mature debate about growing tax revenue and the use of borrowing as sound economic strategies that are open to us.”

    “We have relatively low levels of public debt compared with other OECD countries – in 2024 the IMF ranked us as having the 6th lowest net debt as a proportion of GDP among advanced economies – and room to make wise decisions about borrowing more to invest in public infrastructure that will help to build a productive economy into the future. Government investment now would also help us get out of the current recession and relieve the pressure people are experiencing,” says Glenn Barclay.

    “But we cannot rely solely on debt to build government capability. We need to grow our tax revenue to provide the vital public services upon which people and the economy rely, and to alleviate poverty and inequality. The revenue must be raised in a way that ensures those who can afford to contribute more to the common good do, while addressing the impact of tax on the least well off.”

    “As the Green’s discussion document points out, underinvestment now in infrastructure, in our people and in responding to climate change, risks much more significant costs to address these challenges in the future. Underinvestment and deteriorating services may well create a greater risk than a moderate increase in the government’s debt level,” says Glenn Barclay.

    “Successive governments have made choices about fiscal management that have been driven by rigid thinking. That thinking has failed to support a productive economy that meets the needs of our people now and into the future. It is time that we made better choices, for a better future for New Zealanders.”

    The Better Taxes for a Better Future Campaign is a coalition of over 20 organisations led by Tax Justice Aotearoa.

    We believe that tax reform is the only solution to the current challenges facing Aotearoa NZ.  We need the tax system to:

    be transparent
    raise more revenue to enable us address the challenges we face
    make sure people who have more to contribute make that contribution: that we gather more revenue from wealth, gains from wealth, all forms of income, and corporates
    make greater use of fair taxes to promote good health and environmental health
    address the tax impact on the least well off in our society.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Swiss Government Fails to Act on “Nagorno-Karabakh Peace Forum” – CSI

    Source: Christian Solidarity International (CSI)

    CSI supports the Swiss sponsored peace negotiations between the Azerbaijani Government and representatives of the forcibly displaced Armenian Christian population of Nagorno Karabakh as required by the Swiss parliament. However, the Council of Ministers angered Swiss parliamentarians by tacitly accepting Azerbaijan’s ethno-religious cleansing of Nagorno Karabakh and refusing to communicate with representatives of the expelled population.

    Responding to questions by Lower House member Erich Vontobel (EDU), the Swiss Federal Council, headed this year by Karin Keller-Suter, stated on June 10 that “the Foreign Ministry is currently unable to plan the organization of a forum” as mandated by Parliamentary Motion 24.4259. The government cited Azerbaijan’s refusal to acknowledge the existence of the ethnically and religiously cleansed Nagorno-Karabakh and its rejection of a peace forum aimed at enabling the return of the 120,000 forcibly displaced Armenian Christians. Thus, the government made future Swiss monitoring and mediation efforts contingent on the consent of the very regime responsible for the expulsion.

    The response sparked strong criticism in Parliament. Lawmakers had explicitly tasked the government with “enabling open dialogue between Azerbaijan and representatives of the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians” to negotiate conditions for the safe return of the displaced. The Federal Council is ignoring the core of Parliament’s mandate: giving those affected a voice in the peace process.

    At the end of May, 19 members of the Swiss Parliament established the cross-party Committee “Swiss Peace Initiative for Nagorno-Karabakh” for the purpose of supporting the Swiss government’s mandate to initiate a peace forum between Azerbaijan and the representatives of the displaces population of Nagorno Karabakh with a view to creating conditions for their safe an dignified return.

    Committee Co-Chair Stefan Müller Altermatt (Mitte) declared: The Council of Ministers must not be satisfied with a ‘no’ from Baku. Switzerland must now demonstrate that it is serious about its role as a neutral mediator.” Müller-Altermatt reminded the Swiss Foreign Ministry that Nagorno Karabakh remains on the agenda of the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) and offers proven mechanisms to support such a forum at the international level – mechanisms that it should actively use.

    The displacement of 120,000 Karabakh Armenians in autumn 2023 represents a clear violation of international humanitarian law. “Switzerland, as the depositary state of the Geneva Conventions, cannot turn a blind eye when an entire people is expelled from their homeland. Otherwise, we lose our credibility,” warns Committee Co-Chair Erich Vontobel, demanding: “The Federal Council must fulfil its parliamentary mandate!”

    “CSI cannot accept that a state that has committed religio-ethnic cleansing can place a veto on Switzerland or any other state engaging in peaceful dialogue with representatives of a forcibly displaced community”, stated CSI’s International President Dr. John Eibner. He furthermore pledged that CSI will continue to press for Azerbaijan to engage in constructive dialogue with representatives of the expelled Armenian Christian population about their return to Nagorno Karabakh with fundamental human rights guaranteed.

    Christian Solidarity International (CSI) is a Christian human rights organization promoting religious liberty and human dignity.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: First Responders – New World Victoria Park fire update #2

    Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

    Firefighters are continuing to respond to the fire at New World Victoria Park in Auckland.
    Sixteen trucks and a Command Unit are in attendance as at 12.30pm, with trucks brought in from as far away as Devonport, Titirangi and Papatoetoe to provide additional personnel.
    Two aerial trucks are working above the fire to bring it under control.
    The public is advised to continue to avoid the area, with the roads around the supermarket closed.
    Smoke is drifting up into Ponsonby area and towards Grey Lynn. Residents impacted by the smoke are advised to close their windows and doors and avoid going outside if possible.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2025 Conducts Mission Stop in Suva, Fiji, June 12, 2025 [Image 4 of 7]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    SUVA, Fiji (June 12, 2025) U.S. Army veterinarians, assigned to 72nd Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support, assist in training of Fiji farmers at the National Small Ruminant Field Day hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture & Waterways, as part of Pacific Partnership 2025, in Suva, Fiji, June 12, 2025. Training involved Fiji farmers and farmers from neighboring islands with topics including husbandry, herd management, and general veterinary care for sheep and goats. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Courtesy Asset)

    Date Taken: 06.12.2025
    Date Posted: 06.15.2025 05:44
    Photo ID: 9113349
    VIRIN: 250612-N-RM599-2127
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    Size: 365.73 KB
    Location: SUVA, FJ
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  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Modernising Early Childhood Education funding

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Funding Review to ensure the funding system is simple, fair, and gets value for money. 
    Mr Seymour has established an ECE Funding Review Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG), chaired by Linda Meade to carry out this review. It will report on it’s findings this time next year. 
    “No money is being taken away and any findings by the MAG will be at least financially neutral,” Mr Seymour says.
    “ECE funding should be used effectively to keep costs for families down. Vote Education spends approximately $2.7 billion on ECE. We need to make sure this funding is going as far as it can and prioritising the right things.
    “The MAG members bring a range of early learning and business expertise which will be key to the review.”
    The group will be chaired by Linda Meade who has a mixture of economics and real experience in the sector. She is the perfect chair for this review. 
    “The ECE funding system should provide the best return on investment for taxpayers. This means providing families with accessible and affordable services which facilitate parents returning to the work force and give kids a great start in life,” Mr Seymour says.
    “There is huge demand for ECEs from families across New Zealand, however numbers show supply isn’t keeping up. That is why we are committed to making changes which will allow the industry to expand and provide more high-quality services for families and their children. 
    “The funding system is too complicated. It confuses families, providers struggle to forecast financial sustainability, and parents take time off work when they can’t access care. 
    “We want to be certain that taxpayer money is being used effectively. For example, we don’t know if the ‘one size fits all’ funding approach in ECE works for parents who don’t have traditional working arrangements or consistent patterns of child attendance. These parents are often the most disadvantaged.  
    “The review will be wide ranging, though some things are excluded. The policy benefits of 20 Hours ECE will and FamilyBoost will be preserved. Please find the review terms of reference attached.   
    “The review will compliment other work we are doing in the ECE sector. Changes made by the ECE Sector Review to modernise and simplify ECE are also underway. By the end of next year ECE providers will also be governed by a regulatory system which ensures regulations are focused on what matters, child safety. 
    “In the meantime, recent amendments to the pay parity opt-in scheme aim to provide some cost relief to ECE services.”
    Notes to editors: 
    Linda Meade (Chair): Brings a deep understanding of social sector infrastructure, particularly in Early Childhood Education as a co-founder of a family owned ECE centre since 2008. She brings expertise in investment strategy, governance and funding system design, developed through her work experience in New Zealand and overseas. Linda is a co-owner of Daisies Early Education & Care Centre and is the Managing Director of Kalimena Advisory, which she founded following almost three decades working at PwC and Deloitte, where she was the lead partner in New Zealand for Deloitte Access Economics.
    Simon Laube: Provides extensive knowledge of the early learning sector and brings skills and expertise in policy development, government engagement, and sector advocacy. He is the Chief Executive of the Early Childhood Council (ECC), a membership organisation of more than 1,500 ECE centres across New Zealand.
    Melissa Glew: Offers skills in strategic planning, property oversight, and resource optimisation, and brings understanding of financial and operational management in the ECE sector. She is the Chief Financial Officer at the Auckland Kindergarten Association, which educates approximately 10,000 children annually across 108 kindergartens and 4 KiNZ centres.
    Kelly Seaburg: Provides strong understanding of ECE and literacy, with skills in centre leadership and educational resource development. She is currently Director of New Shoots Children’s Centre (Sunnynook and Miniland) and is a member of the Ministry of Education’s Early Childhood Advisory Committee (ECAC).
    Dr. Kane Meissel: Brings in-depth knowledge of educational research, with much of his work focusing on improving educational experiences from early childhood into early adulthood. He has made significant contributions to research in these areas. He is an Associate Professor in educational psychology at the University of Auckland, holding a Ph.D. in the same field.
    Dr. Michael Fletcher: Brings skills in the design and application of social policy and welfare systems, specifically in economic analysis, policy advice, and research on family and employment issues. He is an Adjunct Research Fellow in the School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington, has previously been a special advisor for the Welfare Expert Advisory Group and worked as a policy advisor for the Ministry of Social Development.
    Kylie Eagle: Brings extensive experience in business, people and performance, and communication. She is currently the Chief People Officer at Fletcher Building.
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Targets continue to get health back on track

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government’s focus on restoring performance and accountability in the health system is delivering real outcomes for patients, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

    “The latest quarterly results show clear progress in putting patients first and delivering access to timely, quality healthcare for all New Zealanders,” Mr Brown says.

    In the latest quarter, from January to March, key improvements include: 

    • Shorter emergency department stays: 74.2 per cent of patients were admitted, discharged, or transferred within six hours, up from 70.1 per cent last year.
    • Childhood immunisations: 79.3 per cent of 24-month-olds fully immunised, up from 76.9 per cent last year.
    • Faster cancer treatment: 84.6 per cent of patients starting treatment within 31 days, up from 83 per cent last year.
    • Fewer people waiting for elective procedures: The number of patients waiting has dropped by 1,891, between January and March 2025.

    “These results reflect meaningful progress for patients across the country. While there is still more work to do to shorten emergency department stays, increase childhood immunisations, and speed up access to cancer treatment, this is a step in the right direction. Restoring performance and accountability takes time, and we remain focused on continuing to deliver improvements.”

    While the percentage of patients waiting longer than four months for elective procedures and first specialist assessments increased, Health New Zealand continued to deliver increased care for patients. 

    “In the last quarter alone, more than 48,000 elective procedures and 167,000 first specialist assessments were completed. That’s thousands of New Zealanders getting back to work, returning to everyday life, and regaining their quality of life.

    “Waitlists for elective procedures have dropped, meaning fewer people are waiting for care and more patients are being seen. This marks a meaningful step toward a patient-focused health system.

    “There is more work to do, which is why we are delivering the Elective Boost. Between February and May, Elective Boost has delivered over 9,500 additional elective procedures, with the majority being for patients who have been waiting longer than four months.

    “Progress is also being made on first specialist assessments, with 102 per cent of planned volumes delivered in the year to March 2025. That means more patients being seen.”

    Mr Brown says the Government remains committed to building on this momentum, driving further improvements, and making the system more responsive to patients.

    “Backed by our record $30 billion investment into health each year, we are prioritising key services, supporting patients, and driving better outcomes.

    “After years of decline, our health system is being rebuilt around patients. These improvements mean shorter stays in emergency departments, more children protected through timely immunisations, faster access to cancer treatment, and fewer people waiting for an elective procedure when every day counts.

    “By measuring what matters and holding the system accountable, we are putting patients first and supporting our frontline healthcare workers to deliver access to timely, quality healthcare for all New Zealanders,” Mr Brown says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: The current state of housing in Aotearoa New Zealand – Stats NZ media release and report: Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025

    The current state of housing in Aotearoa New Zealand – media release

    17 June 2025

    Housing in New Zealand’s cities is changing, with an increase in housing density, and more multi-unit homes. Home ownership has increased, however housing affordability is still an issue for many households, according to a report released by Stats NZ today.

    Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025 brings together information from official and government administrative statistics to describe how housing intersects with people. It is an update of Housing in Aotearoa: 2020 and has updates to time series and new data sources, including aspects of housing not previously covered.

    In the June 2024 year, the average annual housing costs for a New Zealand household increased 31 percent, compared with the June 2020 year, while average disposable income increased 24 percent over the same period.

    Visit our website to read this news story and report:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Ritrovamenti del fungo amanita falloide causano un’allerta sanitaria

    Source: Australian Green Party

    ​​​NSW Health ha emesso un’allerta sanitaria sui rischi associati all’ingestione di funghi selvatici a seguito del ritrovamento di esemplari di amanita falloide NSW. 
    Esemplari di Amanita falloide, comunemente chiamata ‘death cap mushroom’ in Australia, sono stati recentemente rilevati a Sydney, nelle Highlands meridionali e nel NSW meridionale.
    Genevieve Adamo, specialista senior del Centro informazioni sulle sostanze velenose del NSW, ha dichiarato che questi funghi possono essere letali se ingeriti.
     “I sintomi di avvelenamento da funghi possono talvolta essere ritardati, ma un trattamento precoce è fondamentale per la sopravvivenza”, ha dichiarato Adamo.
    “Questi includono vomito e diarrea, e in casi gravi danni ai reni e al fegato o morte.”
    Il Prof. Brett Summerell, scienziato capo dei giardini botanici di Sydney avverte che l’identificazione di funghi selvatici per l’ingestione è molto complessa.
    “Non esiste un metodo semplice e affidabile per capire se un fungo selvatico sia commestibile o velenoso; quindi raccomandiamo di non raccogliere e mangiare funghi selvatici, ha dichiarato il Prof. Summerell.
    “Cuocere funghi selvatici velenosi non li rende commestibili né sicuri.
    “Si dovrebbero solamente mangiare funghi acquistati in un negozio di fiducia, mercato o supermercato.”
    Nel 2024, ci sono stati 23 ricoveri ospedalieri causati dagli effetti tossici di funghi ingeriti da persone, tra cui due bambini di meno di 5 anni.
    Nello stesso anno, il Centro informazioni sulle sostanze velenose del NSW ha risposto a 363 chiamate relative ad ingestione di funghi selvatici nel NSW e nell’ACT, con un aumento del 26% rispetto al 2023.
    Quest’anno (al 31 maggio 2025), ci sono state 190 chiamate.
    Con il rilevamento di esemplari di amanita falloide molto velenosi nel NSW, si avverte che il consumo di funghi selvatici può avere conseguenze disastrose. 
    “I bambini sono particolarmente a rischio a causa della loro abitudine di mettere tutto in bocca,” avverte Adamo. 
    “È importante controllare i propri figli quando giocano all’aperto, specialmente se vicino a grandi alberi nei parchi o giardini in cui possono crescere funghi.
    “Si raccomanda di rimuovere funghi per tenere i bambini al sicuro.”
    NSW Health e le municipalità locali stanno conducendo sopralluoghi da due anni per verificare la presenza di amanita falloide a seguito di rilevamenti nel sud del NSW.
    Se temete che si sia verificato un avvelenamento da funghi, non aspettate la comparsa dei sintomi. Chiamate immediatamente il Centro informazioni sulle sostanze velenose al numero 13 11 26.
    In caso di emergenza, chiamate il Triplo Zero (000) o recatevi al Pronto Soccorso. Se possibile, portate un campione del fungo o una fotografia per facilitarne l’identificazione. 
    Maggiori informazioni sull’avvelenamento da funghi si trovano sul sito web di NSW Health.​

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: डेथ क्याप (Death cap) च्याउ फेला परे पछि स्वास्थ्य चेतावनी जारी

    Source: Australian Green Party

    एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. मा विषालु डेथ क्याप च्याउ उम्रिरहेको भेटिएकाले एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. स्वास्थ्य (NSW Health) ले जङ्गली च्याउ खाँदा स्वास्थ्यलाई हुने जोखिमको बारेमा चेतावनी दिइरहेको छ।
    अमानिटा फाल्लोइड्स, जसलाई सामान्यतया डेथ क्याप च्याउहरू भनेर चिनिन्छ, हालसालै सिड्नी, दक्षिणी हाईल्यान्ड्स र दक्षिणी एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. मा उम्रिरहेको फेला पारिएको छ।
    एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. वीष सम्बन्धी जानकारी केन्द्रका वरिष्ठ विशेषज्ञ, जेनेभिव अडामोले डेथ क्याप च्याउ खाएमा घातक हुन सक्छ भन्ने कुरा बताइन्।
    “कहिलेकाहीँ च्याउको विषाक्तताका लक्षणहरू देखिन समय लाग्न सक्छ, तर स्वास्थ्य परिणामहरूका लागि प्रारम्भिक उपचार महत्त्वपूर्ण छ,” सुश्री अडामोले भनिन्।
    “यिनीहरूमा बान्ता आउने र पखाला लाग्ने, र गम्भीर मामिलाहरूमा, कलेजो र मृगौलामा क्षति पुग्ने वा ज्यानै जाने समावेश छन्।”
    एउटा जङ्गली च्याउ खानको लागि सुरक्षित छ कि छैन भनेर पहिचान गर्न एकदम गाह्रो हुन्छ भनेर सिड्नीको वनस्पति उद्यानका प्रमुख वैज्ञानिक, प्राध्यापक ब्रेट समर्रेलले चेतावनी दिए।
    “एउटा जङ्गली च्याउ खान मिल्छ वा विषालु छ कि भनेर पहिचान गर्ने सजिलो वा भरपर्दो तरिका छैन, त्यसैले हामी मानिसहरूलाई जङ्गली च्याउहरू नखोज्न र नखान सल्लाह दिन्छौँ।,” प्राध्यापक समर्रेलले भने।
    “विषालु च्याउहरूलाई पकाउँदा तिनीहरू खानको लागि सुरक्षित हुँदैनन्।
    “तपाईंले केवल सम्मानित किराना पसल, सुपरमार्केट वा उत्पादनको बजारबाट आफूले खरिद गरेको च्याउहरू खानुपर्छ।”
    २०२४ मा, च्याउ खाएर विषाक्तताको कारणले अस्पताल भर्ना हुने २३ घटनाहरू थिए, ती मध्ये दुईजना ५ वर्ष भन्दा कम उमेरका बालबालिकाहरू थिए।
    त्यही वर्ष, एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. वीष सम्बन्धी जानकारी केन्द्रले एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. र ए.सी.टी. मा जङ्गली च्याउका जोखिमहरूका सम्बन्धमा ३६३ फोनहरूको जवाफ दियो, जुन २०२३ को तुलनामा २६ प्रति शतको वृद्धि हो।
    यस वर्ष अहिलेसम्म (३१ मे २०२५ सम्म), १९० फोनहरू आएका छन्।
    एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. मा एकदम विषालु डेथ क्याप च्याउको पहिचान गरिएकाले जङ्गली च्याउहरू खाँदा विनाशकारी परिणामहरू हुन सक्छन् भन्नेबारे यो चेतावनी हो।
    “साना बच्चाबच्चीहरूको जे कुरा पनि आफ्नो मुखमा हाल्ने प्रवृत्ति हुने भएकाले, उनीहरू जोखिममा पर्न सक्छन्,” सुश्री अडामोले भनिन्।
    “आफ्ना बच्चाबच्चीहरू बाहिर खेल्दै गर्दा उनीहरूलाई ध्यान दिनुहोस्, विशेष गरी पार्कका ठुला रूखहरू वरिवरि वा तपाईंको घरको बगैँचामा जहाँ च्याउहरू उम्रिन सक्छन्।
    “तपाईंको बच्चाबच्चीहरूलाई सुरक्षित राख्नको लागि उम्रिन सक्ने कुनै पनि च्याउहरूलाई हटाउनुहोस्।”
    प्रारम्भिक रूपमा पत्ता लगाएपछि अघिल्ला दुई वर्षदेखि एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. स्वास्थ्य (NSW Health) र स्थानीय काउन्सिलहरूले दक्षिणी एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. मा डेथ क्याप च्याउहरूको निरन्तर निगरानी गरिरहेका छन्।
    यदि तपाईं च्याउको विषाक्तता भएको हुन सक्छ भनेर चिन्तित हुनुहुन्छ भने लक्षणहरू देखा पर्ने प्रतीक्षा नगर्नुहोस्। तुरून्तै वीष सम्बन्धी जानकारी केन्द्रलाई १३ ११ २६ मा फोन गर्नुहोस्।
    आपत्कालीन अवस्थामा तीनवटा शुन्य (०००) मा फोन गर्नुहोस् वा आपत्कालीन विभागमा जानुहोस्। सम्भव भएसम्म, पहिचान गर्न मद्दतको लागि च्याउको एक नमूना वा फोटो लिएर जानुहोस्।
    च्याउको विषाक्तताबारे थप जानकारी एन.एस.डब्ल्यु. स्वास्थ्य (NSW Health) को वेबसाइटमा पाउन सकिन्छ​।

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Advertencia sanitaria por hallazgos de hongos de la muerte

    Source: Australian Green Party

    ​​​Salud NSW está advirtiendo a las personas sobre los riesgos para la salud al ingerir hongos silvestres, ya que se han encontrado hongos de la muerte (death cap mushrooms) que crecen en Nueva Gales del Sur.
    Recientemente se ha detectado que Amanita phalloides, comúnmente conocida como hongo de la muerte, crece en Sydney, en las Southern Highlands y el sur de NSW.
    Genevieve Adamo, especialista principal del Centro de Información de Envenenamientos de NSW, dijo que los hongos de la muerte pueden ser mortales si se ingieren.
    “Los síntomas de la intoxicación por hongos a veces se pueden retardar, pero el tratamiento temprano es vital para los resultados de salud”, dijo Adamo.
    “Estos incluyen vómitos y diarrea y, en casos graves, daño hepático y renal, o la muerte”.
    El profesor Brett Summerell, científico jefe de los Jardines Botánicos de Sydney, advirtió que identificar si un hongo silvestre es seguro para comer es extremadamente difícil.
    “No hay forma fácil o confiable de identificar si un hongo silvestre es comestible o venenoso, por lo que aconsejamos a las personas que no busquen ni consuman hongos silvestres”, dijo el profesor Summerell.
    “Cocinar hongos venenosos no los hace seguros para comer.
    “Solo debe comer hongos que compre en una tienda de comestibles, supermercado o mercado de productos de buena reputación”.
    En 2024 se produjeron 23 hospitalizaciones por el efecto tóxico de hongos ingeridos, dos de ellas en niños menores de cinco años.
    Ese mismo año, el Centro de Información sobre Venenos de NSW respondió a 363 llamadas relacionadas con exposiciones a hongos silvestres en NSW y el Territorio de la Capital de Australia, lo que supone un aumento del 26% en comparación con 2023.
    En lo que va de año (hasta el 31 de mayo de 2025), se han realizado 190 llamadas.
    El descubrimiento de hongos de la muerte altamente venenosos en NSW, es una advertencia de que puede haber consecuencias desastrosas por comer hongos silvestres.
    “Como los niños pequeños tienden a llevarse cosas a la boca, pueden estar en riesgo”, dijo la Sra. Adamo.
    “Vigile a los niños cuando jueguen al aire libre, especialmente alrededor de árboles grandes en parques o en el jardín de su casa donde puedan crecer hongos.
    “Retire cualquier hongo que pueda crecer para mantener a sus niños seguros”.
    Salud NSW y los municipios locales han estado llevando a cabo una vigilancia continua de los hongos de la muerte durante los últimos dos años después de una detección inicial en el sur del estado.
    Si le preocupa que pueda haber ocurrido una intoxicación por hongos, no espere a que aparezcan los síntomas. Llame inmediatamente al Centro de Información sobre Venenos al 13 11 26.
    En caso de emergencia, llame al Triple Cero (000) o acuda a algún Departamento de Emergencias. Si es posible, lleve una muestra del hongo o una foto para ayudar con la identificación.
    Puede encontrar más información sobre el envenenamiento por hongos en el sitio web de Salud NSW​.

    MIL OSI News –