NewzIntel.com

Category: Australia

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fire restrictions to end in Bendigo and surrounds

    Source:

    • City of Greater Bendigo
    • Goldsfield Shire Council 
    • Mt Alexander Shire Council
    • Macedon Ranges Shire Council

    As restrictions lift, CFA is urging residents to remain fire-aware, as dry Autumnal conditions combined with strong winds can still lead to fast-moving grassfires.

    CFA Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer Michael Hembrow said while the local landscape remains dry, favourable weather conditions have made it the right time to lift fire restrictions.  

    “Autumn stems as an opportune time for people to clean up around their property following the fire season,” Michael said.  

    “However, we still need the community to act cautiously and take precautions, when and if they decide to burn off.” 

    Despite the cooler change in conditions, it is important residents remain vigilant.  

    “While the Fire Danger Period will come to an end, residents must register their private burn–offs, check the weather is suitable and follow laws and regulations,” Michael said.  

    “It is still dry in many areas, so any private burn-offs should have someone monitoring it at all times, with enough water and resources on hand to effectively contain and extinguish it.” 

    Private burn-offs should be registered online at www.firepermits.vic.gov.au. If smoke or fire is reported, it will be cross-checked with the register to avoid an emergency response and allow 000 call-takers to prioritise emergency calls.  

    Where possible, landowners should also notify neighbours and those nearby who may be sensitive to smoke.  

    Residents travelling to other parts of Victoria are reminded to remain vigilant, as fire danger periods in other regions may still be active.  

     Private burn-off safety checklist  

    • Check fire restrictions in your area and register your burn-off.
    • Monitor weather conditions, especially wind. 
    • Notify neighbours to prevent unnecessary emergency calls.
    • Maintain a three-metre firebreak, clear of flammable materials.  
    • Have enough equipment and water to contain the fire. 
    • Never leave a burn-off unattended – stay until it is fully extinguished. 
    • If your burn-off gets out of control, call 000 immediately.
    • For tips on protecting your health from smoke, visit the EPA Victoria website. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police investigate serious crash in Austins Ferry

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Police investigate serious crash in Austins Ferry

    Friday, 11 April 2025 – 3:35 pm.

    Police are investigating a serious crash involving a moped that occurred on Main Road, Austins Ferry this afternoon.Police and emergency services were called to the scene about 1.45pm.Preliminary investigations indicate the moped crashed into a pedestrian safety barrier.The rider and the pillion passenger – both male youths – were taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital, with the pillion passenger in a critical condition and the rider receiving serious injuries.No other vehicles or people were involved in the crash.The road remains closed to allow crash investigators to examine the scene and conduct inquiries.Police would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding.Anyone with information or relevant dash cam or CCTV footage, is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Trifork secures landmark project to transform Oman’s healthcare system

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release

    Trifork secures landmark project to transform Oman’s healthcare system

    Muscat, 11 April 2025 – The Ministry of Health in Oman has selected Trifork to develop a state-of-the-art Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) system while integrating with the National Health Information Exchange (NHER), which in parallel will be upgraded by Trifork during the project. This project represents a significant milestone in modernizing Oman’s healthcare system in alignment with Oman Vision 2040.

    After a competitive bidding process involving six contenders, Trifork was selected for its more than 20 years of expertise in Digital Health, which has been demonstrated through successful projects in Switzerland and Denmark and its strong international profile.

    Strengthening Oman’s healthcare system

    The project aims to upgrade Oman’s healthcare systems. The benefits of the new system include improved cost recovery, allowing government providers to reclaim insurance companies’ expenses more efficiently, faster claims processing, and reduced waiting times for patients at Ministry of Health facilities, which are key steps toward a more patient-focused healthcare experience.

    Key phases and deliverables

    The project is structured into phases, with gradual implementation over two years. The initial proof of concept will be completed in six months, followed by a gradual implementation of core functionalities, ensuring that the benefits of the solutions are implemented as soon as possible.

    These milestones align with the Ministry of Health’s digitalization strategy, which focuses on enhancing healthcare efficiency, data-driven decision-making, and seamless patient care through advanced technology. They also support Oman Vision 2040’s broader goals of leveraging digital transformation to improve public services, strengthen healthcare infrastructure, and drive sustainable national development.

    Strategic partnership

    Trifork Oman brings invaluable expertise from similar engagements across Europe to the project. By integrating advanced solutions and leveraging global best practices, the company will deliver a tailored system that meets the unique needs of Oman’s healthcare ecosystem.

    The Ministry of Health in Oman oversees 263 health institutions, including 50 hospitals (4,954 beds), 21 health complexes, and 192 health centers. In 2022, they recorded 14.9 million outpatient visits – about 41,000 daily. Serving over 5 million people, the ministry prioritizes accessible, high-quality care and advances digital transformation under Oman’s Vision 2040.

    Commitment to innovation in Oman

    “This contract represents a major milestone for Trifork Oman in our ambition to contribute to the Sultanate’s goals for digital transformation and innovation. We are honored to use our strong expertise in digital health to contribute to the ongoing innovation in Oman’s healthcare sector and see this as the start of a long partnership,” says Christian Hemmingsen, CEO of Trifork Oman.

    Investor and media contact

    Frederik Svanholm
    Group Investment Director, Head of IR & PR
    frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 7317


    About Trifork

    Trifork is a pioneering global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative solutions. With 1,229 professionals across 73 business units in 16 countries, Trifork delivers expertise in inspiring, building, and running advanced software solutions across diverse sectors, including public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. Trifork Labs, the Group’s R&D hub, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic and high-potential technology companies. Trifork Group AG is a publicly listed company on Nasdaq Copenhagen. Learn more at trifork.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Ecuador

    Source:

    We’ve reviewed our advice for Ecuador and continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution for Ecuador overall. Ecuador is in a state of ‘internal armed conflict’ due to crime. The security environment may change at short notice. Monitor the media and follow the advice of local authorities (see ‘Safety’). Do not travel within 20km of the border with Colombia, except the official border crossing at Tulcan, due to the high risk of kidnapping and violent crime associated with drug-related criminal organisations.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Peter Dutton’s climate policy backslide threatens Australia’s clout in the Pacific – right when we need it most

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney

    Australia’s relationship with its regional neighbours could be in doubt under a Coalition government after two Pacific leaders challenged Opposition Leader Peter Dutton over his weak climate stance.

    This week, Palau’s president Surangel Whipps Jr suggested a 2015 gaffe by Dutton, in which he joked about rising seas lapping at the door of Pacific islanders, had not been forgotten. Speaking at a clean energy conference in Sydney, Whipps said the Pacific’s plight was “not a metaphor or a punchline. It’s our fear and reality.”

    And Tuvalu’s Climate Change Minister, Maina Talia, this month criticised Dutton for suggesting a joint Australia–Pacific bid to host global climate talks next year was “madness”. Talia said Dutton’s comments caused Pacific leaders to “question the nature of our friendship” with Australia.

    Both Labor and Coalition governments have worked hard this decade to cement Australia as a security partner of choice for Pacific nations, as China seeks to expand its influence. Australia’s next government must continue this work by signalling an unwavering commitment to strong climate action.

    What are the major parties offering on climate policy?

    Worsening climate change – with associated sea-level rise and other harms – is the greatest threat to Pacific island nations.

    Pacific leaders have long criticised Australia for its climate policy shortcomings, including its continued reliance on fossil fuels. As Palau’s president Whipps told the ABC this week:

    We are urging Australia – and whoever forms the next government – to take the next steps and stop approving new fossil fuel projects and accelerate the phase-out of coal and gas.

    The Labor government has not agreed to the phase-out. But it has sought to improve Pacific ties through more ambitious climate action.

    In 2022, it introduced a stronger emissions-reduction target – a 43% cut this decade, based on 2005 levels. The same year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined Pacific leaders to declare a climate emergency.

    In 2023, Australia signed a climate migration deal with Tuvalu. It also prevents Tuvalu from pursuing a security deal with China.

    A Coalition government would review Australia’s 43% cut to emissions. It would also expand gas production, and slow the shift to renewables while building seven nuclear reactors. Dutton is also considering weakening Australia’s signature climate policy, the safeguard mechanism, which aims to reduce industry emissions.

    And last month, Dutton suggested the Coalition would ditch the Australia–Pacific bid to host the next United Nations climate summit, known as COP31.

    How will this go down in the Pacific?

    Australia has dramatically stepped up engagement with Pacific island countries in recent years. This has been guided by the foreign policy goal of integrating Pacific countries into Australia’s economy and security institutions.

    But Pacific island leaders also expect Australia – the largest member of the Pacific Islands Forum – to seriously tackle the climate crisis. Should Australia fail on this measure, securing our place in the region during a time of growing strategic competition will become increasingly difficult.

    Pacific leaders welcomed Australia’s plans to host the COP31 climate talks and agreed to work with this nation on the joint bid. If Dutton wins power and abandons the COP31 push, he could face a frosty reception when he meets with Pacific island leaders.

    Palau, in particular, could embarrass Dutton on the global stage. It will host the Pacific Islands Forum meeting next year, weeks before the COP31 talks. This year, Palau also takes over as chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, an important negotiating bloc in global climate talks.

    Countering China’s influence

    Australia’s leadership in the Pacific is considered key to our national defence and security. But China’s growing power in the Pacific has weakened Australia’s standing.

    In 2022, for example, Solomon Islands signed a security deal with China to allow naval vessels to be based there – effectively allowing a Chinese military base on Australia’s doorstep. As recently as February this year, the Cook Islands signed a series of agreements with China to enhance cooperation.

    At the same time, the Trump administration has all but abandoned the United States’ overseas aid program. This leaves Australia with even more work to counter China’s creep into the region.

    In last month’s federal budget, Labor redirected aid money to the Pacific to counteract Trump’s cuts. However, Liberal backbenchers reportedly fear Dutton would cut the foreign aid budget and warn a reduction in Pacific aid would strengthen Beijing’s hand.

    Climate policy is key to Australia-Pacific goodwill

    Australia’s past failures on climate policy have hurt our standing in the Pacific – a point conceded by senior Coalition figure Simon Birmingham.

    A Coalition government is likely to continue some diplomatic measures initiated by the Albanese government, such as security agreements with Tuvalu and Nauru, and negotiating a new defence treaty with Papua New Guinea.

    But the depth of feeling among Pacific leaders on climate action cannot be overstated. As global geopolitical tensions sharpen, Australia’s next moves on climate policy will be vital to the future of our Pacific relationship.

    Wesley Morgan is a fellow with the Climate Council of Australia

    – ref. Peter Dutton’s climate policy backslide threatens Australia’s clout in the Pacific – right when we need it most – https://theconversation.com/peter-duttons-climate-policy-backslide-threatens-australias-clout-in-the-pacific-right-when-we-need-it-most-254385

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Coalition plan to dump fuel efficiency penalties would make Australia a global outlier

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Mortimore, Lecturer, Griffith Business School, Griffith University

    The Coalition has announced it would, if elected to government, weaken a scheme aimed at cutting car emissions.

    The scheme, known as the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), was introduced by the Albanese government and was due to take effect in July. It involved issuing penalties to automakers that breach an emissions ceiling on their total new car sales.

    The new Coalition plan, announced this week, would see such penalties abolished.

    But the penalties are crucial. Without penalties, automakers have limited incentive to supply fuel efficient, low or zero-CO₂ emitting vehicles to the Australian market.

    If this plan became government policy, it would make Australia an international outlier – and put at risk Australia’s ability to meet its obligations under the Paris climate agreement.

    An international outlier

    More than 85% of the international car market is covered by fuel efficiency standards.

    Without a robust New Vehicle Efficiency Standard scheme, complete with penalties for automakers that break the rules, Australia would join Russia in the tiny minority of developed countries without strong fuel efficiency standards for new vehicles.

    Abolishing the penalties embedded in the scheme also risks making Australia the world’s dumping ground for inefficient vehicles.

    That’s because the penalties embedded in the scheme are there to incentivise automakers to sell more efficient vehicles in Australia.

    The current scheme, as it is, is not particularly punitive. Automakers that breach their cap of emissions are given up to two years to fix their mistakes before being issued with a financial penalty.

    Weakening the scheme won’t help make it easier for Australians to buy fuel-efficient cars.

    Decarbonising Australian roads

    The 2015 Paris Agreement, to which Australia is a signatory, requires developed nations to decarbonise their transport by as much as 80% by 2050.

    Carbon emissions from Australian transport accounts for 21.1% of the nation’s emissions (to June 2023).

    It represents the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia.

    Without measures aimed at making cars more fuel efficient, Australia’s CO₂ emissions will continue to rise. It will be harder to meet our commitments under the Paris Agreement.

    It’s regulation, not a tax

    The Coalition, which is hoping to pick up votes in outer-ring suburbs, has called the penalties embedded in the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard scheme a “car tax”.

    Liberal leader Peter Dutton said this week:

    This is a tax on families who need a reliable car and small businesses trying to grow. Instead of making life easier, Labor is making it harder and more expensive […] We want cleaner, cheaper cars on Australian roads as we head towards net zero by 2050, but forcing unfair penalties on carmakers and consumers is not the answer.

    But these penalties are not a tax; they are a form of regulation. Automakers that meet the rules wouldn’t have to pay penalties, under the current scheme.

    If the goal is to reduce people’s hip-pocket pain at the bowser, the focus should be on ensuring Australians can buy fuel-efficient vehicles.

    That means incentivising automakers to bring fuel-efficient vehicles to the Australian market. It also means avoiding any policy that encourages carmakers to see Australia as a dumping ground for gas-guzzling vehicles.

    Anna Mortimore receives funding from Reliable Affordable Clean Energy Cooperative Research Centre for 2030 (RACE for 2030).

    – ref. Coalition plan to dump fuel efficiency penalties would make Australia a global outlier – https://theconversation.com/coalition-plan-to-dump-fuel-efficiency-penalties-would-make-australia-a-global-outlier-254386

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Kids cheering ‘chicken jockey!’ at A Minecraft Movie isn’t antisocial – it creates a chance for us to connect

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophia Staite, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania

    Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

    Social media is ablaze with reports of kids going wild at screenings of A Minecraft Movie.

    Some cinemas are cracking down. There are reports of cinemas calling in police to deal with rowdy theatregoers and making special announcements before the film, warning of consequences for “anti-social behaviour” including “clapping and shouting”.

    But these kids are engaging in a kind of communal experience. Rather than being antisocial behaviour – couldn’t we label it as prosocial?

    The global fandom of Minecraft

    Minecraft was first released in 2011 and has sold over 350 million copies, making it the best-selling video game of all time.

    Minecraft is an unstructured game that provides mineable resources and leaves players to create whatever they want with them. Creations can be as basic as stacking blocks of wood to make a wall, or as complex as a working computer.

    It has become the nexus of a vast online community of people with an interest in the game.

    Players connect to one-another digitally and share certain social norms and knowledge, including a memeified vernacular. Minecraft-playing Youtubers have also become popular, and are the source of many memes.

    The community is dominated by children and young adults and the incomprehensibility of their vernacular for other generations is possibly part of its appeal.

    Within child and youth fan communities the usual hierarchies of communication are reversed. Instead of kids having to learn to speak according to adults’ rules, in this community the kids maintain a knowledge system that excludes a lot of adults.

    Enter A Minecraft Movie

    A Minecraft Movie opened last weekend to enormous box office success, bringing in US$313.2 million globally. The film follows four humans who stumble through a portal into the Overworld (Minecraft). Their only way home involves teaming up with fellow human Steve (Jack Black) to save the Overworld from the creativity-hating Piglins.

    Almost immediately, social media conversations sprang up about the behaviour of audiences. One bemused parent described the atmosphere of the cinema as “like [when] The Beatles came to America”.

    Many of the videos shared of audiences during screenings show joyful scenes of communal pleasure, similar to other responses to highly anticipated films such as Avengers: Endgame.

    But while the response to Avengers: Endgame was celebrated, the behaviour of children and teens at A Minecraft Movie has been framed by news outlets in negative terms.

    Journalist Keith Stuart suggests the different responses are a result of parents feeling excluded by A Minecraft Movie’s frequent references to memes.

    Negative news reports link audience behaviour to existing moral panics about social media challenges and are particularly focused on popcorn being thrown.

    The use of the same two or three videos of popcorn throwing to illustrate multiple news articles highlights how relatively few reports of popcorn throwing there currently are.

    Instead, most of the debate on social media has been about the etiquette of noisiness during screenings, including cheering and clapping.

    Finding community

    A Minecraft Movie speaks the memeified vernacular of its online community.

    The film incorporates references to longstanding memes, popular Minecraft YouTubers (and some cameos) and, of course, to the game itself.

    The film is speaking directly to Minecraft fans, and audiences are responding by displaying their mastery of this vernacular and strengthening their sense of belonging.

    By clapping and cheering when they recognise a meme, or saying lines of dialogue in sync with the actors, kids are identifying themselves as members of a community.

    When a whole cinema full of young people does this simultaneously, they are identifying themselves to and with one another.

    This is prosocial, strategic communication – not the antisocial pandemonium and chaos some reports would have us believe. Instead, fans are reporting the cheering and clapping happens at specific moments: they are enjoying both the film, and reacting to it.

    During the brief (but meaningful for knowledgeable audience members) tribute to beloved YouTuber Technoblade, who died of cancer in 2022, there have been reports of whole theatres falling silent as a mark of respect.

    An online community of kids and teens has suddenly become hyper visible to adults because it has intersected with the traditional media space of the cinema.

    Online games such as Minecraft are a crucial part of kids’ social lives and play.

    Perhaps adults can seize this moment as an opportunity to learn more about something that clearly matters deeply to a lot of kids.

    Sophia Staite 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. Kids cheering ‘chicken jockey!’ at A Minecraft Movie isn’t antisocial – it creates a chance for us to connect – https://theconversation.com/kids-cheering-chicken-jockey-at-a-minecraft-movie-isnt-antisocial-it-creates-a-chance-for-us-to-connect-254287

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Could changing your diet improve endometriosis pain? A recent study suggests it’s possible

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of South Australia

    ovchinnikova_ksenya/Shutterstock

    Endometriosis affects around 10% of women of reproductive age. It’s a chronic inflammatory condition that occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) grows outside the uterus.

    Endometriosis can cause chronic pain, bloating, bowel and bladder dysfunction, pain during sex and infertility. These symptoms can lead to reduced quality of life and mental health challenges.

    Although endometriosis pain can be treated with medication or surgery, these options are not suitable for everyone, and a significant number of women experience recurrent symptoms even after surgery.

    Many women with endometriosis look to complementary therapies to manage their symptoms, which can include dietary changes and taking supplements.

    A recent study sought to understand different dietary strategies women with endometriosis use and how these affect their pain levels. The researchers found cutting down on things like dairy, gluten, caffeine and alcohol could improve endometriosis pain.

    Let’s take a closer look.

    What the researchers did and found

    The study, which was led by researchers from the University of Edinburgh, involved an online survey. It asked women with endometriosis questions about any dietary changes they made and any supplements they used, and whether they found these useful for managing pain.

    A total of 2,388 women with a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis completed the survey. Some 84% of respondents had made at least one dietary change, 67% of whom reported these changes improved their pain. Meanwhile, 59% had used supplements, 43% of whom considered these changes improved their pain.

    The following are some of the most popular dietary changes women had tried, and how they thought these changes affected their pain:

    • drinking less alcohol (improved pain in 53% of women)

    • eating less gluten (45%)

    • consuming less dairy (45%)

    • consuming less caffeine (43%)

    • eating less processed sugar, which can be found in foods and drinks such as lollies, cakes, biscuits and soft drinks (41%)

    • eating less processed foods, which include deli meats, savoury snacks such as chips and sausage rolls, and chocolate (38%)

    • following a low FODMAP diet, which involves avoiding short-chain carbohydrates (certain types of sugars) to reduce gas, bloating, pain and discomfort (32%)

    • adopting a Mediterranean diet, which is a diet high in plant foods (including fruit and green leafy vegetables), extra virgin olive oil, breads, fish, fermented dairy, and cereals and low in red meat, and processed meats and foods (29%).

    For supplements:

    • turmeric or curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric (improved pain in 48% of women)

    • magnesium (32%)

    • peppermint (26%)

    • ginger (22%).

    Around one in ten women of reproductive age have endometriosis.
    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Some limitations

    There are some weaknesses in this study to consider when interpreting the results. First, it’s an observational study, which means we cannot say these dietary changes and supplements cause decreased pain, just that there appears to be an link.

    To be more confident about the effects of dietary changes or supplements, we would need to do randomised studies with control groups.

    Also, the participants self-reported dietary changes they had made in the past and past pain levels. This relies on memory, which can be unreliable.

    All that said, this sort of research does provide us with clues about what may work, especially when we combine it with our knowledge of the actions these foods and supplements have in the body.

    So how would they work?

    Given the inflammatory component in endometriosis, the findings of this study are not entirely surprising. Many of the dietary changes and supplements this study looked at have anti-inflammtory properties.

    For example, reducing alcohol consumption, reducing processed foods, adopting a Mediterranean diet and using turmeric or curcumin may reduce inflammation.

    It’s possible certain dietary changes could improve endometriosis symptoms by reducing inflammation.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Some of the findings of this study seem to align with other evidence, while others don’t.

    For example, a recent review showed the Mediterranean diet can lead to reductions in pain, however the relevant studies did not have control groups. This same review showed a low FODMAP diet reduced pain and improved quality of life in people with endometriosis.

    Meanwhile, a 2024 paper concluded there’s a lack of evidence to support a gluten-free diet for endometriosis symptoms. The authors argued avoiding gluten to manage the condition should be discouraged.

    Peppermint has been reported to reduce period pain and nausea. But I couldn’t find any specific evidence for endometriosis.

    So what should you do?

    If you have endometriosis, this study and existing evidence suggests following a Mediterranean diet or a low FODMAP diet may reduce pain. This current study also indicates reducing your intake of alcohol, sugar and processed foods may help.

    Importantly, these changes won’t do any harm to your overall health. In fact, the Australian dietary guidelines recommend drinking alcohol and consuming processed foods in moderation, given links to a range of chronic diseases. So these changes may have other benefits too.

    However, some of the dietary changes reported in this study may be problematic.

    For example, eliminating dairy will significantly reduce your calcium intake which is important for building healthy bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later life. However, there are other ways of ensuring an adequate intake of the nutrients found in dairy products.

    Reducing caffeine won’t lead to any health or nutritional concerns, but may affect quality of life for people who enjoy drinking coffee or tea.

    Women with endometriosis can try supplements such as turmeric or curcumin and ginger, but it’s best to try them one at a time, so you can identify which one works for you.

    If you’re looking to change your diet to try to manage endometriosis symptoms, it may be best to see a registered or accredited practising dietitian to ensure you’re following a nutritionally balanced diet.

    Evangeline Mantzioris is affiliated with Alliance for Research in Nutrition, Exercise and Activity (ARENA) at the University of South Australia. Evangeline Mantzioris has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, and has been appointed to the National Health and Medical Research Council Dietary Guideline Expert Committee.

    – ref. Could changing your diet improve endometriosis pain? A recent study suggests it’s possible – https://theconversation.com/could-changing-your-diet-improve-endometriosis-pain-a-recent-study-suggests-its-possible-253945

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fallen officers remembered

    Source: New South Wales – News

    South Australia Police (SAPOL) members who lost their lives while serving overseas were commemorated this morning during an early Anzac Day memorial service.

    Around 110 people united at SAPOL’s Wall of Remembrance at the Fort Largs Police Academy in memory of 25 police officers killed on active service leave from SAPOL, including 11 police officers in World War I, 13 in World War II, and one in Cyprus while on peacekeeping duties with the United Nations.

    Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia, joined Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens APM LEM, Minister of Police Stephen Mullighan and other dignitaries and guests to honour those who paid the supreme sacrifice.

    “We remember all 25 officers and their families affected by their unwavering commitment to their state and country, with honour they served,” Commissioner Stevens said.

    “We acknowledge the sacrifice of each officer who joined other Australians fighting overseas and sadly never returned home.”

    Police Chaplain, Reverend Mark Kleemann led the memorial service, which paid tribute to former SAPOL Foot Constable Alexander Graham – one of the first SAPOL officers to enlist in World War I and first to die on active service.

    A commemorative address by Dr Barry Blundell APM LEM, of SA Police Historical Society, explored the fallen officer’s service until his passing on 24 September 1915.

    Alexander Graham was born on the Isle of Rona, on 16 June 1888, and before emigrating to Australia, is believed to have served with the British military.

    He joined SAPOL on 1 August 1914 and worked as a Foot Constable based at Adelaide Station for a short time before moving to Port Adelaide for nearly eight months until enlisting on 8 March 1915 with the Australian Imperial Forces.

    “Graham embarked with the 6th reinforcements of the 10th Battalion on 23 June, travelling to Egypt. Following training, he then travelled to the Dardanelles on 1 August, joining his Battalion on August 4,” Dr Blundell said during his address.

    “Graham’s first engagement with the enemy was two days later at the Battle of Lone Pine, where over four days some 6000 Ottomans and more than 2000 Anzacs were killed or wounded.

    “By September, the 10th Battalion was losing 10 men a day to dysentery. Graham succumbed to the disease on 18 September, when he was admitted to hospital, soon being transferred to Alexandria, where on 24 September he died of his illness.”

    Private Alexander Graham was buried in the Chatby War Cemetery in Alexandria, Egypt.

    Meanwhile, the Band of the South Australia Police and members of the Mounted Operations Unit contributed to this morning’s service, which also featured hymns, readings, wreath laying, playing of The Last Post and a minute’s silence.

    SAPOL members will also participate in and support other Anzac Day services throughout the state on Friday 25 April – the national day of remembrance.

    SAPOL Foot Constable Alexander Graham June 16, 1888 – September 24, 1915.

    Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens APM LEM paying his respects at today’s Anzac Day service at the South Australia Police Academy.

    Around 110 people united at SAPOL’s Wall of Remembrance at the Fort Largs Police Academy.

    The Last Post.

    Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia, joined Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens APM LEM, Minister of Police Stephen Mullighan and other dignitaries and guests to honour those who paid the supreme sacrifice.

    Wreaths laid in tribute to 25 police officers killed on active service leave from SAPOL, including 11 police officers in World War I, 13 in World War II, and one in Cyprus while on peacekeeping duties with the United Nations.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Wanted man Joshua House

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police are seeking the assistance of the public to locate wanted man, Joshua House.

    Joshua House, 27, is wanted in relation to a serious assault at Morphett Vale on Saturday 29 March. He may also be in possession of a firearm.

    He is described as Caucasian, 180cm tall, with a medium build, red hair and blue eyes. He has numerous distinctive tattoos.

    If you see Joshua House or know of his whereabouts, please do not approach him but call the Police Assistance line on 131 444 immediately or Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Two arrested over Frangos murder

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Two men have been arrested and charged with the murder of Woodville Gardens man, Bill Frangos.

    It will be alleged Mr Frangos, 72, was murdered, before his body was found after a house fire at his Essex Street, Woodville Gardens home on 7 November, 2024.

    Following extensive investigation and appeals to the public for assistance, today Major Crime detectives arrested a 27-year-old Novar Gardens man and a 27-year-old Fulham Gardens man.

    They were charged with murder, arson and destroy human remains.

    The arrested men are expected to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court at the earliest opportunity, likely Monday 14 April.

    SAPOL thank the public who have come forward and provided invaluable assistance in this investigation and contributed to the arrest of the two suspects.

    Anyone else who has information about Mr Frangos’ death can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Prescribed hazard reduction burn near Lower Cotter Catchment

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services



    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 11/04/2025

    A prescribed hazard reduction burn on Old Mill Road near the Lower Cotter Catchment will commence tomorrow, Saturday 12 April, subject to suitable weather and fuel moisture conditions.

    The prescribed hazard reduction burn on Old Mill Road is being conducted to reduce the fire hazard in the area.

    See the location map of the burn site.

    Experienced ACT Parks and Conservation Service fire managers will conduct and oversee the burning operations. Every effort is made to conduct burns in weather conditions that will minimise the impact of smoke, but temporary smoke cover is possible and may be visible across parts of Canberra.

    Fire crews will be on the ground monitoring and patrolling the prescribed burn to its conclusion.

    Smoke, flame, and glowing embers may be seen at this site, which is normal for these types of operations. The public are asked not to call emergency triple-zero unless they see any unattended fire.

    Prescribed burns are an important part of the ACT’s annual Bushfire Operations Plan to enhance ecological quality, reduce the risk of bushfires and help keep Canberrans safe.

    More information about prescribed hazard reduction burns is available on the Parks ACT website.

    – Statement ends –

    ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate | Media Releases

    Media Contacts

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Directorate Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Traded like assets, expected to be loyal: the unique double standard of being an Australian footy player

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Fujak, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, Deakin University

    Few issues in Australian sport generate as much media noise or emotional fan reactions as player movement, especially in our major winter codes the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL).

    Contract negotiations, trade whispers and club defections dominate headlines, talkback radio, social media and fan forums — often eclipsing the on-field action itself.

    In the past month, the sport news cycle has been dominated by player movement controversies involving the NRL’s Dylan Brown and Daly Cherry-Evans and the AFL’s Oscar Allen.

    The scrutiny these athletes face is one feature of a workplace defined by expectations rarely found in other industries.

    In a world where professional athletes are simultaneously financial investments and human beings, can fans, athletes and leagues strike a truly fair balance when it comes to player movement?

    A unique legal status

    Professional sport is exempted from several commercial laws that otherwise apply to typical industries. This is due to its peculiar economics.

    Crucially, leagues such as the AFL and NRL are permitted to operate as cartels, whereby clubs act collectively in ways that petrol stations or supermarkets legally cannot.

    One outcome of sport cartels has been the implementation of various restrictive practices on the recruitment, transfer and remuneration of professional athletes.

    Drafts, trade windows and salary caps are all anti-competitive mechanisms with two general aims: fostering “competitive balance” between teams and suppressing player wages to maintain leaguewide financial viability.

    These mechanisms remain in place mostly due to co-operation between leagues and their player associations (the AFLPA and RLPA), as their underlying legal standing is in fact ambiguous.

    Whether the AFL’s draft would survive a court challenge is debatable.

    Australia’s varied player movement rules

    National Rugby League

    The NRL operates a salary cap model with free agency. This affords athletes strong freedom of movement, including the potential to switch clubs mid-season. Some consider this to be a negative, given constant media conjecture over player movements. However, it keeps the NRL perpetually in the headlines.

    In the absence of a draft, individual NRL clubs are responsible for their own junior development and talent identification. The Penrith Panthers’ historic premiership four-peat was underpinned by successfully leveraging their immense junior catchment to develop NRL superstars.

    A benefit of this model is it maximises the opportunity for local juniors to play for their local team. This pathway from local junior to hometown hero authentically contributes to embedding NRL clubs within local communities.

    Australian Football League

    The AFL operates both a draft and salary cap, and players have considerably less autonomy.

    Player movement occurs almost exclusively in the post-season. Despite this, clubs sweet talk rival players in the shadows outside this window, hoping to make signings official in the off-season.

    This practice came into view this week by the controversy surrounding West Coast captain Allen’s meeting with a rival coach.

    The AFL draft takes place after the trade period and is the primary way for athletes to enter the competition.

    The draft order is inverted, linked to clubs’ on-field performance (the team that finishes last receives the first pick).

    Clubs are largely removed from the process of developing junior athletes, which is centralised through the AFL’s national talent pathway.

    The athlete perspective

    While professional athletes are often portrayed as privileged, there are few other professions that impose such severe restraints on the rights of workers.

    The Allen controversy is a reminder the AFL operates a system where the clubs are masters and players well-remunerated servants.

    For the crime of meeting another coach in considering his future, albeit clumsily, Allen was described as “selfish”, “a sell-out,”, “utterly disgusting” and compelled into a press conference apology.

    Criticisms of athletes as selfish scarcely acknowledge that, unlike doctors or lawyers, they have uniquely short timespans to exploit their sporting careers.

    In many sports, as is the case in rugby league, athletes are disproportionately from lower socio-economic settings, where the money is life changing.

    The fan perspective

    Professional sport thrives because fans are emotionally attached to their teams. Fans rarely switch the team they support, so they often expect the same from players.

    Fan attitudes on player loyalty are therefore largely driven by emotion rather than rationality. Few fans employed in contract work would reject meeting a potential future employer because of a sole dedication to their current employer, as was the case for Allen.

    Even fewer fans would reject the ten-year, $13 million contract accepted by Dylan Brown to depart the Parramatta Eels, yet many booed him for doing so, as Melbourne fans did in 2012 after the departure of former No.1 AFL draft pick Tom Scully to Greater Western Sydney.

    In 2007, Parramatta Eels fans even threw coins at departed player Jamie Lyon. Thankfully for Brown, Australia has since become a mainly cashless society.

    Is there a fair balance?

    Player movement in Australian footy codes is a system of regulations that attempts to balance the competing demands of various stakeholders.

    In recent times, the NRL has explored the introduction of trade windows, and drafts, seemingly in response criticism over player movement and competitive imbalance.

    Such proposals have received strong
    pushback from the RLPA.

    Responding to the Allen fallout, AFLPA boss Paul Marsh conceded the AFL ecosystem remains immature to player movement:

    There shouldn’t be outrage about this stuff but there is. As much as I think we should be mature enough to deal with this, it is the industry we are in.

    The challenge for these codes therefore isn’t just regulating player movement but confronting the double standard placed upon athletes that expects loyalty in a system designed to control.

    Hunter Fujak has served as an external advisor to several Australian player associations on a pro-bono basis, including the Rugby League Players Association.

    Joshua McLeod 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. Traded like assets, expected to be loyal: the unique double standard of being an Australian footy player – https://theconversation.com/traded-like-assets-expected-to-be-loyal-the-unique-double-standard-of-being-an-australian-footy-player-253618

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Libya

    Source:

    We’ve reviewed our advice and continue to advise do not travel to Libya due to the dangerous security situation and the high threat of terrorism and kidnapping. If you’re in Libya, you should leave as soon as possible if it’s safe to do so. Due to the ongoing unrest, our ability to provide consular assistance to Australians in Libya is severely limited.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: We study ‘planktivores’ – and found an amazing diversity of shapes among plankton-feeding fishes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isabelle Ng, PhD candidate, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University

    A couple of whip coral goby (_Bryaninops yongei_). randi_ang/Shutterstock

    Swim along the edge of a coral reef and you’ll often see schools of sleek, torpedo-shaped fishes gliding through the currents, feeding on tiny plankton from the water column.

    For decades, scientists assumed these plankton-feeding fishes – or planktivores – shared specialised traits: forked tails and streamlined body forms for speed, large eyes for spotting small prey, and small extendable jaws for suction-feeding.

    But our new study, published in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, shows there is more nuance to this story. We found plankton-feeding fishes don’t follow a single uniform design. To our surprise, they display the widest range of body forms of any feeding group among reef fishes.

    Evolving similar traits

    A core idea in evolutionary theory since Charles Darwin is that species facing the same problem often evolve similar traits. This is a process known as convergent evolution. It explains the pattern we see among dolphins, sharks, and tunas – distantly related lineages unified in their streamlined body shape used for fast swimming.

    We set out to test whether the same phenomenon was true for plankton-feeding reef fishes. Planktivores are an ideal group to study in this case.

    For one, plankton-feeding is the most common feeding group among reef fishes – giving us many distantly related species to compare. For another, they all share the same challenge of having to spot and suck out small prey from the water column.

    Yellowtail Fusilier (Caesio cuning).
    Subphoto.com/Shutterstock

    So we asked: do plankton-feeding fishes have a distinct body shape? And do patterns of convergence hold true across a diversity of plankton-feeding reef fishes?

    The broadest range of body shapes

    To answer these questions, we collected shape data from nearly 300 species of reef fishes from 12 globally distributed families – including surgeonfishes, wrasses, snappers, and damselfishes. We measured 15 feeding, swimming, and vision-related traits such as jaw length, tail shape, and pupil size.

    By combining these measurements with evolutionary trees, we tested whether plankton-feeding fishes were distinct in shape to their counterparts.

    But what we found surprised us. Plankton-feeding fishes aren’t converging on a specific body shape. It is quite the opposite – they display the broadest range of body shapes among reef fishes. Some species – such as the schooling fusiliers – truly fit the typical “plankton-feeding” model. They exhibit traits such as a forked tail, torpedo-shaped body, large eyes, and small, extendable jaws.

    But most others break the mould entirely. For example, tiny gobies – just three centimetres long – cling onto whip corals and adopt a sit-and-wait approach for plankton to pass by.

    Other deep-bodied damselfishes depart a small distance from their coral hosts to feed on plankton. But how can we explain this diversity of planktivore body shapes?

    Blotcheye soldierfish (Myripristis berndti).
    Jnichanan/Shutterstock

    An innate ability

    The answer lies in the vast diversity of their behaviours and environments.

    Their body shape isn’t dictated by plankton-feeding alone – it’s shaped by where, when and how they feed. Some planktivores feed during the day, others at night. Some inhabit deep reefs, others are mere metres below the surface of the water. Some are restricted to rubble slopes while others prefer the reef edge. Some even target specific sizes and types of the plankton itself.

    This diversity in activity patterns, habitat use, and prey preferences places different demands on their body forms – explaining why we see such a range of shapes and sizes among plankton-feeding fishes.

    Even species we don’t typically think of as planktivores will feed on plankton when the chance arises. Just last year, while on Lizard Island, we watched yellowmask surgeonfishes – normally feeding on algae and detritus – swimming high above the reef, targeting plankton.

    Perhaps this flexibility shouldn’t surprise us. After all, all reef fishes begin their lives as plankton feeders, floating in the open ocean before settling on the reef. The ability for fishes to feed on plankton is likely innate.

    Yellow mask surgeonfish (Acanthurus mata).
    Marco Lissoni/Shutterstock

    Challenging a longstanding assumption

    Our findings challenge the longstanding assumption that planktivorous reef fishes are distinct in form and are converging towards an optimum body type.

    Instead, plankton-feeding is a highly accessible and flexible feeding strategy on coral reefs – available to fishes of many shapes, sizes, evolutionary histories, and even different feeding groups.

    This has important implications for how we think about reef fish ecology and evolution. It shows that broad feeding categories like “planktivore” can mask the diversity of other behavioural and ecological traits.

    Rather than converging on a single solution, reef fishes highlight something different: that there is more than one way to be a planktivore.

    Isabelle Ng receives funding from the James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship.

    Alexandre Siqueira receives funding from Edith Cowan University as a Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow.

    – ref. We study ‘planktivores’ – and found an amazing diversity of shapes among plankton-feeding fishes – https://theconversation.com/we-study-planktivores-and-found-an-amazing-diversity-of-shapes-among-plankton-feeding-fishes-254296

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 11, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 11, 2025.

    Do Inuit languages really have many words for snow? The most interesting finds from our study of 616 languages
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Kemp, Professor, School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Languages are windows into the worlds of the people who speak them – reflecting what they value and experience daily. So perhaps it’s no surprise different languages highlight different areas of vocabulary. Scholars have noted

    Labor gains 5-point lead in a YouGov poll, taken during Trump tariff chaos
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national YouGov poll, conducted April 4–10 from a sample of 1,505, gave Labor a 52.5–47.5 lead, a 1.5-point gain for Labor since the March 28 to

    Better cleaning of hospital equipment could cut patient infections by one-third – and save money
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Mitchell, Professor of Nursing and Health Services Research, University of Newcastle Annie Spratt/Unsplash Hospital-acquired infections are infections patients didn’t have when they were admitted to hospital. The most common include wound infections after surgery, urinary tract infections and pneumonia. These can have a big impact for

    As more communities have to consider relocation, we explore what happens to the land after people leave
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Hanna, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Christina Hanna, CC BY-SA Once floodwaters subside, talk of planned retreat inevitably rises. Within Aotearoa New Zealand, several communities from north to south – including Kumeū, Kawatiri Westport and parts of Ōtepoti Dunedin – are considering future

    Extinctions of Australian mammals have long been blamed on foxes and cats – but where’s the evidence?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arian Wallach, Future Fellow in Ecology, Queensland University of Technology michael garner/Shutterstock In 1938, zoologist Ellis Le Geyt Troughton mourned that Australia’s “gentle and specialized creatures” were “unable to cope with changed conditions and introduced enemies”. The role of these “enemies” – namely, foxes and feral cats

    Yes, government influences wages – but not just in the way you might think
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Peetz, Laurie Carmichael Distinguished Research Fellow at the Centre for Future Work, and Professor Emeritus, Griffith Business School, Griffith University doublelee/Shutterstock Can the government actually make a difference to the wages Australians earn? A lot of attention always falls on the government’s submission to the Fair

    Sorry gamers, Nintendo’s hefty Switch 2 price tag signals the new normal – and it might still go up
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Egliston, Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow, University of Sydney Last week, Nintendo announced the June 5 release of its long anticipated Switch 2. But the biggest talking point wasn’t the console’s launch titles or features. At US$449 in the United States,

    A fair go for young Australians in this election? Voters are weighing up intergenerational inequity
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Woodman, TR Ashworth Professor in Sociology, The University of Melbourne Securing the welfare of future generations seems like solid grounds for judging policies and politicians, especially during an election campaign. Political legacies are on the line because the stakes are so high. There is a real

    The Coalition prepares to soften Australia’s 2030 climate target, while reaffirming its commitment to the Paris Agreement
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute The Coalition has been forced to reassert its commitment to the Paris climate agreement after its energy spokesman Ted O’Brien appeared to waver on the pledge on Thursday. O’Brien faced off against Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen at

    Grattan on Friday: Will there be leadership changes on both sides of politics next parliamentary term?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor met for this week’s treasurers’ debate, the moderator observed that in three or six years they might be facing each other as prime minister and opposition leader. Election results trigger, or subsequently lead to,

    ‘Alarmist nonsense’: Labor and Coalition dismissed security risks over the Port of Darwin for years. What’s changed?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Laurenceson, Director and Professor, Australia-China Relations Institute (UTS:ACRI), University of Technology Sydney Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have both committed to stripping a Chinese company, Landbridge, of the lease to operate Darwin Port. Landbridge paid A$506 million for the 99-year lease from

    This chart explains why Trump backflipped on tariffs. The economic damage would have been huge
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Giesecke, Professor, Centre of Policy Studies and the Impact Project, Victoria University The Trump administration has announced a 90-day pause on its plan to impose so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on nearly all US imports. But the pause does not extend to China, where import duties will rise

    Big changes are planned for aged care in 2025. But you’d never know from the major parties
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hal Swerissen, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, La Trobe University Ground Picture/Shutterstock There has been little new in pre-election promises for Australia’s aged-care workers, providers or the 1.3 million people who use aged care. In March, Labor announced A$2.6 billion for another pay rise for aged-care nurses

    Good boy or bad dog? Our 1 billion pet dogs do real environmental damage
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bill Bateman, Associate Professor, Behavioural Ecology, Curtin University William Edge/Shutterstock There are an estimated 1 billion domesticated dogs in the world. Most are owned animals – pets, companions or working animals who share their lives with humans. They are the most common large predator in the world.

    A damning study of online abuse of female MPs shows urgent legal reform is needed
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Mudgway, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Canterbury Media Whale Stock/Shutterstock Women MPs are increasingly targets of misogynistic, racist and sexual online abuse, but New Zealand’s legal framework to protect them is simply not fit for purpose. Recently released research found online threats of physical and

    Fresh details emerge on Australia’s new climate migration visa for Tuvalu residents. An expert explains
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane McAdam, Scientia Professor and ARC Laureate Fellow, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Sydney The details of a new visa enabling Tuvaluan citizens to permanently migrate to Australia were released this week. The visa was created as part of a bilateral treaty Australia and Tuvalu

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 10, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 10, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Boating Incident – Roaring Beaches, South Arm

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Boating Incident – Roaring Beaches, South Arm

    Friday, 11 April 2025 – 12:10 pm.

    Sadly, a man has died after a boating incident at Roaring Beach in Southern Tasmania this morning.
    Police and other emergency services were called to the scene about 8.45am after reports a boat had experienced engine failure and was struck by large waves.
    Two men were on board the boat at the time of the incident.
    One man was able to return to shore safely before raising the alarm.
    He was taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital for treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
    The Westpac Rescue Helicopter, police and civilian vessels searched the area for the missing man who was sadly located along with the overturned boat about 9.40am.
    Our thoughts are with the man’s loved ones.
    A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police investigating vehicle rollover, Carlton

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Police investigating vehicle rollover, Carlton

    Friday, 11 April 2025 – 12:10 pm.

    Police are investigating the circumstances of a vehicle rollover involving a white Ford Falcon utility on Carlton River Road, Carlton last night.
    Police were called to the scene near the intersection of Moomere Street shortly before 7:30pm, following reports a vehicle had rolled.
    The two occupants were reportedly removing property from the vehicle, including its registration plates, and loading it into a nearby burgundy Ford Falcon sedan.
    The pair then left the crash scene prior to police arrival.
    Hooning and burnouts in the Carlton and Lewisham areas were reported immediately before the crash.
    Police are investigating, and are following a particular line of enquiry.
    Anyone with information about the crash, or dashcam or CCTV footage of either vehicle in the area at the time, is urged to contact police on 131 444 and quote ESCAD 347-10042025.
    Information can also be provided to Crime Stoppers Tasmania anonymously.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Warning: Smoke from hazard reduction burns

    Source: Australian Green Party

    ​​NSW Health is warning people to take precautions as smoke from hazard reduction burns in and around the Blue Mountains may affect air quality today and into the weekend, especially in the mountains and Western Sydney.
    NSW Health’s Director of Environmental Health Dr Stephen Conaty said smoke can have serious health effects, especially for people with existing heart and lung conditions.
    “Smoke particles in the air can irritate the eyes and airways, and for most people, this causes temporary symptoms like a cough and a sore throat​,” Dr Conaty said.
    “However, smoke particles that get into the lung can worsen pre-existing health conditions like angina, asthma, emphysema and diabetes, potentially causing serious illness.
    “In particular we’re urging people to take precautions with infants, young children, and people over 65 years of age who may be more sensitive to the effects of smoke.”
    People across Sydney should monitor the air quality levels​​ where they are and follow the recommended health advice. Air quality information and health messages are available at NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment – Air Quality Index (AQI) data​.
    General tips to decrease risk from smoke:

    Follow your doctor’s advice about medicines and your asthma management plan if you have one. Keep your medication close at hand. Consult your doctor if symptoms worsen. In an emergency always call 000.
    Monitor air quality: Air quality information and a health activity guide are available at Air quality concentration data​​.
    Avoid vigorous outdoor activity when it’s smoky, children especially should avoid unnecessary outdoor activities including vigorous exercise, sightseeing and outdoor play when it is smoky. 
    Spend more time indoors: Keep doors and windows closed in your home until the smoke clears. Air quality is also generally better in air-conditioned venues such as cinemas, libraries and shopping centres.
    Keep indoor air cleaner by ensuring if you have an air purifier with a high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filter or an air-conditioner that it does not draw in air from outside to keep indoor air cleaner.
    Spend time in air-conditioned buildings like public libraries and shopping centres or the home of a friend or family member where there is less smoke.
    Wear a P2 or N95 mask to protect from some of the smoke if you are unable to avoid it. To be effective the mask must fit your face well with an air-tight seal.

    More information can be found at the NSW Health website: Protect yourself from bushfire smoke​.​
    ​

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 118-2025: Xylella emergency measures: Inclusion of Cannabis as a regulated host for imported nursery stock

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    11 April 2025

    Who does this notice affect?

    This notice affects importers of live plants (nursery stock), customs brokers and departmental staff.

    What has changed?

    The department has identified a scientific publication by Ahmad et al. (2024) reporting that the plant pathogenic bacteria, Xylella fastidiosa (Xylella), was detected overseas in commercial, field grown Cannabis crops.

    The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Do Inuit languages really have many words for snow? The most interesting finds from our study of 616 languages

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Kemp, Professor, School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne

    Shutterstock

    Languages are windows into the worlds of the people who speak them – reflecting what they value and experience daily.

    So perhaps it’s no surprise different languages highlight different areas of vocabulary. Scholars have noted that Mongolian has many horse-related words, that Maori has many words for ferns, and Japanese has many words related to taste.

    Some links are unsurprising, such as German having many words related to beer, or Fijian having many words for fish. The linguist Paul Zinsli wrote an entire book on Swiss-German words related to mountains.

    In our recently-published study we took a broad approach towards understanding the links between different languages and concepts.

    Using computational methods, we identified areas of vocabulary that are characteristic of specific languages, to provide insight into linguistic and cultural variation.

    Our work adds to a growing understanding of language, culture, and the way they both relate.

    Japanese has many words related to taste. One of these is umami, which is often used to describe the rich taste of matcha green tea.
    Shutterstock

    Our method

    We tested 163 links between languages and concepts, drawn from the literature.

    We compiled a digital dataset of 1574 bilingual dictionaries that translate between English and 616 different languages. Since many of these dictionaries were still under copyright, we only had access to counts of how often a particular word appeared in each dictionary.

    One example of a concept we looked at was “horse”, for which the top-scoring languages included French, German, Kazakh and Mongolian. This means dictionaries in these languages had a relatively high number of

    1. words for horses. For instance, Mongolian аргамаг means “a good racing or riding horse”
    2. words related to horses. For instance, Mongolian чөдөрлөх means “to hobble a horse”.

    However, it is also possible the counts were influenced by “horse” appearing in example sentences for unrelated terms.

    Not a hoax after all?

    Our findings support most links previously highlighted by researchers, including that Hindi has many words related to love and Japanese has many words related to obligation and duty.

    ‘Silk’ was one of the most popular concepts for Mandarin Chinese.
    Shutterstock

    We were especially interested in testing the idea that Inuit languages have many words for snow. This notorious claim has long been distorted and exaggerated. It has even been dismissed as the “great Eskimo vocabulary hoax”, with some experts saying it simply isn’t true.

    But our results suggest the Inuit snow vocabulary is indeed exceptional. Out of 616 languages, the language with the top score for “snow” was Eastern Canadian Inuktitut. The other two Inuit languages in our data set (Western Canadian Inuktitut and North Alaskan Inupiatun) also achieved high scores for “snow”.

    The Eastern Canadian Inuktitut dictionary in our dataset includes terms such as kikalukpok, which means “noisy walking on hard snow”, and apingaut, which means “first snow fall”.

    The top 20 languages for “snow” included several other languages of Alaska, such as Ahtena, Dena’ina and Central Alaskan Yupik, as well as Japanese and Scots.

    Scots includes terms such as doon-lay, meaning “a heavy fall of snow”, feughter meaning “a sudden, slight fall of snow”, and fuddum, meaning “snow drifting at intervals”.

    You can explore our findings using the tool below, which allows you to identify the top languages for any given concept, and the top concepts for a particular language.

    Language and environment

    Although the languages with top scores for “snow” are all spoken in snowy regions, the top-ranked languages for “rain” were not always from the rainiest parts of the world.

    For instance, South Africa has a medium level of rainfall, but languages from this region, such as Nyanja, East Taa and Shona, have many rain-related words. This is probably because, unlike snow, rain is important for human survival – which means people still talk about it in its absence.

    For speakers of East Taa, rain is both relatively rare and desirable. This is reflected in terms such as lábe ||núu-bâ, an “honorific form of address to thunder to bring rain” and |qába, which refers to the “ritual sprinkling of water or urine to bring rain”.

    Our tool can also be used to explore various concepts related to perception (“smell”), emotion (“love”) and cultural beliefs (“ghost”).

    The top-scoring languages for “smell” include a cluster of Oceanic languages such as Marshallese, which has terms such as jatbo meaning “smell of damp clothing”, meļļā meaning “smell of blood”, and aelel meaning “smell of fish, lingering on hands, body, or utensils”.

    Prior to our research, the smell terms of the Pacific Islands had received little attention.

    Some caveats

    Although our analysis reveals many interesting links between languages and concepts, the results aren’t always reliable – and should be checked against original dictionaries where possible.

    For example, the top concepts for Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German) include von (“of”), den (“the”) and und (“and”) – all of which are unrevealing. We excluded similar words from other languages using Wiktionary, but our method did not filter out these common words for Plautdietsch.

    Also, the word counts reflect both dictionary definitions and other elements, such as example sentences. While our analysis excluded words that are especially likely to appear in example sentences (such as “woman” and “father”), such words could have still influenced our results to some extent.

    Most importantly, our results run the risk of perpetuating potentially harmful stereotypes if taken at face value. So we urge caution and respect while using the tool. The concepts it lists for any given language provide, at best, a crude reflection of the cultures associated with that language.

    Charles Kemp was supported by a Future Fellowship (FT190100200) awarded by the Australian Research Council.

    Temuulen Khishigsuren was supported by a Future Fellowship (FT190100200) awarded by the Australian Research Council.

    Ekaterina Vylomova and Terry Regier do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Do Inuit languages really have many words for snow? The most interesting finds from our study of 616 languages – https://theconversation.com/do-inuit-languages-really-have-many-words-for-snow-the-most-interesting-finds-from-our-study-of-616-languages-252522

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: China

    Source:

    We’ve reviewed our advice for China and continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution. As previously advised, authorities have detained foreigners on the grounds of ‘endangering national security’. Australians may be at risk of arbitrary detention or harsh enforcement of local laws, including broadly defined National Security Laws.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New household waste collection contract commencement

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services



    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 11/04/2025

    From Monday 28 April 2025, JJ’s Waste and Recycling will start as the new service provider for the collection of household bins in the ACT.

    In 2024 the ACT Government announced the consolidation of all household waste collection services into one contract. This contract was awarded to JJ’s Waste and Recycling.

    Over the past 12 months JJ’s Waste and Recycling has been acquiring a new fleet of vehicles, including one electric collection truck, and preparing staff and facilities for the commencement of service delivery.

    Under the new contract, JJ’s Waste and Recycling will be responsible for delivering the following services:

    • collection of landfill (red or dark green lid) and recycling (yellow lid) bins
    • collection of green waste (light green lid) and food organics and garden organics (FOGO) bins (light green lid)
    • supply and repair of household bins
    • collection of bulky waste items.

    As part of the new arrangements there will only be one change to the household waste collection calendar. This change will be for the suburb of Charnwood (see details at the bottom of this media release).

    The scheduled collection day for all other suburb collections will remain the same.

    While there are no further formal changes to the bin collection schedule, Canberrans are asked to be patient during the transition process. While every effort is being made to ensure a smooth transition between service providers, there is potential for some temporary service impacts.

    Important things for ACT households to note include that:

    • bin collections may occur at a different time of the day than usual, so please put your bins on the kerb by 7am
    • there is a possibility of temporary service disruptions in the lead up to 28 April and when the new contractor starts, so please leave your bin/s on the kerb until emptied
    • in the event of any service disruptions please visit our website at www.act.gov.au/bins for updates
    • missed bin collections can be reported to the service provider using the phone numbers provided below. Please try to call within 24 hours of the missed collection.

    Prior to Monday 28 April 2025

    • For landfill (red lid) and recycling bins (yellow lid) contact Veolia on 6260 1547.
    • For green waste and FOGO bins (light green lid) contact JJ’s Waste & Recycling on 6270 5070.

    From Monday 28 April 2025

    • For landfill (red lid), recycling bins (yellow lid) and green waste and FOGO bins (light green lid) call JJ’s Waste & Recycling on 6270 5070.

    For more information, including to view the current collection schedule, visit www.act.gov.au/bins.

    Change to Charnwood collection day

    From Monday 28 April 2025, household bin collections in Charnwood will move to Wednesdays.

    This is for all three household bins including recycling, landfill and green waste. Recycling and green waste are collected on alternate weeks.

    This means there will be a change to the current collection day for some households in Charnwood. There will be no change to collection schedules for multi-unit dwellings.

    The change is happening to improve collection efficiency. Currently, collection of household bins in Charnwood is split over four days. From 28 April 2025, there will be one single collection day for Charnwood.

    The ACT Government will provide all affected households with a new collection calendar in their letterbox.

    – Statement ends –

    ACT Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate | Media Releases

    Media Contacts

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Directorate Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Appeal close to home for Werribee Fire Brigade

    Source:

    Werribee Fire Brigade members are gearing up for the Good Friday Appeal

    Werribee Fire Brigade members will be hitting the streets once again this Good Friday, hoping to raise as much as possible for The Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal.

    Fundraising as a brigade since 1977, the brigade begins planning months before the day itself, taking into account where members will be stationed, transport for the day and most importantly who will be cooking the fish on the BBQ to keep them fueled.  

    Having raised well over $1 million for the cause over the years, the Appeal is a key event in the brigade’s annual calendar. 

    Werribee Fire Brigade Captain Michael Wells has been a CFA member for 36 years and has fond memories of fundraising with the brigade in the late 1980s right through to today. He said fundraising is a joint effort between the brigade itself and the wider community.  

    “We rely on our members to get involved, both in the lead-up to and on the day itself, and we rely on our community to be generous enough to allow us to do that,” Michael said. 

    “Everyone gets behind the cause and it really inspires us to keep doing this.” 

    For the brigade members, fundraising for the Appeal is a proud extension to their volunteerism with CFA. 

    “As firefighters, we often see devastation that can occur and incidents where children might end up needing the services of The Royal Children’s Hospital, whether it’s a burn or an injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident,” Michael said. 

    “We volunteer with CFA because we are community-minded and like giving back, so this is just another way we can contribute. We understand the importance of having the best facilities available, and if we can contribute to this in some way, it is worthwhile.” 

    The cause hits close to home for the team, with many brigade members using the services of The Royal Children’s Hospital over many years.  

    Werribee Fire Brigade firefighter Mick Davie is one of those members. Mick has done everything and more over his last 20 years of fundraising, from door-knocking, tin-rattling, to sitting on the organising committee.  

    “My family has a long history with both CFA and the Good Friday Appeal. Both my kids and my wife get there early in the morning with me, and we spend the day helping to raise as much money as we can for the cause,” Mick said.  

    “We’ve seen the impacts the Appeal can have firsthand, with both of our kids needing treatment. 

    “Our son, Jake, has needed two head reconstructions and our daughter, Charlotte, is currently going through cancer treatment, so we are at the hospital weekly. We can’t speak highly enough about them and what they have done for our family. 

    “We are so lucky to have the Royal Children’s Hospital so close and accessible to us. The staff there are the best in the world at what they do, they are so good at finding the best treatment for each individual and what will work best for each child. 

    “There is a reason that people come from around the world to see specialists there.  

    “We need the hospital to have the best gear possible so our kids can be looked after. 

    “You can see the impact that the Good Friday Appeal can have as soon as you visit The Royal Children’s Hospital. It is really important to keep the support going.” 

    This year, CFA volunteers are aiming to surpass $40 million in total funds collected for the Good Friday Appeal across 74 years.   

    On Good Friday, call 1300 APPEAL between 9am and 11pm.

    • Jake, Mick and Charlotte Davie
    • The Good Friday Appeal is a community event for Werribee crews
    • Werribee Fire Brigade have been heavily involved with the Appeal for many years
    • The Appeal is a great opportunity to get as many brigade members involved as possible
    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT Disability Strategy builds a more inclusive Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services



    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 11/04/2025

    On the one-year anniversary of the ACT Disability Strategy, the ACT Government is reinforcing our commitment to fostering a more inclusive city for people with disability.

    The development of the 10-year Strategy and associated action plans set a high bar as an example of extensive community-led co-design approaches with people with disability, advocates, carers and service providers.

    The Government has committed more than $5.5 million to support delivering on the Strategy’s priorities to continue removing barriers and enhancing accessibility for people with disability in the ACT.

    Key achievements in the first year of the Strategy and First Action Plan include:

    • Increasing funding for Disability Inclusion Grants and launching the new Supporting and Strengthening LGBTIQA+ Communities grant program to support community-led peer support initiatives for LGBTQI+ people with disabilities.
    • The transition of International Day for people with Disability (I-Day) to community control to ensure celebrations of this important day are led by the disability community.
    • The Our Canberra newsletter is now available in Easy English.
    • Supporting all Canberrans to enjoy major festivals and events with more accessible change facilities at these events.
    • Providing access to new sexual violence prevention training programs for ACT disability sector workers and Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence sector workers to support individuals with intellectual and learning disabilities.

    The Government acknowledges there is still more to do to ensure Canberrans living with a disability have full and equal participation in all aspects of community life.

    Key focus of the work ahead includes:

    • Hosting a Disability Inclusive Emergency Planning Forum for people with disability to enhance safety during disasters.
    • Investigating options to deliver a self-advocacy program to help people with disabilities understand and assert their human rights.
    • Progressing a supported work experience pilot program for ACT students with disabilities to receive customised student-centred work experience.
    • Providing ongoing opportunities for community participation through the YourSay Panel platform and increased funding for I-Day Grants.

    The progression of this important work will continue to be guided and informed by the experiences of people with disability and the broader ACT Disability Community.

    Quote attributable to Minister for Disability, Carers and Community Services Suzanne Orr:

    “Today marks an important milestone in our journey to ensuring Canberra is as inclusive as it can be and a place where people with disability can fully and easily participate in all aspects of our community.

    “I would like to thank everyone who has shared their time, expertise and experience in the last year to ensure the needs of people with disability are heard and we are making the change that is needed.

    “Making our city truly inclusive won’t happen straight away and I look forward to working with the community as we continue to build on our work to date.”

    Quote attributable to Renée Heaton, Chair of Disability Reference Group:

    “It has been 12 months since the ACT Disability Strategy was launched and with so much reform yet to come the DRG are pleased that the Strategy and first action plan is delivering for Canberrans with disability now.

    “The actions delivered to date cross directorates and interlink to make sure that however a person with disability wants to live their life, they can.

    “For example, if they want to go out to the multicultural festival, they can knowing there’s an accessible changing places bathroom available.

    “People with disability deserve to have great lives so we look forward to the ACT Government continuing to deliver on the First Action Plan and showing the rest of Australia how it’s done.”

    – Statement ends –

    Suzanne Orr, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Outage advice – Friday April 11, 2025

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Please be aware that our Payment Portal, Online Customer Requests and Building Application lodgment portal will be unavailable between:

    Starts: 5.00pm on Friday April 11, 2025

    Ends: 12.00am on Saturday April 12, 2025

    For any payments please refer to your invoice or statement for other payment options during this period.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 04/10/2025 Blackburn, Cantwell, Heinrich Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Transparency, Combat AI Deepfakes & Put Journalists, Artists & Songwriters Back in Control of Their Content

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) reintroduced the Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act (COPIED ACT) to combat harmful deepfakes. The bill would set new federal transparency guidelines for marking, authenticating and detecting AI-generated content, protect journalists, actors and artists against AI-driven theft, and hold violators accountable for abuses.  

    “Artificial intelligence has given bad actors the ability to create deepfakes of every individual, including those in the creative community, to imitate their likeness without their consent and profit off of counterfeit content,” said Senator Blackburn. “The COPIED Act takes an important step to better defend common targets like artists and performers against deepfakes and other inauthentic content.” 

    “The bipartisan COPIED Act I introduced with Senator Blackburn will provide much-needed transparency around AI-generated content,” said Senator Cantwell. “The COPIED Act will also put creators, including local journalists, artists and musicians, back in control of their content with a provenance and watermark process that is very much needed.”

    “Deepfakes are a real threat to our democracy and to Americans’ safety and well-being,” said Senator Heinrich. “I’m proud to support Senator Cantwell’s COPIED Act that will provide the technical tools needed to help crack down on harmful and deceptive AI-generated content and better protect professional journalists and artists from having their content used by AI systems without their consent. Congress needs to step up and pass this legislation to protect the American people.”

    The COPIED Act (S. 1396):

    Bill Text and Summary

    • Creates Transparency Standards: Requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop guidelines and standards for content provenance information, watermarking and synthetic content detection. These standards will promote transparency to identify if content has been generated or manipulated by AI, as well as where AI content originated. The bill also directs NIST to develop cybersecurity measures to prevent tampering with provenance and watermarking on AI content.
    • Puts Journalists, Artists and Musicians in Control of Their Content: Requires providers of AI tools used to generate creative or journalistic content to allow owners of that content to attach provenance information to it and prohibits its removal. The bill prohibits the unauthorized use of content with provenance information to train AI models or generate AI content. These measures give content owners—journalists, newspapers, artists, songwriters, and others—the ability to protect their work and set the terms of use for their content, including compensation.
    • Gives Individuals a Right to Sue Violators: Authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general to enforce the bill’s requirements.  It also gives newspapers, broadcasters, artists, and other content owners the right to bring suit in court against platforms or others who use their content without permission.
    • Prohibits Tampering with or Disabling AI Provenance Information: Currently, there is no law that prohibits removing, disabling, or tampering with content provenance information. The bill prohibits anyone, including internet platforms, search engines and social media companies, from interfering with content provenance information in these ways.  

    Major Endorsements

    SAG-AFTRA

    “For SAG-AFTRA, protecting the ability of our members to control their images, likenesses, and voices is paramount. The capacity of AI to produce stunningly accurate digital representations of performers poses a real and present threat to the economic and reputational well-being and self-determination of our members.  Senator Cantwell’s legislation would ensure that the tools necessary to make the use of AI technology transparent and traceable to the point of origin will make it possible for victims of the misuse of the technology to identify malicious parties and go after them. We need a fully transparent and accountable supply chain for generative Artificial Intelligence and the content it creates in order to protect everyone’s basic right to control the use of their face, voice, and persona. We applaud Senator Cantwell for her leadership on the issue and support this legislation as part of a comprehensive approach to preventing unauthorized abuse of this transformative technology.” – Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator

    Nashville Songwriters Association International

    “The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the world’s largest songwriter advocacy trade association, applauds Senators Maria Cantwell, Blackburn and Heinrich for introducing legislation to help put transparency guardrails around Generative Artificial Intelligence for human creators. Specifically, we note her including artists in the Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act and recognizing it is more financially feasible for songwriters and other human creators to adjudicate these matters in a local civil court when possible. NSAI will work with her office toward adoption of this important legislation.” – Barton Herbison, Executive Director NSAI

    Recording Academy

    “The Recording Academy applauds Chair Cantwell and Senators Blackburn and Heinrich for their commitment to the ethical use of AI and their recognition of the need for guardrails that provide transparency and protection for creators. We look forward to continuing to work with them as this process moves forward.”  – Todd Dupler, Chief Advocacy and Public Policy Officer

    National Music Publishers’ Association

    “We greatly appreciate Senator Cantwell’s leadership on preventing the unauthorized use and dissemination of deepfakes. The Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act of 2025 ensures that AI-generated content is clearly identified and that there is recourse when those labels are tampered with. As AI-generated music continues to disrupt the legitimate market, it is essential that listeners know where their music is coming from. Artists and songwriters deserve protection against unauthorized imitations and this legislation is an important step towards that goal.” – David Israelite, President and CEO

    Recording Industry Association of America

    “Protecting the life’s work and legacy of artists has never been more important as AI platforms copy and use recordings scraped off the internet at industrial scale and AI-generated deepfakes keep multiplying at rapid pace. RIAA strongly supports provenance requirements as a fundamental building block for accountability and enforcement of creators’ rights. Leading tech companies refuse to share basic data about the creation and training of their models as they profit from copying and using unlicensed copyrighted material to generate synthetic recordings that unfairly compete with original works. We appreciate Senators Cantwell, Blackburn and Heinrich’s leadership with the Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act of 2025 that would grant much needed visibility into AI development and pave the way for more ethical innovation and fair and transparent competition in the digital marketplace.” – Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO

    The Television Academy

    “The Television Academy, representing nearly 30,000 members across all disciplines of the television industry, applauds Senator Cantwell for reintroducing the COPIED Act. As artificial intelligence and digital replication technologies evolve, the need for transparency is tantamount. This bill will set necessary federal transparency guidelines for marking, authenticating, and detecting AI-generated content. Further, it gives the broad membership of the Television Academy the ability to control their voice, likeness, and creative expressions, and give content owners the ability to pursue recourse if their content is used without permission. The Television Academy looks forward to helping get the COPIED Act adopted.” – Maury McIntyre, President and CEO

    NewsGuild-CWA

    “Journalists are essential to a free and fair democracy. Too many media companies are attempting to replace journalists with AI, resulting in false, misleading clickbait and the decimation of our news ecosystems. It is essential that journalists are not replaced by misguided media companies looking to maximize profits at the expense of human-driven journalism that informs the public and holds our institutions accountable. We thank Senator Cantwell for her leadership on ensuring fair and equitable use of Artificial Intelligence that puts the worker and their rights at the center of the deployment of this new technology.” – Jon Schleuss, President  

    News/Media Alliance

    “The News/Media Alliance, representing over 2200 news, magazine, and digital media publishers worldwide, applauds the leadership of Senators Cantwell, Blackburn and Heinrich to address the need for AI regulation. We look forward to working with them to refine and advance this critical legislation to ensure news publishers and creators of quality content are adequately protected. Legislation should balance the innovation around these emerging technologies with preserving quality, accuracy, and a thriving free press, and Senators Cantwell, Blackburn and Heinrich have taken a major step forward to accomplish that by introducing this bill.” – Danielle Coffey, President and CEO

    National Newspaper Association
    “We appreciate Senator Cantwell for taking on this difficult and disturbing issue. Deepfakes fly in the face of the true intent of the First Amendment. It’s important that citizens continue to trust local news sources to bring them quality journalism that has been vetted and verified.” – John Galer, Chair, National Newspaper Association Board of Directors; Publisher of The Journal-News in Hillsboro, IL

    America’s Newspapers

    “America’s Newspapers, the trade association representing more than 1,500 local community newspapers, commends Senator Maria Cantwell for introducing legislation that addresses the emerging problem of deepfakes. It is critical to our democracy that news organizations provide their communities with trusted information and news. The issue of deepfakes must be addressed to maintain consumer confidence in news providers. We look forward to working with Sen. Cantwell on this important legislation.” – Dean Ridings, CEO

    Rebuild Local News
    “The proliferation of deepfakes is an enormous problem that’s going to get much worse if lawmakers and regulators don’t act. This will be particularly dangerous when it comes to residents getting information about their local communities because the collapse of local news has left us with fewer journalistic watchdogs. We commend Senator Cantwell for shining a spotlight on this issue and we look forward to working with her to devise appropriate policies in this complex area.” – Steven Waldman, President

    National Association of Broadcasters

    “Deepfakes pose a significant threat to the integrity of broadcasters’ trusted journalism,” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “We are grateful to Ranking Member Cantwell and Sens. Blackburn and Heinrich for reintroducing this bill to protect the authenticity of the vital local and national news that radio and television stations provide our communities. We also applaud efforts to prohibit the use of broadcasters’ news content to train generative AI systems without express consent and compensation to the news creator. We look forward to working with the committee to help advance this bill and these fundamental principles critical to our ability to continue serving communities with trusted news.” – Curtis LeGeyt, President and CEO

    Artist Rights Alliance

    “The Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) applauds Senator Cantwell for introducing legislation to combat deception and confusion in the AI marketplace and protect artists from the unauthorized and unethical use of AI. As AI technology continues to evolve at breakneck speed, we must ensure that creators do not fall victim to deepfakes and other abuses of their very personhood. ARA is grateful for Senator Cantwell’s commitment to building a framework for responsible AI that is grounded in the fundamental principles of transparency and choice.” – Jen Jacobsen, Executive Director

    Human Artistry Campaign
    “Deepfakes pose an existential threat to our culture and society, making it hard to believe what we see and hear and leaving individual creators vulnerable as tech companies use our art without consent while AI-generated content leads to confusion about what is real. Requiring transparency is a meaningful step that will help protect us all – ensuring that nonconsensual, harmful content can be removed quickly and providing a clear origin when our life’s work has been used.” – Dr. Moiya McTier, Senior Advisor

    Public Citizen

    “Public Citizen strongly believes that every person has a right to know when they are seeing, hearing or engaging with AI-generated content.  This is critical for the purposes of maintaining social trust in our society. A poll found that 79 percent of people polled worry the information they are seeing online is fake or meant to confuse. Senator Cantwell’s Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act of 2025 is an important step towards safeguarding truth and trust in the AI age. This legislation addresses key issues surrounding deepfakes and AI-generated media by directing NIST to develop robust standards for detecting and labeling synthetic content and promotes provenance protections for AI generated content. If passed, this bill would promote online transparency and ethical AI use, which is desperately needed in today’s online ecosystem.” – Richard Anthony, Emerging Technologies Policy Advocate

    The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL), the Songwriters Guild of America (SGA), and Music Creators North America (MCNA)

    “The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL), the Songwriters Guild of America (SGA), and Music Creators North America (MCNA) applaud Senator Cantwell for initiating a crucial, beginning step towards addressing the myriad of existential threats to the American songwriter and composer community posed by unregulated generative artificial intelligence.  As the leading organizational representatives for America’s music creators, our independent groups represent many thousands of composers and songwriters, solely. We formulate our policy positions without undue outside influence from third parties, and we extend our enthusiastic support for introduction of the proposed bill.  The urgent need to require all generative AI users to deal transparently and fairly with the creative community cannot be overstated, and we look forward to working with Senator Cantwell’s office in addressing these and the many other challenges and opportunities provided by GenAI technologies in the immediate future.” – Ashley Irwin, SCL President & MCNA co-chair

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 04/10/2025 Blackburn, Klobuchar Introduce Bill to Help Rescue More Victims of Human Trafficking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced the Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act, which would give states flexibility with federal funding to post human trafficking awareness signage at rest stops and welcome centers along the Interstate System, helping to educate the public and better support survivors of human trafficking:

    “As human traffickers move their victims across the country, they travel on the same highways and visit the same rest stops and gas stations as everyone else, which creates multiple opportunities to identify these victims,” said Senator Blackburn. “This bipartisan legislation would give all states the flexibility to take advantage of signage campaigns that have been proven effective to rescue more men, women, and children from this heinous crime.”

    “We must do everything in our power to stop human trafficking, and public awareness campaigns are a proven, effective tool to combat this issue,” said Senator Klobuchar. “That is why we are introducing bipartisan legislation to provide more information about signs of trafficking and how to help victims. This bill will give law enforcement crucial information to take on criminals and get more victims to safety.”

    BACKGROUND

    • Human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar industry, generating over $250 billion in profits each year. Individuals trafficked in the United States, whether through labor or sex trafficking, are transported on our nation’s interstate system. 
    • Victim identification is essential to disrupting transnational trafficking rings, and public awareness is key to these efforts. Signage campaigns detailing ways to recognize and report human trafficking have been extremely successful. 
    • One public awareness signage campaign in Texas led to a 30 percent increase in calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, ultimately resulting in over 1,000 survivors being identified.

    COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN TRANSPORTATION ACT

    Specifically, the Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act would: 

    • Amend the list of eligible projects under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program and the RAISE Discretionary Grant Program to include the procurement and installation of human trafficking awareness signage at rest stops and welcome centers along the Interstate System; and
    • Add a 16th seat to the Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking specifically for a representative from state departments of transportation.

    Click here to read the bill text.

    ENDORSEMENTS

    This legislation is supported by Truckers Against Trafficking, Engage Together, Street Grace, A21, 3Strands Global Foundation, Raven, Polaris Project, Pearl at the Mailbox, Lynn’s Warriors, Empowered Network, Love Never Fails, Compassion First, Survivor Led Solutions, SK Sultana, Bridge 2 Future, There is Hope for Me, Mentari, Resiliency Foundation, World Without Exploitation, Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force, Wealth Management Ministries-Prevention Works Joint Task Force and Coalition, Chains Interrupted, One More Child, Campaign Against Human Trafficking, and Hope for Justice.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT Youth Week: Celebrating young people’s contributions to the Canberra community

    Source: Australian National Party



    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 10/04/2025

    Young people in Canberra are encouraged to participate in ACT Youth Week 2025, which will be held from 10 – 20 April. The 10-day celebration features a vibrant program of free, fun and informative events across the city.

    “ACT Youth Week is a prime opportunity to celebrate the invaluable role that young people play in our community,” Minister for Children, Youth and Families, Michael Pettersson MLA said.

    “Every day young people are making a real difference in Canberra. Young people are some of our most creative, energetic, passionate and committed citizens with their constant desire to make this world a better place. As Minister for Children, Youth and Families I am continually amazed at young people’s generosity for community work, activism and achieving personal goals.”

    “I hope that young people in Canberra will get involved with the incredible line-up of events and activities to meet new people, celebrate being young and to share their incredible stories.”

    To support ACT Youth Week, the ACT Government provided grants of up to $2,000 for youth-led initiatives that:

    • strengthen community connections;
    • celebrate young people’s diversity;
    • encourage participation across all backgrounds and interests, such as sporting days, creative programs, movie screenings and cultural celebrations.

    There are several exciting events being held over the next 10 days, which received funding through the ACT Youth Week Grants Program. These include:

    • The 12 Hour Theatre Project – a creative challenge where young people will write, rehearse and perform short theatre works in just 12 hours.
    • Melanesian Film Fest Day – a two-day event celebrating Melanesian culture through films, workshops and panel discussions.
    • Your Moments Captured – an art project inviting young people to explore their surroundings and experiences through drawings and photography, with selected works exhibited at the Belconnen Gallery.

    A full list of ACT Youth Week events is available at: www.act.gov.au/our-canberra/latest-news/2025/april/your-guide-to-act-youth-week-in-canberra

    Quotes attributable to Vando Celestina Emmy Rabi, the ACT Government’s Young Canberra Citizen of the Year 2024:

    “Youth Week is an important occasion for me because it provides a dedicated space to celebrate and amplify the voices of young people in our communities. It’s a time to reflect on the incredible contributions that youth make to society and to highlight the potential we all have to drive positive change. Personally, it means a chance to connect with others, share experiences, and inspire each other to continue pushing boundaries and striving for a better future,” Ms Rabi said.

    – Statement ends –

    Michael Pettersson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 116-2025: Biosecurity Portal – indicate when the goods will be ready for inspection

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    10 April 2025

    Who does this notice affect?

    Approved arrangements operators, customs brokers, importers, manned depots, and freight forwarders who are required to book and manage requests for inspections via the Biosecurity Portal.

    Information

    The Biosecurity Portal allows a requester to provide the exact time that goods are available. Providing this information will assist the department in allocating resources effectively. Biosecurity Portal users are encouraged…

    MIL OSI News –