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Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-Evening Report: Erin Patterson has been found guilty in the mushroom murder trial. Legal experts explain why

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor in Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia

    After seven weeks of evidence, six days of summing up, and six and a half days of jury deliberation in the Victorian Supreme Court sitting in Morwell, Victoria, the verdict is finally in. Erin Patterson murdered her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, along with Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson.

    She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Heather’s husband Ian: the only guest to survive the beef wellington lunch served in July 2023 at her home in Leongatha.

    In delivering the guilty verdict, the jury was satisfied Erin Patterson had complete control over the ingredients that went into the meal portions served to her guests – portions that included death cap mushrooms.

    There would not be too many observers surprised with the outcome, given the strength of the prosecution case presented by Nanette Rogers.

    There were no procedural surprises in this case. The prosecution presented its case, followed by the defence and ultimately, a jury verdict.

    But this much-publicised case raises a number of legal issues that contributed to the length of the trial and its outcome. Let’s unpack them.

    Motive doesn’t matter

    The first is the question of motive. Defence counsel Colin Mandy made much of his assertion that there was no apparent reason for the accused to kill her guests.

    It is, however, a mistake to think there needs to be a motive in order to convict. In cases of murder and attempted murder, all that’s required is for a jury to find a “culpable state of mind”.

    In the case of the three deceased, the jury needed to be satisfied, beyond any reasonable doubt, that there was an intention to kill, or to do serious bodily harm.

    In other words, it did not matter why Patterson killed her victims, only that she intended to do so, or to inflict serious harm with death resulting. In the case of the surviving guest, the jury was satisfied that there had been an intention to kill.

    Establishing a motive is a useful tool that prosecution counsel may deploy to add fuel to the fire in the courtroom, but it was not necessary for Rogers to locate a motive in order for the jury to reach guilty verdicts.

    Circumstantial, but substantial

    Another oft-repeated fallacy is that guilty verdicts require more than “mere” circumstantial evidence.

    In fact, most evidence in criminal cases is circumstantial, because direct evidence (such as an eyewitness or a visual or voice recording) is usually unavailable.

    The circumstantial evidence in this case, according to the prosecution, included the attempted hiding of a tainted dehydrator, the doubt cast over whether an Asian grocer was the source of the poisonous mushrooms, and the fact that Erin Patterson’s meal portion was free of the deadly ingredient.

    Placed together, this circumstantial evidence was strong enough for the 12 men and women to return guilty verdicts.

    Indeed, taking into consideration the strength of this evidence, it is perhaps surprising that Patterson did not plead guilty to murder, given the discount on sentence she may have received. She chose to take her chances with a jury. Ultimately, she failed.

    Days of summing up

    Another interesting aspect of the case is that the summing up by the two lead barristers, and then the judge, took more than six days. A generation ago, these addresses would have typically taken considerably less time than that.

    The change, which has occurred slowly over the last two decades, has been necessitated by appeal judgements following guilty verdicts in long trials. In some of these, defence counsel successfully argued the defence case was not sufficiently covered in the judge’s summing up.

    That being the case, the prosecution summary now needs to preempt every aspect of the defence case, knowing the defence counsel summary that follows will attend to every last point that the prosecution has raised.

    Then the judge needs to give chapter and verse (in this case, over four days) in relation to everything again, paying particular attention to the defence case.

    The process is now laborious and time-consuming. One might pity the jurors hearing everything over and over again.

    Indeed, we believe there is little evidence this very expensive change has raised the quality of verdicts.

    But one cannot doubt the way that the criminal process now goes to extraordinary lengths to ensure that an accused receives a fair trial. We will never know why the jury took over six days to reach its verdict (in Australia they are duty bound not to reveal anything of their deliberations), but it does indicate the seriousness with which they treat their role in this process.

    The trust that is placed in the hands of jurors, even with the high profile media frenzy that this case elicited, remains firm.

    On the other hand, with such drawn-out procedures, it’s perhaps not surprising that court backlogs continue to grow, and ever-increasing numbers of people (currently 42% of the Australian prison population) are sitting in prison on remand, awaiting trial.

    What now?

    The maximum sentence for murder in Victoria is life imprisonment. This does not necessarily mean life in prison, for the minimum non-parole period is 30 years, unless a court considers it not in the interests of justice to set such a term.

    Erin Patterson will likely receive a life sentence, with a non-parole period that is in keeping with the number of victims.

    The head sentence and non-parole period will be set by Justice Christopher Beale after sentencing submissions in the days and weeks to come.

    The so-called “mushroom case” still has another chapter to run.

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

    – ref. Erin Patterson has been found guilty in the mushroom murder trial. Legal experts explain why – https://theconversation.com/erin-patterson-has-been-found-guilty-in-the-mushroom-murder-trial-legal-experts-explain-why-230294

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Erin Patterson has been found guilty in the mushroom murder trial. Legal experts explain why

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor in Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia

    After seven weeks of evidence, six days of summing up, and six and a half days of jury deliberation in the Victorian Supreme Court sitting in Morwell, Victoria, the verdict is finally in. Erin Patterson murdered her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, along with Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson.

    She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Heather’s husband Ian: the only guest to survive the beef wellington lunch served in July 2023 at her home in Leongatha.

    In delivering the guilty verdict, the jury was satisfied Erin Patterson had complete control over the ingredients that went into the meal portions served to her guests – portions that included death cap mushrooms.

    There would not be too many observers surprised with the outcome, given the strength of the prosecution case presented by Nanette Rogers.

    There were no procedural surprises in this case. The prosecution presented its case, followed by the defence and ultimately, a jury verdict.

    But this much-publicised case raises a number of legal issues that contributed to the length of the trial and its outcome. Let’s unpack them.

    Motive doesn’t matter

    The first is the question of motive. Defence counsel Colin Mandy made much of his assertion that there was no apparent reason for the accused to kill her guests.

    It is, however, a mistake to think there needs to be a motive in order to convict. In cases of murder and attempted murder, all that’s required is for a jury to find a “culpable state of mind”.

    In the case of the three deceased, the jury needed to be satisfied, beyond any reasonable doubt, that there was an intention to kill, or to do serious bodily harm.

    In other words, it did not matter why Patterson killed her victims, only that she intended to do so, or to inflict serious harm with death resulting. In the case of the surviving guest, the jury was satisfied that there had been an intention to kill.

    Establishing a motive is a useful tool that prosecution counsel may deploy to add fuel to the fire in the courtroom, but it was not necessary for Rogers to locate a motive in order for the jury to reach guilty verdicts.

    Circumstantial, but substantial

    Another oft-repeated fallacy is that guilty verdicts require more than “mere” circumstantial evidence.

    In fact, most evidence in criminal cases is circumstantial, because direct evidence (such as an eyewitness or a visual or voice recording) is usually unavailable.

    The circumstantial evidence in this case, according to the prosecution, included the attempted hiding of a tainted dehydrator, the doubt cast over whether an Asian grocer was the source of the poisonous mushrooms, and the fact that Erin Patterson’s meal portion was free of the deadly ingredient.

    Placed together, this circumstantial evidence was strong enough for the 12 men and women to return guilty verdicts.

    Indeed, taking into consideration the strength of this evidence, it is perhaps surprising that Patterson did not plead guilty to murder, given the discount on sentence she may have received. She chose to take her chances with a jury. Ultimately, she failed.

    Days of summing up

    Another interesting aspect of the case is that the summing up by the two lead barristers, and then the judge, took more than six days. A generation ago, these addresses would have typically taken considerably less time than that.

    The change, which has occurred slowly over the last two decades, has been necessitated by appeal judgements following guilty verdicts in long trials. In some of these, defence counsel successfully argued the defence case was not sufficiently covered in the judge’s summing up.

    That being the case, the prosecution summary now needs to preempt every aspect of the defence case, knowing the defence counsel summary that follows will attend to every last point that the prosecution has raised.

    Then the judge needs to give chapter and verse (in this case, over four days) in relation to everything again, paying particular attention to the defence case.

    The process is now laborious and time-consuming. One might pity the jurors hearing everything over and over again.

    Indeed, we believe there is little evidence this very expensive change has raised the quality of verdicts.

    But one cannot doubt the way that the criminal process now goes to extraordinary lengths to ensure that an accused receives a fair trial. We will never know why the jury took over six days to reach its verdict (in Australia they are duty bound not to reveal anything of their deliberations), but it does indicate the seriousness with which they treat their role in this process.

    The trust that is placed in the hands of jurors, even with the high profile media frenzy that this case elicited, remains firm.

    On the other hand, with such drawn-out procedures, it’s perhaps not surprising that court backlogs continue to grow, and ever-increasing numbers of people (currently 42% of the Australian prison population) are sitting in prison on remand, awaiting trial.

    What now?

    The maximum sentence for murder in Victoria is life imprisonment. This does not necessarily mean life in prison, for the minimum non-parole period is 30 years, unless a court considers it not in the interests of justice to set such a term.

    Erin Patterson will likely receive a life sentence, with a non-parole period that is in keeping with the number of victims.

    The head sentence and non-parole period will be set by Justice Christopher Beale after sentencing submissions in the days and weeks to come.

    The so-called “mushroom case” still has another chapter to run.

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

    – ref. Erin Patterson has been found guilty in the mushroom murder trial. Legal experts explain why – https://theconversation.com/erin-patterson-has-been-found-guilty-in-the-mushroom-murder-trial-legal-experts-explain-why-230294

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • MIL-OSI: Roof Financing from 50KLoans: Access New Roof Financing and Roof Financing Near Me, Good or Bad Credit Welcome

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 50KLoans, a trusted leader in online personal loan matching, has announced the nationwide launch of a comprehensive roof financing solution for homeowners seeking roof replacement financing regardless of credit history. The new service aims to bridge the gap for families and individuals who need a new roof but may be challenged by upfront costs or less-than-perfect credit.

    As the demand for affordable and flexible roof financing options grows, 50KLoans connects borrowers to a vast network of roofing companies that offer financing and lenders specializing in roofing loans. Homeowners can now access new roof financing from $500 up to $50,000, with repayment terms extending up to 10 years and APRs ranging from 5.99% to 35.99%.

    Check your new Roof Financing Options >>

    Making Roof Financing Accessible to All Credit Types

    50KLoans new roofing financing platform is designed for anyone facing urgent repair or replacement needs, including:

    • Homeowners with good, fair, or bad credit
    • Families dealing with storm damage or aging roofs
    • First-time buyers seeking roof financing options as part of a home improvement plan
    • Property investors looking to upgrade multiple properties with roofing companies that finance

    Key Features & Benefits

    • All Credit Scores Welcome: Access roof finance solutions even with bad credit—no minimum score required.
    • Fast, Simple Process: One quick online form matches applicants with reputable lenders and roofing companies that offer financing.
    • Flexible Loan Amounts: Borrow between $500 and $50,000 for roof replacement financing and repairs.
    • Extended Repayment Terms: Pay back over up to 10 years, easing the burden of large upfront costs.
    • No Hidden Fees: Transparent terms from a network of trusted partners.

    How It Works: Step-by-Step Application for Roofing Financing

    1. Submit a Request: Visit 50kLoans.com and select the roof financing amount you need.
    2. Get Matched Instantly: The system matches you with top lenders and roofing companies that finance based on your profile.
    3. Review Offers: Compare rates, repayment terms, and conditions for each roofing loan offer.
    4. Choose & Connect: Select your preferred offer and connect directly with the lender or roofing company that offers financing.
    5. Receive Funds or Schedule Work: Funds are typically transferred electronically within one business day, or the roofing project can be scheduled directly through participating partners.

    Types of Roof Financing Near Me Options Available from 50kLoans

    • Unsecured Personal Loans for roof replacement or repairs
    • Specialty Roofing Loans through partnered roofing companies that finance directly
    • Flexible Installment Loans for large-scale or urgent projects

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: Can I get roof financing with bad credit?
    A: Yes, all credit scores are considered. Approval depends on the lender’s criteria.

    Q: Are roofing companies that offer financing available in my area?
    A: 50KLoans partners with a wide network of providers—most areas are covered.

    Q: How soon can I get new roof financing?
    A: Most offers are made instantly online, and funds are available as quickly as the next business day.

    Q: What are typical repayment terms?
    A: Repayment terms range up to 10 years, with competitive APRs from 5.99% to 35.99%.

    Media Contact
    Mukesh Bhardwaj
    Email: mukesh@paydayventures.com

    Disclaimer: 50KLoans is not a lender and does not make credit decisions. Approval, rates, and terms for roof financing are determined by third-party lenders or roofing companies based on applicant eligibility.

    The MIL Network –

  • Israel’s Netanyahu says he believes Trump can help seal ceasefire deal

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he believed his discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday would help advance talks on a Gaza hostage release and ceasefire deal, as Trump predicted an agreement could be reached this week.

    Israeli negotiators taking part in the ceasefire talks that resumed in Doha on Sunday have clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions that Israel has accepted, Netanyahu said on Sunday before flying to Washington.

    “I believe the discussion with President Trump can certainly help advance these results,” he said, adding his determination to ensure the return of hostages held in Gaza and to remove the threat of the Palestinian militant group Hamas to Israel.

    It will be Netanyahu’s third visit to the White House since Trump returned to power nearly six months ago.

    Trump said he believed a hostage release and ceasefire deal could be reached this week, which could lead to the release of “quite a few hostages.”

    “I think there’s a good chance we have a deal with Hamas during the week,” Trump told reporters before flying back to Washington after a weekend golfing in New Jersey.

    Public pressure is mounting on Netanyahu to secure a permanent ceasefire and end the war in Gaza, a move opposed by some hardline members of his right-wing coalition. Others, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, have expressed support.

    Palestinian group Hamas said on Friday it had responded to a U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal in a “positive spirit”, a few days after Trump said Israel had agreed “to the necessary conditions to finalize” a 60-day truce.

    But in a sign of the potential challenges still facing the two sides, a Palestinian official from a militant group allied with Hamas said concerns remained over humanitarian aid, passage through the Rafah crossing in southern Israel to Egypt and clarity over a timetable for Israeli troop withdrawals.

    The first session of indirect Hamas-Israel ceasefire talks in Qatar ended inconclusively, two Palestinian sources familiar with the matter said early on Monday, adding that the Israeli delegation didn’t have a sufficient mandate to reach an agreement with Hamas.

    Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that changes sought by Hamas to the ceasefire proposal were “not acceptable to Israel”. However, his office said the delegation would still fly to Qatar to “continue efforts to secure the return of our hostages based on the Qatari proposal that Israel agreed to.”

    Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a demand the militant group has so far refused to discuss.

    Netanyahu said he believed he and Trump would also build on the outcome of the 12-day air war with Iran last month and seek to further ensure that Tehran never has a nuclear weapon. He said recent Middle East developments had created an opportunity to widen the circle of peace.

    HOSTAGES

    On Saturday evening, crowds gathered at a public square in Tel Aviv near the defence ministry headquarters to call for a ceasefire deal and the return of around 50 hostages still held in Gaza. The demonstrators waved Israeli flags, chanted and carried posters with photos of the hostages.

    The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

    Gaza’s health ministry says Israel’s retaliatory military assault on the enclave has killed over 57,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, displaced the population, mostly within Gaza, and left the territory in ruins.

    Around 20 of the remaining hostages are believed to be still alive. A majority of the original hostages have been freed through diplomatic negotiations, though the Israeli military has also recovered some.

    (Reuters)

  • Israel’s Netanyahu says he believes Trump can help seal ceasefire deal

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he believed his discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday would help advance talks on a Gaza hostage release and ceasefire deal, as Trump predicted an agreement could be reached this week.

    Israeli negotiators taking part in the ceasefire talks that resumed in Doha on Sunday have clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions that Israel has accepted, Netanyahu said on Sunday before flying to Washington.

    “I believe the discussion with President Trump can certainly help advance these results,” he said, adding his determination to ensure the return of hostages held in Gaza and to remove the threat of the Palestinian militant group Hamas to Israel.

    It will be Netanyahu’s third visit to the White House since Trump returned to power nearly six months ago.

    Trump said he believed a hostage release and ceasefire deal could be reached this week, which could lead to the release of “quite a few hostages.”

    “I think there’s a good chance we have a deal with Hamas during the week,” Trump told reporters before flying back to Washington after a weekend golfing in New Jersey.

    Public pressure is mounting on Netanyahu to secure a permanent ceasefire and end the war in Gaza, a move opposed by some hardline members of his right-wing coalition. Others, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, have expressed support.

    Palestinian group Hamas said on Friday it had responded to a U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal in a “positive spirit”, a few days after Trump said Israel had agreed “to the necessary conditions to finalize” a 60-day truce.

    But in a sign of the potential challenges still facing the two sides, a Palestinian official from a militant group allied with Hamas said concerns remained over humanitarian aid, passage through the Rafah crossing in southern Israel to Egypt and clarity over a timetable for Israeli troop withdrawals.

    The first session of indirect Hamas-Israel ceasefire talks in Qatar ended inconclusively, two Palestinian sources familiar with the matter said early on Monday, adding that the Israeli delegation didn’t have a sufficient mandate to reach an agreement with Hamas.

    Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that changes sought by Hamas to the ceasefire proposal were “not acceptable to Israel”. However, his office said the delegation would still fly to Qatar to “continue efforts to secure the return of our hostages based on the Qatari proposal that Israel agreed to.”

    Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a demand the militant group has so far refused to discuss.

    Netanyahu said he believed he and Trump would also build on the outcome of the 12-day air war with Iran last month and seek to further ensure that Tehran never has a nuclear weapon. He said recent Middle East developments had created an opportunity to widen the circle of peace.

    HOSTAGES

    On Saturday evening, crowds gathered at a public square in Tel Aviv near the defence ministry headquarters to call for a ceasefire deal and the return of around 50 hostages still held in Gaza. The demonstrators waved Israeli flags, chanted and carried posters with photos of the hostages.

    The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

    Gaza’s health ministry says Israel’s retaliatory military assault on the enclave has killed over 57,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, displaced the population, mostly within Gaza, and left the territory in ruins.

    Around 20 of the remaining hostages are believed to be still alive. A majority of the original hostages have been freed through diplomatic negotiations, though the Israeli military has also recovered some.

    (Reuters)

  • Typhoon Danas lashes southern Taiwan with record winds, injuring hundreds

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Typhoon Danas lashed southern Taiwan with record winds and strong rain early on Monday, killing two people and injuring more than 330 in a rare hit to the island’s densely populated west coast, where businesses and schools were shut.

    Taiwan is regularly struck by typhoons but they generally land along the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast facing the Pacific.

    Typhoon Danas, at one point listed by Taiwan’s weather authority at the second-strongest level, headed northerly towards the Taiwan Strait after making landfall along its southwestern coast late on Sunday.

    It has greatly weakened since and was forecast to hit eastern China later this week.

    “The typhoon track is rare… the whole of Taiwan will be affected by the wind and rain one after another,” President Lai Ching-te said in a post on Facebook, urging citizens to make preparations.

    Power to more than half a million homes was cut and over 300 domestic and international flights were cancelled, government data showed. The north-south high-speed rail line scaled back services.

    The National Fire Agency said one person was killed by a falling tree while driving and another died after their respirator malfunctioned due to a power cut.

    Record winds of around 220 kilometres per hour were recorded in the southwestern county of Yunlin, while more than 700 trees and street signs were blown over across western cities and towns, government data showed.

    There was no major report of damage in the Tainan Science Park that houses tech giants such as TSMC 2330.TW.

    (Reuters)

  • Typhoon Danas lashes southern Taiwan with record winds, injuring hundreds

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Typhoon Danas lashed southern Taiwan with record winds and strong rain early on Monday, killing two people and injuring more than 330 in a rare hit to the island’s densely populated west coast, where businesses and schools were shut.

    Taiwan is regularly struck by typhoons but they generally land along the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast facing the Pacific.

    Typhoon Danas, at one point listed by Taiwan’s weather authority at the second-strongest level, headed northerly towards the Taiwan Strait after making landfall along its southwestern coast late on Sunday.

    It has greatly weakened since and was forecast to hit eastern China later this week.

    “The typhoon track is rare… the whole of Taiwan will be affected by the wind and rain one after another,” President Lai Ching-te said in a post on Facebook, urging citizens to make preparations.

    Power to more than half a million homes was cut and over 300 domestic and international flights were cancelled, government data showed. The north-south high-speed rail line scaled back services.

    The National Fire Agency said one person was killed by a falling tree while driving and another died after their respirator malfunctioned due to a power cut.

    Record winds of around 220 kilometres per hour were recorded in the southwestern county of Yunlin, while more than 700 trees and street signs were blown over across western cities and towns, government data showed.

    There was no major report of damage in the Tainan Science Park that houses tech giants such as TSMC 2330.TW.

    (Reuters)

  • Israel attacks Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports and power plant

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israel has attacked Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports and a power plant, the Israeli military said early on Monday, marking the first Israeli attack on Yemen in almost a month.

    The strikes on Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Salif ports, and Ras Qantib power plant were due to repeated Houthi attacks on Israel, the military added.

    Hours after the strikes, the Israeli military said two missiles were launched from Yemen and attempts were made to intercept them, but the results of interception were still under review.

    The Israeli ambulance service said it had not received any calls regarding missile impacts or casualties following the launches from Yemen.

    Since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have fired at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade, in what it says are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

    Most of the dozens of missiles and drones fired toward Israel have been intercepted or fallen short. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes.

    Israel also attacked Galaxy Leader ship in Ras Isa port, which was seized by Houthis in late 2023, the military added on Monday.

    “The Houthi terrorist regime’s forces installed a radar system on the ship, and are using it to track vessels in international maritime space, in order to promote the Houthi terrorist regime’s activities,” the military said.

    The Houthi military spokesperson said following the attacks that Houthis’ air defences confronted the Israeli attack ‘by using a large number of domestically produced surface-to-air missiles’.

    Residents told Reuters that the Israeli strikes on the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah put the main power station out of service, leaving the city in darkness.

    There were no immediate reports of casualties.

    Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that Israel launched a series of strikes on Hodeidah, shortly after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for people at the three Yemeni ports.

    The assault comes hours after a ship was attacked off of Hodeidah and the ship’s crew abandoned it as it took on water.

    No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but security firm Ambrey said the vessel fits the typical profile of a Houthi target.

    Israel has severely hurt other allies of Iran in the region – Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

    The Tehran-backed Houthis and pro-Iranian armed groups in Iraq are still standing.

    The group’s leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, created the force challenging world powers from a group of ragtag mountain fighters in sandals.

    Under the direction of al-Houthi, the group has grown into an army of tens of thousands of fighters and acquired armed drones and ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia and the West say the arms come from Iran, though Tehran denies this.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT firefighters deployed to support Canada’s wildfire response

    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 26/06/2025

    15 firefighters from ACT Parks & Conservation Service (ACTPCS) and 5 firefighters from the ACT Rural Fire Service (ACTRFS) are leaving for Canada today to assist with wildfires burning throughout the country.

    The firefighters will be based in the province of Alberta for 38 days helping to control and put out wildfires. There are currently over 290 fires burning this severe wildfire season in Canada and over 50 of these are in Alberta. Australian firefighters have been deployed in Canada since 12 June 2025, and this group leaving today is the first ACT contingent.

    Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Dr Marisa Paterson, is proud to see ACT firefighters giving up their time to help our friends overseas.

    “The past year has been a busy one for our ACT emergency services as they’ve responded to incidents across Australia. The deployment of ACT personnel to Canada is a powerful reflection of our people’s unwavering commitment to helping communities in need, wherever and whenever they’re called upon.”

    “I would like to wish all our firefighters departing today a safe journey. I look forward to hearing about their experiences and the valuable insights gained upon their return.”

    Quotes attributable to ACTRFS Chief Officer, Rohan Scott

    “Australia and Canada share a strong resource sharing relationship. ACT firefighters have been supporting Canadian wildfire efforts since 2016 and in return, Canada stood with us during the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020.

    “Having just returned from visiting the aftermath of the Los Angeles fires, it is clear to me both North America and Australia can benefit from shared experiences and lessons learned. I look forward to seeing what our firefighters learn in Canada during this deployment that can impact how we prepare for and tackle bushfires here in Australia.”

    Quotes attributable to ACTPCS Director of Operations, Ailish Milner

    “The ACT Parks and Conservation Service is honoured to support Canada by sending our crews alongside the ACT Rural Fire Service to join the Canadian firefighting effort.

    “ACT firefighters have a proud history of supporting our international colleagues, joining multiple deployments overseas, including to Canada, over the past decade. Our skilled and experienced firefighters will provide Canada with much-needed relief during their difficult fire season.

    “Thank you to the crews deployed today who are really going above and beyond to will help protect life, environment and property abroad.”

    – Statement ends –

    Marisa Paterson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Death toll from Texas floods rises to 80, Trump denies link with his policy

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

    Up to 80 people have died while more than 40 people remain missing on Sunday, three days after hours of heavy rain led to major flash flooding in the south-central U.S. state of Texas, authorities said Sunday afternoon.

    U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he is planning to visit Texas on Friday, hours after signing a major disaster declaration, unlocking key federal resources as search and rescue efforts continue.

    Kerr County, the hardest hit among 20 affected counties in the region, alone accounts for at least 68 of the fatalities, including 21 children, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said Sunday.

    Four other counties have reported a combined total of 12 deaths.

    Leitha said 10 girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic were still unaccounted for as of Sunday afternoon, noting search and rescue efforts are still underway.

    Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a press conference Sunday afternoon that at least 41 people were still unaccounted for across the state’s flood-impacted area.

    He warned that additional heavy rainfall is expected in the coming days, keeping parts of the state at risk for further flooding.

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency has opened seven shelters, which are also providing food and water for central Texas communities, said a CNN report.

    Also on Sunday, Trump pushed back on criticism that his administration’s budget cuts to the nation’s weather services had played a role in the deadly floods in Texas.

    “I would just say this is a 100-year catastrophe and it’s just so horrible to watch,” Trump spoke to reporters as he left his New Jersey golf club after the weekend, “This was the thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it.”

    Asked if the federal government needs to rehire the meteorologists who left during earlier budget and staffing cut after he returned to the White House, the president suggested it was not necessary.

    Criticism has been mounting over how the National Weather Service (NWS) handled the emergency. Some local officials and residents said the flood warnings were late or insufficient.

    Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, asserted Friday that the NWS “did not predict the amount of rain that we saw.”

    Staffing data provided by the NWS’s labor union showed the San Angelo forecasting office currently has four vacancies out of 23 positions and San Antonio has six vacancies out of 26, according to a report from Texas Tribune. Both offices are in central Texas.

    However, the NWS forecasting offices were operating normally at the time of the disaster, said the report, citing Greg Waller, service coordination hydrologist with the NWS West Gulf River Forecast Center in Fort Worth in northern Texas. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China completes major desert control project in Inner Mongolia

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

    China completes major desert control project in Inner Mongolia

    Xinhua | July 7, 2025

    An aerial drone photo taken on May 15, 2024 shows tree seedlings planted at an afforestation area in the Horqin sandy land in Tongliao city, North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A barrier belt spanning three deserts in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has been completed, marking a milestone achievement in the country’s desertification control efforts.

    Workers laid the final straw checkerboard — a traditional sand-fixing technique — on Sunday, completing the last stretch of the 1,856-km green barrier across the Badain Jaran, Tengger and Ulan Buh deserts to halt further desert encroachment.

    The three deserts within the Alxa League of Inner Mongolia cover a total area of 94,700 square kilometers, accounting for 83.04 percent of the region’s total desert land.

    “We use the straw checkerboard method to first lock the shifting sand, followed by planting drought-resistant trees such as sacsaoul. This approach helps us build an effective sand prevention and control system, ultimately strengthening the ecological barrier,” said Zhang Youyong, chief engineer at the forestry, grassland and desert control bureau of Alxa Right Banner.

    Over the past four decades, the Alxa League has carried out desertification prevention and control across nearly 100 million mu (6.67 million hectares). It has also built two green belts, stretching a total of 460 kilometers in length and 3 to 20 kilometers in width, along the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert and the southwestern edge of the Ulan Buh Desert. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is rejection sensitive dysphoria in ADHD? And how can you manage it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Barclay-Timmis, Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology, University of Southern Queensland

    Vitalii Khodzinskyi/Unsplash

    Imagine your friend hasn’t replied to a message in a few hours. Most people might think, “they are probably just busy”.

    But someone with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might spiral into a flood of thoughts like, “they must hate me!” or “I’ve ruined the friendship!”

    These intense emotional reactions to real or imagined rejection are part of what’s called rejection sensitive dysphoria.

    The term isn’t a formal diagnosis, but it’s gaining traction in both research and clinical work, especially among adults seeking to understand themselves better.

    So, what is rejection sensitive dysphoria, how does it relate to ADHD, and how can we handle it with more compassion?

    It’s more than just disliking criticism

    Everyone feels hurt when they’re criticised or left out. But rejection sensitivity dysphoria isn’t just about “not liking” feedback. The word dysphoria refers to intense emotional distress.

    People with rejection sensitivity dysphoria describe overwhelming reactions to perceived rejection, even if no one actually said or did anything cruel.

    A passing comment such as “I thought you were going to do it this way” can trigger feelings of shame, embarrassment or self-doubt.

    The emotional pain often feels immediate and consuming, leading some people to withdraw, over-apologise or lash out to protect themselves.

    The ADHD brain and emotional hypersensitivity

    ADHD is often associated with attention or impulsivity, but one major (and often overlooked) component is emotional dysregulation: difficulty managing and recovering from strong emotional responses.

    This isn’t a character flaw; it’s a neurological difference. Brain imaging studies show people with ADHD tend to have differences in how their amygdala (the brain’s emotional alarm system) and prefrontal cortex (which regulates impulses and emotions) work together.

    The amygdala is the brain’s emotional alarm system. The prefrontal cortex regulates emotions.
    chaiyo12/Shutterstock

    The result? Emotional experiences hit harder and take longer to settle.

    A 2018 study highlights this imbalance in emotional control circuits in people with ADHD, explaining why intense feelings can seem to “take over” before logical thinking kicks in.

    What does the research say?

    Recent research from 2024 reports a strong link between ADHD symptoms and rejection sensitivity. It found students with higher ADHD symptom levels also reported significantly more rejection sensitivity, including a heightened fear of being negatively evaluated or criticised.

    Further evidence comes from a 2018 study which showed adolescents with ADHD symptoms were far more sensitive to peer feedback than their peers. Their brain activity revealed they were more emotionally reactive to both praise and criticism, suggesting they may perceive neutral social cues as emotionally charged.

    This reflects what I see daily in my clinic. One 13-year-old boy I work with is creative, empathetic and full of potential, yet social anxiety tied to a deep fear of rejection often holds him back. He once told me, “if I say no, they won’t like me anymore”. That fear drives him to go along with things he later regrets, simply to keep the peace and avoid losing connection.

    This constant social hypervigilance is mentally draining. Without support, it can spiral into shame, low confidence and ongoing mental health struggles.



    Read more:
    Parents are increasingly saying their child is ‘dysregulated’. What does that actually mean?

    Adults with ADHD aren’t immune either. A 2022 study explored how adults with ADHD experience criticism and found many linked it to persistent feelings of failure, low self-worth and emotional reactivity – even when the criticism was constructive or mild.

    One client I support – a high-achieving professional diagnosed in her 50s – described learning about rejection sensitive dysphoria as “finding the missing piece of the puzzle”.

    Despite consistently excelling in every role, she had long felt anxious about how she was perceived by colleagues. When she received a minor, formal complaint at work, she spiralled into intense self-doubt and shame.

    Instead of brushing it off, she thought: “I’m too much”. This belief
    had been silently reinforced for years by her emotional sensitivity to feedback.

    What helps?

    If you experience rejection sensitivity dysphoria, you’re not alone, and you’re not broken.

    Here are some tools that may help:

    • name it. Saying to yourself, “This feels like rejection sensitivity,” can give you distance from the emotional flood

    • pause before reacting. Taking slow breaths, counting backwards, or stepping outside are simple grounding strategies that help calm the body’s stress response and restore balance to your nervous system. Research shows slowing your breath and grounding your senses can help shift your body out of fight-or-flight mode, supporting clearer thinking and emotional regulation

    • challenge the story. Ask yourself, “What else could be true?” or “How would I speak to a friend feeling this way?”

    • consider therapy. Working with a psychologist who understands ADHD and rejection sensitivity dysphoria can help untangle these reactions and develop healthy, self-compassionate responses. The Australian Psychological Society has a Find a Psychologist service: you can search by location, areas of expertise (such as anxiety, ADHD, trauma) and the type of therapy you’re interested in

    • start early with kids. Helping children with ADHD learn emotional language, boundary-setting and resilience can prevent rejection sensitivity from becoming overwhelming. For parents, resources such as Raising Children Network and books like The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson offer practical ways to teach these skills at home

    • communicate gently. If you work or live with someone who has ADHD, try to give feedback clearly and kindly. Avoid sarcasm or vague phrasing. A little extra clarity can go a long way.

    Rejection sensitivity dysphoria isn’t about being fragile or “weak”. It’s about how the ADHD brain processes emotional and social cues. With insight, tools and support, these experiences can become manageable.

    Victoria Barclay-Timmis is a clinical psychologist and works in private practice.

    – ref. What is rejection sensitive dysphoria in ADHD? And how can you manage it? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-in-adhd-and-how-can-you-manage-it-259995

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is rejection sensitive dysphoria in ADHD? And how can you manage it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Barclay-Timmis, Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology, University of Southern Queensland

    Vitalii Khodzinskyi/Unsplash

    Imagine your friend hasn’t replied to a message in a few hours. Most people might think, “they are probably just busy”.

    But someone with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might spiral into a flood of thoughts like, “they must hate me!” or “I’ve ruined the friendship!”

    These intense emotional reactions to real or imagined rejection are part of what’s called rejection sensitive dysphoria.

    The term isn’t a formal diagnosis, but it’s gaining traction in both research and clinical work, especially among adults seeking to understand themselves better.

    So, what is rejection sensitive dysphoria, how does it relate to ADHD, and how can we handle it with more compassion?

    It’s more than just disliking criticism

    Everyone feels hurt when they’re criticised or left out. But rejection sensitivity dysphoria isn’t just about “not liking” feedback. The word dysphoria refers to intense emotional distress.

    People with rejection sensitivity dysphoria describe overwhelming reactions to perceived rejection, even if no one actually said or did anything cruel.

    A passing comment such as “I thought you were going to do it this way” can trigger feelings of shame, embarrassment or self-doubt.

    The emotional pain often feels immediate and consuming, leading some people to withdraw, over-apologise or lash out to protect themselves.

    The ADHD brain and emotional hypersensitivity

    ADHD is often associated with attention or impulsivity, but one major (and often overlooked) component is emotional dysregulation: difficulty managing and recovering from strong emotional responses.

    This isn’t a character flaw; it’s a neurological difference. Brain imaging studies show people with ADHD tend to have differences in how their amygdala (the brain’s emotional alarm system) and prefrontal cortex (which regulates impulses and emotions) work together.

    The amygdala is the brain’s emotional alarm system. The prefrontal cortex regulates emotions.
    chaiyo12/Shutterstock

    The result? Emotional experiences hit harder and take longer to settle.

    A 2018 study highlights this imbalance in emotional control circuits in people with ADHD, explaining why intense feelings can seem to “take over” before logical thinking kicks in.

    What does the research say?

    Recent research from 2024 reports a strong link between ADHD symptoms and rejection sensitivity. It found students with higher ADHD symptom levels also reported significantly more rejection sensitivity, including a heightened fear of being negatively evaluated or criticised.

    Further evidence comes from a 2018 study which showed adolescents with ADHD symptoms were far more sensitive to peer feedback than their peers. Their brain activity revealed they were more emotionally reactive to both praise and criticism, suggesting they may perceive neutral social cues as emotionally charged.

    This reflects what I see daily in my clinic. One 13-year-old boy I work with is creative, empathetic and full of potential, yet social anxiety tied to a deep fear of rejection often holds him back. He once told me, “if I say no, they won’t like me anymore”. That fear drives him to go along with things he later regrets, simply to keep the peace and avoid losing connection.

    This constant social hypervigilance is mentally draining. Without support, it can spiral into shame, low confidence and ongoing mental health struggles.



    Read more:
    Parents are increasingly saying their child is ‘dysregulated’. What does that actually mean?

    Adults with ADHD aren’t immune either. A 2022 study explored how adults with ADHD experience criticism and found many linked it to persistent feelings of failure, low self-worth and emotional reactivity – even when the criticism was constructive or mild.

    One client I support – a high-achieving professional diagnosed in her 50s – described learning about rejection sensitive dysphoria as “finding the missing piece of the puzzle”.

    Despite consistently excelling in every role, she had long felt anxious about how she was perceived by colleagues. When she received a minor, formal complaint at work, she spiralled into intense self-doubt and shame.

    Instead of brushing it off, she thought: “I’m too much”. This belief
    had been silently reinforced for years by her emotional sensitivity to feedback.

    What helps?

    If you experience rejection sensitivity dysphoria, you’re not alone, and you’re not broken.

    Here are some tools that may help:

    • name it. Saying to yourself, “This feels like rejection sensitivity,” can give you distance from the emotional flood

    • pause before reacting. Taking slow breaths, counting backwards, or stepping outside are simple grounding strategies that help calm the body’s stress response and restore balance to your nervous system. Research shows slowing your breath and grounding your senses can help shift your body out of fight-or-flight mode, supporting clearer thinking and emotional regulation

    • challenge the story. Ask yourself, “What else could be true?” or “How would I speak to a friend feeling this way?”

    • consider therapy. Working with a psychologist who understands ADHD and rejection sensitivity dysphoria can help untangle these reactions and develop healthy, self-compassionate responses. The Australian Psychological Society has a Find a Psychologist service: you can search by location, areas of expertise (such as anxiety, ADHD, trauma) and the type of therapy you’re interested in

    • start early with kids. Helping children with ADHD learn emotional language, boundary-setting and resilience can prevent rejection sensitivity from becoming overwhelming. For parents, resources such as Raising Children Network and books like The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson offer practical ways to teach these skills at home

    • communicate gently. If you work or live with someone who has ADHD, try to give feedback clearly and kindly. Avoid sarcasm or vague phrasing. A little extra clarity can go a long way.

    Rejection sensitivity dysphoria isn’t about being fragile or “weak”. It’s about how the ADHD brain processes emotional and social cues. With insight, tools and support, these experiences can become manageable.

    Victoria Barclay-Timmis is a clinical psychologist and works in private practice.

    – ref. What is rejection sensitive dysphoria in ADHD? And how can you manage it? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-in-adhd-and-how-can-you-manage-it-259995

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Guangdong steps up precautions for Typhoon Danas

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

    An aerial drone photo taken on June 14, 2025 shows boats berthing in Zhanjiang City, south China’s Guangdong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    South China’s Guangdong province on Sunday launched an emergency response to Typhoon Danas — the fourth typhoon of the year as counted by China’s meteorological authorities — as it intensified, with its center 230 kilometers southeast of Shantou packing winds of up to 36.9 meters per second at 8 a.m., local sources have said.

    The provincial emergency management department reported that all 361 vessels that had been in vulnerable waters had returned to port by 2 p.m., and more than 2,000 people had been evacuated from offshore facilities. All five coastal tourist sites in the province have been closed.

    Six rescue helicopters have been deployed across key cities, with 21 patrol ships and 64 emergency vessels on standby along the coast.

    Meteorologists warn that eastern coastal areas will face heavy rains and gales. The local flood control headquarters has urged heightened vigilance against the impacts of severe weather.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Israel launches strikes on Red Sea ports in Yemen

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

    Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s Red Sea ports in western Hodeidah Province late Sunday night.

    The strikes came minutes after the Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation warning on the social media platform X. Witnesses reported explosions in several locations along Yemen’s western coast, including the port of Hodeidah.

    Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that the strikes targeted what he described as Houthi strongholds, including the ports of Hodeidah, As Salif, and Ras Isa, the Ras Katib power station, and the Galaxy Leader, a ship seized by Houthi forces in November 2023.

    The Israeli military said the targeted ports had been used by the Houthis to “transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are then used to carry out terror operations against the State of Israel and its allies.”

    It added that the Galaxy Leader had been equipped with a radar system used to track vessels in the Red Sea, facilitating further militant activities.

    Katz suggested a broader escalation may follow, saying, “Yemen will be treated the same as Tehran.”

    “Anyone who tries to harm Israel will be harmed, and anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have it cut off,” Katz said. “The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions.”

    Earlier on Sunday, a missile fired by Houthi forces triggered air raid sirens in southern Israel and was intercepted without causing injuries, according to the Israeli military. The Houthis claimed it was a hypersonic missile targeting Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

    Israel has carried out several strikes on key ports and infrastructure in Yemen in recent months, as the Houthis continue to fire missiles toward Israel, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: South Westland quarry approved

    Source: NZ Department of Conservation

    Date:  07 July 2025

    The approved quarry granted to Kokiri Lime Company Limited is a one-hectare site located south of Fox Glacier in the Te Wāhipounamu – South New Zealand World Heritage Area (WHA) on stewardship land and is a continuation of an historic quarry in the area. Kokiri Lime Company Limited originally applied for a 15 hectare site.

    Acting Department of Conservation (DOC) Director General Stephanie Rowe, says the decision to grant was finely balanced given the quarry’s location on the edge of the World Heritage Area.

    “The quarry is of strategic importance to the West Coast, with major infrastructure projects benefitting both economically and environmentally from locally sourced rock. It will supply rock for local flood protection and roading projects.

    “I’m confident that the quarry will not compromise the outstanding natural heritage of this area or the integrity of the World Heritage Area as a whole. The quarry approved for operation is small, at a size of one ha, relative to the 2.6 million ha WHA. Factors in the decision are its location on the very edge of the WHA, its proximity to a previously modified site with regenerating vegetation, and the consideration of specific values at the site.”

    “The approval requires the operator to take measures to mitigate the landscape effects of the quarry and protect local wildlife,” says Stephanie Rowe.

    Background information 

    Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area was established in 1990. It is made up of 2.6 million hectares (almost 10% of New Zealand’s total land area), and 70% of the WHA is located within Aoraki/Mount Cook, Fiordland, Mount Aspiring and Westland Tai Poutini National Parks, with the remainder made up of conservation land of other statuses.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TOMORROW: Governor Newsom to join federal, state, and local leaders to recognize six-month anniversary of Los Angeles firestorms

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 6, 2025

    LOS ANGELES COUNTY — Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom will be joined by federal, state and local leaders to recognize the six month anniversary of the devastating firestorms that hit Los Angeles, as well as the progress made and steps being taken to rebuild and restore the communities affected.

    WHEN: Monday, July 7, at approximately 11:45 a.m.

    LIVESTREAM:  Governor’s Twitter page, Governor’s Facebook page, and the Governor’s YouTube page. This event will also be available to TV stations on the LiveU Matrix under “California Governor.”

    NOTE: This in-person press event will be open to credentialed media only. Media interested in attending must RSVP by clicking here no later than 10 a.m., July 7. Location information will be provided upon confirmation.

    Media advisories, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jul 4, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring July 4, 2025, as “Independence Day” in the State of California.The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONEach year on the Fourth of July, we…

    Jul 3, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – A day after announcing California has more than doubled its Film and Television Tax Credit Program, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed legislation to further strengthen the state’s commitment to film and television production:AB 1138 by…

    Jul 3, 2025

    News What you need to know: As we approach the Fourth of July holiday and weekend, California is taking steps to keep communities safe during festivities by increasing outreach and highlighting resources. Sacramento, California — As Californians gear up to celebrate…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TOMORROW: Governor Newsom to join federal, state, and local leaders to recognize six-month anniversary of Los Angeles firestorms

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 6, 2025

    LOS ANGELES COUNTY — Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom will be joined by federal, state and local leaders to recognize the six month anniversary of the devastating firestorms that hit Los Angeles, as well as the progress made and steps being taken to rebuild and restore the communities affected.

    WHEN: Monday, July 7, at approximately 11:45 a.m.

    LIVESTREAM:  Governor’s Twitter page, Governor’s Facebook page, and the Governor’s YouTube page. This event will also be available to TV stations on the LiveU Matrix under “California Governor.”

    NOTE: This in-person press event will be open to credentialed media only. Media interested in attending must RSVP by clicking here no later than 10 a.m., July 7. Location information will be provided upon confirmation.

    Media advisories, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jul 4, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring July 4, 2025, as “Independence Day” in the State of California.The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONEach year on the Fourth of July, we…

    Jul 3, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – A day after announcing California has more than doubled its Film and Television Tax Credit Program, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed legislation to further strengthen the state’s commitment to film and television production:AB 1138 by…

    Jul 3, 2025

    News What you need to know: As we approach the Fourth of July holiday and weekend, California is taking steps to keep communities safe during festivities by increasing outreach and highlighting resources. Sacramento, California — As Californians gear up to celebrate…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Hazelwood North Primary leads the way in fire education pilot

    Source:

    Hazelwood North Primary School has become the first school in District 27 to pilot the Schools in Fire Country program, an exciting new initiative aimed at helping our older students understand fire risk, preparedness, and their role in community resilience.

    Situated in one of Victoria’s fire risk areas, Hazelwood North Primary was a fitting choice to launch the program. Over the last term, students in Years 5/6 engaged in a series of interactive learning sessions designed to deepen their knowledge about bushfires and how they impact communities like their own.

    Delivered in collaboration with local CFA members and community safety representatives from Hazelwood North Fire Brigade, the program gave students a chance to explore real-life scenarios, learn about fire behaviour, and discover what actions families and communities can take to stay safe.

    CFA Community Engagement Coordinator Hayley King said the pilot at Hazelwood North was a standout success.

    “The students were incredibly engaged and asked thoughtful questions. It was inspiring to see them thinking critically about the risks in their own environment and how they can be part of the solution,” Hayley said.

    A highlight of the program was a student-led presentation day, where learners shared their knowledge and fire safety ideas with parents, staff, and CFA.

    From bushfire emergency plans to creative artwork and quizzes, and testing CFA Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bryan Russell on his bushfire knowledge, the presentations reflected both the seriousness of the topic and the confidence the students had gained.

    Hazelwood North Brigade Community Safety Coordinator Maria Harkins worked hard and supported the program’s practical and empowering approach.

    Following its successful rollout, CFA’s District 27 and 9 will evaluate the program’s impact and explore how Schools in Fire Country can be expanded to other schools in the Latrobe Valley and beyond.

    By equipping the next generation with knowledge and a sense of shared responsibility, Hazelwood North Primary is helping to build a safer and more fire-aware future for all.

    Submitted by CFA media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Green approach to increase wastewater recycling in regional towns – Flinders

    Source: Flinders University

    Rising rural populations, drought and climate change are making water scarcity a problem in country townships – with more efficient handling of sewage system wastewater part of the solution.

    Pioneered by Flinders University environmental health experts, local councils in South Australia are operating sustainable energy-efficient sewage treatment operations with low-cost high-rate algal pond (HRAP) systems.

    Now new research led by Flinders University is investigating improved effluent treatment and biosolids removal with ‘sequencing batch reactors’ – or low-cost ‘SBR-HRAP’ technology field trials – installed at SA Water’s Angaston wastewater treatment plant in the Barossa Valley.

    The good news is that the newer systems under development can work better and faster without major capital expense – due to the latest research of new approaches to bio-processing inside them, says Professor Howard Fallowfield, from the College of Science and Engineering at Finders University.

    The SBR techniques under development involve a new kind of algae and improved removal of waste from the water, for better quality non-potable water for use in parks, gardens, sporting fields and other purposes.

    “Supported by SA Water and the ARC Biofilm Research and Innovation Centre at Flinders, we are trialling selective enrichment of algal-bacterial combinations to produce higher quality treated effluent,” says Professor Fallowfield.

    “Using wastewater from the Angaston community, our six pilot-scale HRAP tanks will compare the performance of these improved processes against the original HRAP operations.”

    Large high-rate algal pond systems, which have been treating wastewater at local council-owned facilities near Kingston-on-Murray (since 2013) and Peterborough (since 2018) in South Australia, use low-energy paddlewheels to move township and business organic waste along shallow channels where harmless green microalgae and bacteria remove pathogens and contaminants.

    PhD candidate Felipe Sabatté, who has used a native freshwater filamentous algal population to produce higher quality clarified treated effluent, says the latest developments will be scaled up in the Angaston field trials.

    “While high-rate algal ponds are an accepted method of wastewater treatment, particularly for regional and rural communities, they utilise microalgae which are difficult to remove from the treated wastewater leading to unacceptably high suspended solids in the discharge,” says Mr Sabatté.

    “These larger filamentous algae offer the prospect of easier separation from the treated wastewater, significantly improving treated effluent quality.”

    The outcome of this research provides a new operational strategy for wastewater HRAPs, particularly for the benefit of regional and rural communities challenged with water restrictions and to help meet UN SDG6 (clean water and sanitation) targets in the long run, he says.

    See more, ‘High-rate algal ponds operated as sequencing batch reactors: Towards wastewater treatment with filamentous algae’ (2025) by Felipe Sabatté, Ryan Baring and Howard Fallowfield, just published in the Journal of Applied Phycology – DOI: 10.1007/s10811-025-03545-6

    First published 13 June 2025 – https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-025-03545-6

    This research was conducted by the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation and funded by the Australian Government.

    Also at the Angaston trial site, Flinders ARC Biofilm Research and Innovation Centre PhD researcher Sam Butterworth is investigating how to use this new technology to develop dense, algae-bacterial granules, which can be more readily removed from wastewater and to potentially reduce phosphorus levels.

    “Algae-bacterial granule formation is a positive way for biofilms to form dense, fast-settling biomass and improve treated wastewater quality,” says Mr Butterworth.

    “Using microalgae in high-rate algal ponds is increasingly seen as a better alternative to other wastewater treatment systems, such as activated sludge,” he says.

    Traditional wastewater treatment methods can use more energy and water and can be less sustainable due to higher greenhouse gas emissions.

    An independent validation of the HRAP projects approved the treated wastewater to be used for non-food crop irrigation. For example, the Kingston-on-Murray ponds supply reuse water to irrigate a woodlot, and the ponds in Peterborough provide reuse water for a golf course and a sports field.

    Working with industry, the Flinders University ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation is working on a range of sustainable and environmentally friendly research solutions. See more at the website and https://youtu.be/FbWhd-lc9z0?si=pCnUqEaDDlymcDRF

    Acknowledgements: This research was conducted by the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation (project number IC2201000003).

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks at the 17th BRICS Summit Session on “Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic-Financial Affairs and Artificial Intelligence” [as delivered] 

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Prezado Presidente Lula, muito obrigado pelo seu amável convite e pela sua hospitalidade tão amiga.
     
    Excellencies,
     
    Artificial intelligence is reshaping economies and societies.
     
    The fundamental test is how wisely we will guide this transformation.
     
    How we minimize the risks and maximize the potential for good. 
     
    I am particularly concerned with the weaponization of AI, in a world where peace is more necessary than ever.
     
    Peace in Palestine, based on building the two-State solution, starting by an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, free and unimpeded humanitarian aid delivery, and the ending of the crippling annexation and violence in the West Bank.
     
    A just and sustainable peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions.
     
    Silencing the guns in Sudan, where civilians have also suffered too much.
    And the list goes on, from the DRC to Somalia, from the Sahel to Myanmar.
     
    Excellencies,
     
    Artificial intelligence needs a multilateral response grounded in equity and human rights.
     
    The Pact for the Future, approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations, calls for a new architecture of trust and cooperation – starting with the establishment by the UN of an Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence.
     
    This Panel should provide impartial, evidence-based guidance available to all Member States.
     
    The Pact also calls for a periodic Global Dialogue on AI within the UN, with all the Member States and relevant stakeholders. 
     
    The AI can’t be a club of the few, but must benefit all, and in particular, developing countries which must have a real voice in global AI governance.
     
    I will also soon present a report outlining innovative voluntary financing options to support AI capacity-building in developing countries, and I urge the BRICS’ support and your support for these efforts.
     
    But we cannot govern AI effectively – and fairly – without confronting deeper, structural imbalances in our global system.
     
    We are in a multipolar era.
     
    Power relations are shifting.
     
    A multipolar world requires multilateral governance – with global institutions tuned for the times, in particular the Security Council and the international financial architecture.
     
    They were designed for a bygone age, a bygone world, with a bygone system of power relations.
     
    The reform of the Security Council is crucial.
     
    The message from the Financing for Development Conference last week in Sevilla was clear:
     
    Ensuring that developing countries have a greater participation in global economic governance and its institutions;
     
    Putting into place an effective debt restructuring mechanism;
     
    And tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, in particular, with concessional funding and in local currencies.
     
    All this is crucial for countries, especially in the Global South – to bridge the digital divide and fully harness artificial intelligence’s potential, making AI a powerful driver for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
     
    Excellencies,
     
    At a time when multilateralism is being undermined, let us remind the world that cooperation is humanity’s greatest innovation.
     
    That begins with trust, and trust begins with all countries respecting International Law without exceptions.
     
    Let us rise to this moment – and reform and modernize multilateralism, including the UN and all the systems and institutions to make it work for everyone, everywhere.
     
    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Retaining wall complete at rockfall site

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Work at a rockfall site on the West Coast has reached an important milestone with the completion of a micropile retaining wall to improve resilience and safety for users of State Highway 6.

    Efforts to reduce the ongoing rockfall risk have been underway at the Epitaph Rift site, north of Haast and south of Knights Point, since a storm in November last year triggered a slip. The event required an initial highway closure and ongoing traffic management since then.

    Work at the site has included use of explosives and blasting to reduce and remove unstable pieces of rock above the road.

    See an example of the rock clearing work at the Epitaph site.(external link)

    In March, work shifted to the construction of the micropile retaining wall below road level, with funding of $1.7 million for the work.

    “This has involved the construction of 110 metres of micropiles, down to depths of up to nine metres, to ensure the stability of the outside shoulder of the highway,” says Moira Whinham, Maintenance Contract Manager for NZTA on the West Coast.

    “This wall is an important step to improving the short-term resilience of the site while work on a business case looking at long term resilience options is completed.”

    Completion of the retaining wall means two lanes of unrestricted traffic are now restored on SH6.

    “There is still some work remaining at the site to complete repairs to the road surface that was damaged during the rockfall and subsequent scaling that happened to make the site safe.  This work needs to occur in warmer temperatures and is programmed for our next construction season this coming summer,” Miss Whinham says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Practise your home fire escape plan these school holidays

    Source:

    Victoria’s fire services are encouraging families to practice their home fire escape plans these school holidays.

    Fires can take hold at any time, and a practised escape plan could save lives.

    Last year, 18 people tragically lost their lives in preventable residential fires in Victoria, with research showing that young children, people aged over 65, smokers and people with disabilities are more likely to die in house fires. 

    All occupants of the home should know the quickest and safest way to escape from every room, and know of two exits from every room, either through doors or windows.

    You can find materials on both FRV and CFA’s respective websites to help create a plan.

    FRV Deputy Commissioner Community Safety Joshua Fischer said all family members should know what to do in the event of a fire.

    “In an emergency people can often panic and might not know what to do – particularly children,” Deputy Commissioner Fischer said.

    “Having a practised home fire escape plan will significantly increase your chances of survival, ensuring that all members of the house know how to safely evacuate as quickly as possible.”

    CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said fire escape plans should be tailored to your living environment and the abilities of all members of the household.

    “If you live in a high-rise building, know where the fire exits are, always take the stairs, and know the building’s evacuation procedures,” Chief Officer Heffernan said.

    “And if you have people in the family who will require assistance to evacuate, such an elderly family member or young child, consider this in your plan.”

    “Kids are always looking for things to do during school holidays, so why not practise your home fire escape plan together?”

    When making your home fire escape plan, remember:

    • Know what to do if a fire occurs. Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, you should have a Home Fire Escape Plan in place.
    • Practice your plan with everyone in the home.
    • If you must keep deadlocks locked, leave your keys in the door.

    When there is a fire:

    • Get out and stay out by getting down low and staying out of the smoke.
    • If it is safe, close the doors to slow down the spread of fire and smoke.
    • Alert other people on your way out and meet at a safe place, such as the letterbox or out the front of your home.
    • Call 000 from a mobile phone or neighbour’s phone.

    For more information, visit frv.vic.gov.au or cfa.vic.gov.au

    Submitted by CFA media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Gaza ceasefire talks begin in Qatar as Netanyahu heads to Washington

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

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for an official visit to Washington on Sunday, calling the trip a “great opportunity” to expand the circle of peace in the Middle East.

    Speaking before boarding his flight, Netanyahu said there were new prospects for Israel to reach normalization agreements with Arab countries “far beyond what we could previously imagine.”

    Netanyahu has made expanding normalization efforts a central goal of his foreign policy. Under the 2020 Abraham Accords, Israel signed normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. The country has peace agreements also with Egypt and Jordan.

    “We have already transformed the face of the Middle East beyond recognition,” he said, referring to Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip and the cross-border fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as conflicts with Iran, Yemen and Syria.

    Earlier on Sunday, an Israeli delegation was sent to Qatar to resume indirect negotiations with Hamas over a ceasefire-for-hostages deal, according to an Israeli official.

    Netanyahu said the delegation had received “clear instructions” to work toward a ceasefire under terms already accepted by Israel. He added that his upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump “can certainly help promote the outcome we all hope for.”

    Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, which begins Monday, is his third since Trump returned to office in January.

    The trip comes amid growing public pressure in Israel for a long-term ceasefire that would end the war in Gaza and secure the return of around 50 hostages, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners have pushed him to continue the military campaign and establish a permanent Israeli control over parts of the Palestinian enclave.

    Hamas announced on Friday it had responded “in a positive spirit” to a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day truce. Trump said Israel had agreed “to the necessary conditions to finalize” the deal.

    Since Israel resumed its military campaign in Gaza on March 18, at least 6,860 Palestinians have been killed and 24,220 others wounded, according to figures released Sunday by Gaza health authorities. That brings the total death toll in Gaza since the war began in October 2023 to 57,418, with 136,261 injured.

    MIL OSI China News –