Abertay University has announced the finalists for its flagship video game design competition, DARE Academy.
Six talented undergraduate teams will spend the summer developing and refining game prototypes, competing for the prestigious DARE trophy and a grand prize of £5,000.
A highlight of the university’s calendar, the competition offers students intensive support from academic staff and industry experts. Over the coming months, the teams will work in the university’s state-of-the-art Centre for Excellence in Computer Games, honing their concepts and creating playable prototypes in a professional studio environment.
This year’s finalists were selected by a panel of expert judges, who were impressed by the originality, polish and potential of the teams’ pitches.
The Dare Academy 2025 finalist teams are:
Fishbowl Studio
Bonny Bandits
Final Prism Interactive
Cosmic Coda
Hyperfix
Riverboat Games
The teams will have the opportunity to showcase their games at two events in Dundee: “Drop in and Play” at DCA on Saturday 30 August, and the awards ceremony at the CoSTAR Realtime Lab at Water’s Edge on Thursday 11 September.
DARE has a strong track record of launching careers and start-ups, with former teams going on to form successful indie studios including Pocket Sized Hands and Bit Loom.
Dr Dayna Galloway, Head of the Department of Games and Arts, said:
We’ve been absolutely blown away by the standard of submissions for this year’s DARE Academy. The creativity, ambition and quality on display have been incredibly exciting to see. A huge thank you goes to our judging panel for their time and input, and we’re thrilled to be working with such brilliant industry mentors and sponsors again this year. Their support will be vital in helping our students grow – not just during DARE, but as they move forward into careers in the games industry.
Torin Pellegrini, team leader of Fishbowl Studio, said:
We’re absolutely thrilled to have made it to the DARE Academy finals – it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. As Abertay students, we know how much this competition can open doors in the industry, and we’re ready to make the most of it. This year’s line-up is packed with originality and fun, and we can’t wait to work with mentors to develop the best version of our game and contribute to DARE’S amazing legacy. Go Fishbowl!
Last year’s DARE Academy winners were Triple 7 Studios with their game “Left Upon Read”. They were crowned winners by a panel of top industry judges at the UK’s biggest video games expo, EGX in London.
New York City, NY, July 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ripple (XRP) has ended its battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is getting rid of the supervision of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Garlinghouse tweeted: “True to our long-standing compliance roots, @Ripple is applying for a national bank charter from the OCC,” he added, “If approved, we would have both state (via NYDFS) and federal oversight, a new (and unique!) benchmark for trust in the stablecoin market.”
Against this backdrop, the LET Mining cloud mining platform provides XRP users with a way to participate that is both compliant with regulatory direction and can generate stable profits. Allow users to create more value for XRP through the LET Mining cloud mining service.
If Ripple Labs has any trump card, it is that it may be the most capital-rich cryptocurrency company in the world. If Ripple successfully obtains a national banking license, it will become the first crypto payment company licensed by a federal agency in the United States. This is not only a huge encouragement to the stablecoin market, but also directly enhances the credibility, use and legitimacy of XRP – this is good news for all crypto users.
And LET Mining is precisely under this compliance wave, providing users with a safer and more transparent passive income platform.
How does LET Mining achieve income? LET Mining maximizes revenue through the following mechanisms: ✅ AI computing power scheduling system: dynamically adjust mining strategies according to market difficulty and coin price ✅ Multi-node deployment: Global distributed servers ensure mining efficiency and stability ✅ Green energy drive: reduce operating costs and increase user revenue space ✅ Referral reward system: invite friends to get up to 3% additional rebate
How XRP holders can create revenue through LET Mining 1. Log in to the website https://letmining.com/ to register an account, and you can get a $12 reward after successful registration 2. Choose a cloud computing power contract that suits the user’s investment strategy. Users have the following options (minimum 50XRP to participate)
●Experience Contract: Investment amount: $100, contract period: 2 days, daily income of $4, expiration income: $100 + $8 ●BTC Classic Hash Power: Investment amount: $500, contract period: 5 days, daily income of $6, expiration income: $500 + $30 ●DOGE Classic Hash Power: Investment amount: $3,500, contract period: 24 days, daily income of $50.4, expiration income: $3,500 + $1,209.6 ●BTC Advanced Hash Power: Investment amount: $5,000, contract period: 30 days, daily income of $76, expiration income: $5,000 + $2,280 ●BTC Advanced Hash Power: Investment amount: $10,000, contract period: 45 days, daily income of $173, expiration income: $10,000 + $7,785
3. Automatically obtain revenue every day and withdraw funds at any time
Start mining with XRP to “empower” assets Although XRP itself cannot mine, LET Mining supports using XRP to activate contracts, purchase computing power, and participate in cloud mining of other currencies (such as BTC, LTC, DOGE). This model not only provides a new value channel for XRP holders, but also provides users with a way to steadily increase value in a compliant path.
Today, as the regulatory environment for XRP becomes increasingly clear, using its legal and compliant funding path to launch LET Mining computing power contracts will be the “ace combination” in asset management strategies.
As Ripple actively applies for a U.S. national banking license, XRP is gradually moving towards the core position of the mainstream financial system. In this wave of cryptocurrency compliance and financial integration, LET Mining is providing XRP holders with a new path to release value.
Through LET Mining cloud mining, users do not need to rely on traditional mining mechanisms, and can also make XRP the key to start digital wealth growth. Compliance is the direction, action is the beginning – now is the best time to use XRP to expand passive income opportunities.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Arsenal has completed the signing of Spain international midfielder Martin Zubimendi on a “long-term” contract.
The 26-year-old, who had spent all of his career with Real Sociedad, joined last season’s Premier League runner-up for 51 million pounds (70 million U.S. dollars) and becomes the second player from the San Sebastian outfit to join Arsenal, after the arrival of Mikel Merino last summer.
Jude Bellingham (R) of Real Madrid vies with Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad during the Copa del Rey semifinal 2nd leg football match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, in Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid, Spain, on April 1, 2025. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
“This is a huge moment in my career. It’s the move I was looking for and one I wanted to make. As soon as you set foot here, you realize how big this club and this team are,” said Zubimendi, who had also attracted interest from Real Madrid and has 19 caps for Spain.
“I set my sights on Arsenal because their style of play is a good fit for me. They have shown their potential recently and the best is yet to come,” he added in words published on the Arsenal website.
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta welcomed the signing of one of his club’s key summer targets.
“We welcome Martin and his family to the club. We look forward to him settling in with his teammates and are very excited to see him playing in an Arsenal shirt.”
“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team. He will fit in really well, and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us.”
“The standard he has consistently performed at over the last few seasons for both club and country is exactly why we are so excited to have him with us,” added Arteta.
Arsenal is also thought to be closing in on a deal to sign Noni Madueke from Chelsea, with the England winger said to have agreed to a five-year contract at the Emirates.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Real Madrid will face Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals after both sides claimed quarterfinal victories on Saturday.
In New Jersey, Real Madrid survived a late scare to secure a 3-2 win over a fast-finishing Borussia Dortmund while Paris Saint-Germain overcame Bayern Munich 2-0 in Atlanta.
Kylian Mbappe (L) of Real Madrid scores with a volley during the quarterfinal match between Real Madrid (Spain) and Borussia Dortmund (Germany) at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in New Jersey, the United States, July 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)
Fifteen-time UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid looked to be cruising as they entered second-half stoppage time with a 2-0 lead courtesy of first-half goals from Gonzalo Garcia and Fran Garcia at MetLife Stadium.
Maximilian Beier pulled one back in the 93rd minute before Kylian Mbappe appeared to settle Madrid’s nerves a minute later by volleying home his first goal of the tournament.
But Serhou Guirassy reduced the deficit again by converting from the penalty spot after he was dragged down by Dean Huijsen, an offense that earned the Spain international defender a straight red card.
The Spanish side held on to set up a duel with PSG at the same venue next Wednesday for a place in the final.
“Everything was under control but the last 10 minutes were kind of crazy,” Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said after the match. “We lost a little bit of our shape, our intensity and luckily we managed to hold on. Overall, it was a good eighty minutes but the last 10 minutes showed we need to improve.”
Alonso hailed the impact of Gonzalo Garcia, who has four goals in five games this tournament, as well as an assist.
“He is doing great work for the team,” the former Spain midfielder said. “He is helping the team and he is running into the right positions in the box. He is a proper No. 9, and we are happy that he is doing that work.”
Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac said his team paid the price for a poor start.
“I don’t think we played well in the first half,” the former Croatia midfielder said. “We were too passive, just waiting and not aggressive enough. It was a bit better after the break.”
He reserved special praise for Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who denied Marcel Sabitzer an equalizer in the final seconds.
“That final save was unbelievable,” Kovac said. “I really thought that shot would go in but this is a world-class goalkeeper. We lost the game in the first half, not the second.”
Earlier, late goals from Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele gave nine-man Paris Saint-Germain victory over Bayern Munich.
The result was overshadowed by a serious ankle injury suffered by Bayern midfielder Jamal Musiala in a collision with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma just before halftime.
Doue put the European champions ahead in the 78th minute with a long-range effort that beat goalkeeper Manuel Neuer at his near post.
The Parisian side was then reduced to nine men after Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez were both shown straight red cards within 10 minutes.
Despite the double setback, Dembele swept home PSG’s second goal in stoppage time following Achraf Hakimi’s cross.
“It’s always difficult to play against a great team like Bayern Munich,” PSG manager Luis Enrique told a post-match news conference. “And thinking about the last part of the match where we played with one man less and then two, it was very difficult.
“We have to recover and focus on the semifinal. In this very long season, to come here with that attitude that we see from the team in each training session and each game, I think we deserve to be here. I also think our fans deserve to see this. I hope we’ll keep improving and be able to play another final. That’s our goal.”
Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany said the final scoreline did not accurately reflect the match.
“We weren’t rewarded for a performance that was exactly what was required against PSG,” he said. “That’s a shame. I knew it would be a close game. It could’ve finished 1-0 or 2-0 to us or them. That’s how it turned out. It was a game with high intensity and high quality.
“Tomorrow we fly home and have three weeks off. It’s important that the boys can also mentally switch off a bit now. We need to regain our strength for next season.”
Kompany said the club’s thoughts were with Musiala and wished the German international a prompt recovery.
“I’ve rarely been so angry at halftime, not against my players – I know there are much more important things in life, but for these guys it’s their life,” the former Belgium international defender said.
“Someone like Jamal lives for this. He just came back from a setback, and now this happens. You feel powerless. My blood is still boiling right now, not because of the result, that’s football. But because it happened to someone who enjoys the game so much.”
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
July 6 marks the 75th anniversary of the foundation of Kurganmashzavod.
Dear friends!
I congratulate you on this significant date – the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant.
Your enterprise has made a great contribution to the development of domestic mechanical engineering and strengthening the country’s defense capability. Over the years, the labor of many generations of engineers, designers, and skilled workers has created the only enterprise in the country for the production of infantry and airborne combat vehicles.
Today, the unique technical potential of the plant allows it to fulfill state defense orders in a high-quality and timely manner, and to produce the latest models of military equipment that confirm their reliability and combat characteristics during a special military operation.
It is important that you use progressive design solutions and modern materials. You pay special attention to the implementation of innovations, increasing labor productivity. This allows you to increase the volume of high-tech products for civilian and dual purposes.
I am confident that love for their profession and a responsible attitude to work will allow the team of the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant to continue to ensure the protection of national interests and the defense capability of our state.
I wish you and your families success in your work, health, happiness and prosperity.
M. Mishustin
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Resolution of July 1, 2025 No. 992
Document
Resolution of July 1, 2025 No. 992
The state nature reserve “Donetsk Steppe” has been created in a number of territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Zaporizhia Oblast. The decree on this was signed by the Chairman of the Government Mikhail Mishustin.
The new specially protected natural area includes 4 clusters – “Kalmiussky”, “Stone Graves”, “Chalk Flora” and “Khomutovskaya Steppe”, which were previously parts of the steppe reserve created in 1961. Their total area is more than 3 thousand hectares.
The clusters represent different types of steppe landscapes, each with its own species of flora and fauna. Many of them are listed in the Red Book of Russia, including the Schrenk tulip, golden eagle, osprey, white-tailed eagle, demoiselle crane and others.
The creation of the reserve will ensure a special protection regime for a significant number of rare and endangered species of plants, birds and animals, and will contribute to an increase in their numbers and natural migration.
The work is being carried out within the framework of the implementation of the state program “Environmental Protection” and the program of socio-economic development of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Lugansk People’s Republic, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
July 6, 2025 marks the professional holiday – Day of Workers of the Sea and River Fleet.
Dear friends!
I congratulate you on the Day of the Sea and River Fleet.
The professions of a sailor and a riverman are respected in society. They require high professionalism, responsibility and discipline. It is largely due to your work that the Northern Sea Route, the capacity of sea ports, the system of inland waterways are developing, and both foreign trade and transportation within the country are carried out.
Today, the industry is successfully solving new problems. Active work is underway to develop the Arctic and Far Eastern seas, and to develop waterways within international transport corridors. Much is being done to digitalize shipping, which allows for increasing export and transit opportunities, improving the quality and safety of passenger and freight transportation.
I would like to express special gratitude to all fleet veterans. In the year of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, we remember with deep respect those who participated in the defense of Leningrad and Moscow, Sevastopol and Stalingrad, fought at the walls of Novorossiysk and in Kerch. Their fortitude and courage are an example for the new generation of specialists.
On this festive day, I wish you all success, health, and prosperity.
M. Mishustin
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Workers in line for £29,000 boost thanks to landmark Pensions Bill
The Bill is set to transform the pensions landscape for years to come and put more money in people’s pockets as part of the Plan for Change
Pension Schemes Bill could boost returns to pension saving by thousands of pounds
Changes will also make it easier for savers to access and manage their pensions
Working people on an average salary who save into a pension pot over their career, could benefit by up to £29,000 by the time they retire thanks to major Government reforms that will consolidate small pension pots, ensure schemes are value for money, and create larger pension schemes.
The figure was revealed as the Pension Schemes Bill returns to Parliament for its second reading today [7 July 2025].
Reforms in the Bill, which have received wide-spread support from the pensions industry and consumer groups, will support 20 million pension savers to get more from their pension pots and be better prepared for retirement.
The Bill will bring together small pension pots worth £1,000 or less into one pension scheme that is certified as delivering good value to savers, making pension saving less hassle and more rewarding. At present many people struggle to keep track of multiple small pensions as they move jobs and can pay high fees as a result.
In future pension schemes will also need to prove they are value for money, helping savers understand whether their scheme is giving them good returns and protecting them from getting stuck in underperforming schemes for years on end.
These measures will lay the foundation for the upcoming Pensions Review to examine how we get to a fair and sustainable pensions system, supporting growth and delivering on the government’s Plan for Change by putting more money into people’s pockets.
Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said:
We’re ramping up the pace of pension reform, to ensure that people’s pension savings works as hard for them as they worked to save.
The measures in our Pension Schemes Bill will drive costs down and returns up on workers’ retirement savings – putting more money in people’s pockets to the tune of up to £29,000 for an average earner and delivering on our Plan for Change.
Other measures include:
New rules creating multi-employer DC scheme “megafunds” of at least £25 billion, so that bigger and better pension schemes can drive down costs and invest in a wider range of assets.
Simplifying retirement choices, with all pension schemes offering default routes to an income in retirement.
Increased flexibility for Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes to safely release surplus worth collectively £160 billion, to support employers’ investment plans and to benefit scheme members.
The reforms will also unlock long-term investment in the UK economy by removing barriers to growth, strengthening the security and governance of pension schemes and ultimately delivering better returns for people saving for their retirement.
The pace of pension reform has ramped up with measures in the Bill set to revolutionise the pensions landscape in the coming years. While the benefits of the Bill are clear, significant challenges still remains with these benefits varied for different workers and different groups. This is why the upcoming Pensions Review will examine challenges such as pension adequacy to ensure underserved groups do not miss out on the benefits arising from these measures.
Reforms announced as part of the Bill will also future proof the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) by leading to the consolidation of all £400 billion of assets into a small number of expert asset pools which can invest in local areas infrastructure, housing and clean energy.
Minister for Local Government and English Devolution Jim McMahon OBE said:
This Bill will ensure the Local Government Pension Scheme is fit for the future and harness its full potential, with assets due to reach £1 trillion by 2040, and will strengthen investment in local communities to accelerate growth as part of our Plan for Change.
Zoe Alexander, Director of Policy and Advocacy for PLSA:
The introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill is a significant milestone, bringing forward necessary legislation to enact important reforms that have the full backing of the pensions industry. This includes small pots consolidation, the Value for Money regime, decumulation options and changes to give DB funds more options for securing member benefits over the long-term.
Once fully implemented, these measures should reduce the cost of administering pensions, remove complexity for savers and help ensure schemes are maximising the value they provide members.
Additional Information
To build scale in the pensions industry and stimulate UK investment, the Pension Schemes Bill will:
Require multi-employer Defined Contribution schemes used for automatic enrolment, unless exempt, to have at least £25 billion of assets in their main default arrangement by 2030 or be on route to achieving that scale by 2035 through having £10 billion in their main default.
Allow more flexibility for trustees of well-funded Defined Benefit pension schemes to share surplus funds with employers and their scheme members, with strict funding safeguards, unlocking some of the £160 billion surplus funds to be reinvested across the UK economy, boosting business productivity and delivering for members.
Create a legislative framework for the regulation of superfunds to encourage growth of the superfund market and underpin the security of members’ benefits.
Relax restrictions to allow the Board of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) to reduce the annual pension protection levy it collects from pension schemes, when it is not required and collect less from businesses up and down the country.
Extend the definition of ‘terminal illness’ in the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme legislation, so that eligible members who are diagnosed as terminally ill can receive payments at an earlier stage of their illness.
Lead to all Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales (LGPS) investments being managed by FCA-regulated asset pools, who will be responsible for implementing investment strategies set by their partner LGPS Administering Authorities.
To ensure better outcomes for savers, the Pension Schemes Bill will:
Introduce powers to create a Value for Money framework to enable a shift in focus from cost towards value and protect savers from becoming stuck in underperforming arrangements for extended periods.
Implement Guided Retirement Options which will place duties on trustees to provide default solutions for their members, unless the member chooses to opt-out. The default will provide an income in later life, including consideration for longevity protection – which could include CDC provision.
Enable authorisation of providers to act as a consolidator scheme. This will also aid the building of scale with pots worth £1,000 or less consolidated into a small number of large, good value schemes.
Facilitate PPF and FAS information to be displayed on dashboards.
The Competent Court measure in the Bill will confirm the legal standing of The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) to make enforceable determinations in pensions overpayment recoupment cases without requiring a county court judge’s order, leading to quicker customer journeys and shorter waiting times.
The £29,000 boost to retirement pots is estimated through assuming greater investment performance through addressing underperformance and increasing diversification, reducing costs which could be passed onto savers and by investing for longer, ensuring worker’s pension pots work harder, for longer.
These figures are based on published annual earnings averages, which shows a full-time male will earn just over £37,000 a year and a woman just under £32,000.
Measures in the Bill mean that an average male earner at the start of their career could see up to £31,000 more in their retirement fund by the time they retire while a women could see £26,000 more in their retirement fund. See the Pension Schemes Bill Impact Assessment for further details on the calculations.
Please attribute to Acting Senior Sergeant Bernie O’Brien.
Police officers working dedicated area patrols to prevent burglaries in the Horowhenua area last week caught a recidivist offender with help from a quick-thinking caretaker.
On Thursday 3 July the Old Horowhenua Hospital complex was targeted with an offender cutting the main water supply to the site.
The burglary was discovered by workers on Friday morning and the damage repairs were estimated to be around $20,000. A plumber had to be called to reconnect the water supply to the building.
At about 9am on Saturday 5 July police were called to a burglary in progress by a caretaker at the hospital complex.
Police arrived to find a male running through the back fence of the complex. He had fled the premises allegedly leaving a substantial amount of copper piled up in sacks ready to go.
Police made immediate area enquiries and this work encouraged the suspect to report to the station and hand himself in.
Over several months the Old Horowhenua Hospital has been targeted by burglars removing copper pipes from within the buildings and under the floors.
While the site is no longer a hospital it is still the offices for community organisations such as The Horowhenua Learning Centre, and Life to the Max who rely on the building for their daily work.
The burglaries have caused thousands of dollars of damage and cutting and stealing pipe undermines the infrastructure of the building which can lead to further damage.
The offender responsible has been charged with five counts of burglary and will appear in the Levin District Court today.
Police would like to thank the public for their help in locating the person responsible for the burglaries and damage. Their quick thinking alerting police immdiately made all the difference.
We continue to encourage members of the public contact us if you see any suspicious or unlawful behaviour in the community.
Please contact Police on 111 immediately with as much information you can safely gather if an offence is currently in progress.
Information can be reported in non-emergencies or afterwards online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Make a Report” or call 105.
Left to right – Ethan Brown, Pat Sutton and David Wheeldon. Image: Uniform Photography
Three members of Trentham Fire Brigade have been recognised for their extraordinary bravery after they ventured into a severe storm to assist isolated community members in need.
CFA volunteers David Wheeldon, Pat Sutton and Ethan Brown each received the distinguished Unit Citation for Courage, at a ceremony at the Trentham Community Hub on Sunday (6 July).
On the night of 9 June 2021, destructive winds exceeding 160km/h tore through central Victoria, felling hundreds of trees, blocking roads, and cutting power and water to entire Trentham community for days.
Faced with dangerous conditions, David, Pat and Ethan recognised the need for immediate action after receiving an urgent call for help from a woman who had been left stranded by the storm damage and urgently needed access to an oxygen cylinder due to a health condition.
With roads blocked and no way for vehicles to get through, the trio set out to deliver the oxygen themselves.
Joined by a Victoria Police officer, they began to cut their way through a road strewn with dozens of trees.
David, who is now the captain of the brigade, said they didn’t give the rescue a second thought.
“You don’t think, you just go. The road was completely blocked, some of the fallen trees were huge and the weather just kept getting worse,” David said.
“I’ve never experienced winds like that, it was over 100 miles an hour, and trees continued to come down around us as we worked.”
Despite their efforts, the road proved to be impassable, but using local knowledge of backroads and paddocks, the crew was able to reach the person in need and deliver the oxygen in time.
“We thought we were responding to help the one person, but when we finally got through, there were six or seven cars out there with around 10 people trapped,” David said.
The crew moved the group to a nearby farmhouse, providing them with blankets, water and supplies to ensure their safety.
“We couldn’t bring them back it was too dangerous,” David said.
“So, we gave them any essentials we had on hand to ensure they were comfortable.”
After confirming the group was safe, and catching a few hours rest, response efforts resumed at first light.
David added that it was an honour to be recognised alongside Pat and Ethan.
“I couldn’t have asked for two better people to be out there with,” David said.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, who presented the trio with their awards, praised the crew’s bravery and dedication.
“These volunteers placed themselves in harm’s way to protect others, without hesitation and under incredibly dangerous conditions,” Jason said.
“Their courage, teamwork and community mindedness perfectly reflect what CFA stands for.”
The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 78 on Sunday, including at least 28 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day and fears of more flash flooding as rain fell on saturated ground prompted fresh evacuations.
Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, said 68 people had died in flooding in his county, the epicenter of the flooding, among them 28 children. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and 41 confirmed missing. The governor did not say how many of the dead outside Kerr were children.
Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp. Sheriff Leitha said on Sunday that 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor were still missing.
“It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,” said Abbott, who said he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing.
The flooding occurred after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday.
Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kiddsaid at the press conference on Sunday afternoon the destruction killed three people in Burnet County, one in Tom Green County, five in Travis County and one in Williamson County.
“You will see the death toll rise today and tomorrow,” said Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, also speaking on Sunday.
Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio.
“Everyone in the community is hurting,” Leitha told reporters.
A WALL OF WATER
Kidd said he was receiving unconfirmed reports of “an additional wall of water” flowing down some of the creeks in the Guadalupe Rivershed, as rain continued to fall on soil in the region already saturated from Friday’s rains.
He said aircraft were sent aloft to scout for additional floodwaters, while search-and-rescue personnel who might be in harm’s way were alerted to pull back from the river in the meantime.
The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas that were to last until 4:15 p.m. local time (2115 GMT) as rains fell, potentially complicating rescue efforts.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and planes are helping the search and rescue efforts, the department said.
SCALING BACK FEDERAL DISASTER RESPONSE
Trump, who said on Sunday he would visit the disaster scene, probably on Friday, has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government’s role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves.
Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm.
Trump’s administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service’s parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said.
Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency’s ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a “moderate” flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system.
Joaquin Castro, a Democratic U.S. congressman from Texas, told CNN’s “State of the Union” program that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous.
“When you have flash flooding, there’s a risk that if you don’t have the personnel … to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,” Castro said.
‘COMPLETE DEVASTATION’
Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flooding.
Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night.
“Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y’all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,” Somerville said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday.
Somerville said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe.
The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters).
A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall.
The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 78 on Sunday, including at least 28 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day and fears of more flash flooding as rain fell on saturated ground prompted fresh evacuations.
Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, said 68 people had died in flooding in his county, the epicenter of the flooding, among them 28 children. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and 41 confirmed missing. The governor did not say how many of the dead outside Kerr were children.
Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp. Sheriff Leitha said on Sunday that 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor were still missing.
“It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,” said Abbott, who said he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing.
The flooding occurred after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday.
Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kiddsaid at the press conference on Sunday afternoon the destruction killed three people in Burnet County, one in Tom Green County, five in Travis County and one in Williamson County.
“You will see the death toll rise today and tomorrow,” said Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, also speaking on Sunday.
Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio.
“Everyone in the community is hurting,” Leitha told reporters.
A WALL OF WATER
Kidd said he was receiving unconfirmed reports of “an additional wall of water” flowing down some of the creeks in the Guadalupe Rivershed, as rain continued to fall on soil in the region already saturated from Friday’s rains.
He said aircraft were sent aloft to scout for additional floodwaters, while search-and-rescue personnel who might be in harm’s way were alerted to pull back from the river in the meantime.
The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas that were to last until 4:15 p.m. local time (2115 GMT) as rains fell, potentially complicating rescue efforts.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and planes are helping the search and rescue efforts, the department said.
SCALING BACK FEDERAL DISASTER RESPONSE
Trump, who said on Sunday he would visit the disaster scene, probably on Friday, has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government’s role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves.
Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm.
Trump’s administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service’s parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said.
Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency’s ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a “moderate” flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system.
Joaquin Castro, a Democratic U.S. congressman from Texas, told CNN’s “State of the Union” program that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous.
“When you have flash flooding, there’s a risk that if you don’t have the personnel … to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,” Castro said.
‘COMPLETE DEVASTATION’
Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flooding.
Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night.
“Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y’all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,” Somerville said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday.
Somerville said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe.
The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters).
A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall.
Through face-to-face workshops, CFA’s Landscaping for Bushfire plant selection tool is helping keen gardeners to have valuable conversations about how to enhance bushfire resilience around their homes, while providing enjoyable landscapes and habitat for wildlife.
These initiatives are a collaboration between CFA and Community-Based Bushfire Management facilitators.
Workshops like this allow people to walk around different zones of gardens classed as ‘fire-wise’ properties, have conversations about practical landscaping elements and how to best place plants to achieve passive fire protection. This includes through site analysis and design (zoning), understanding plant flammability (placement and separation), while incorporating well-placed hard landscaping, such as paths, driveways, low walls and pruned vegetation.
Subtle modifications to your garden can make living with bushfire less scary and aesthetically beautiful.
“Workshop participants said they left feeling empowered and confident to design a garden that looks after wildlife,” Newham Landcare Group event organiser Jess Szigethy-Gyula said. “They are not so scared of bushfires now.”
The Landscaping for Bushfire tool can be used to test a range of plant specimens from local gardens for fire-wise attributes. This means touching, scrunching and smelling foliage, and sharing different opinions about the values these plants provide people.
Participants also learned that while some plants may be ranked as more flammable, they can be managed through pruning or by placing them in safer locations more than 10 metres from the house.
“We can increase our understanding of not only the structure of plants, but also how their safe placement in a garden is influenced by the property’s location and topography,” workshop presenter Owen Gooding said.
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The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 69 on Sunday, including at least 21 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said the death toll in Kerr county, the epicenter of the flooding, had reached 59, while another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and 41 remained missing.
Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp, where 11 girls and a counselor are still missing.
“It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,” said Abbott, who said he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing.
The flooding occurred after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday. Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, said earlier that 21 children have died in the flooding.
Officials speaking at the press conference on Sunday afternoon said the destruction killed three people in Burnet County, one in Tom Green county, five in Travis county and one in Williamson county.
Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio.
“Everyone in the community is hurting,” Leitha told reporters.
The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas that were to last until 4:15 p.m. local time (2115 GMT) as rains fell, potentially complicating rescue efforts.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and planes are helping the search and rescue efforts, the department said.
Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government’s role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves.
Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm.
Trump’s administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service’s parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said.
Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency’s ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a “moderate” flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system.
Joaquin Castro, a Democratic U.S. congressman from Texas, told CNN’s “State of the Union” program that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous.
“When you have flash flooding, there’s a risk that if you don’t have the personnel … to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,” Castro said.
‘COMPLETE DEVASTATION’
Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flooding.
Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night.
“Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y’all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,” Somerville said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday.
Somerville said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe.
The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters).
A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall.
Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling technology came under fire on Sunday after an embarrassing malfunction robbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point during her last-16 victory over Britain’s Sonay Kartal on Centre Court.
Russian Pavlyuchenkova had reached game point at 4-4 in the opening set and Kartal hit a shot that looked clearly long but there was no call and Pavlyuchenkova stopped play.
An automated voice call of “STOP STOP” rang out and confusion reigned as umpire Nico Helwerth sought advice from tournament organisers via telephone.
Television replays showed that Kartal’s shot was clearly out, yet Helwerth ruled that because the Hawk-Eye technology had not tracked the ball, the point must be replayed.
Pavlyuchenkova went on to have her serve broken and was clearly fuming at the changeover, telling the umpire: “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me. They stole the game from me. You stole the game from me”.
The 34-year-old quickly regrouped and showed the resilience that has marked her long career by reaching the quarter-finals with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win.
But the main talking point was the first big glitch of Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling system that has replaced human line judges this year.
OPERATOR ERROR
Tournament officials later said the problem had been caused by operator error and that the umpire had followed the correct protocols, although Pavlyuchenkova felt that he should have intervened to correct an obvious mistake.
“We were waiting for a decision as the system was down, but I was expecting to hear if they said the ball was in or out,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters.
“Instead they just said, replay the point. It was tricky especially as it was a very crucial moment in the match.
“I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take the initiative. That’s why he’s there sitting on the chair. He also saw it (was) out, he told me after the match. I thought he would do that, but he didn’t.
“I think it’s also difficult for him. He probably was scared to take such a big decision.”
Asked how she would have felt if the point had cost her the match, Pavlyuchenkova raised a smile: “I would just say that I hate Wimbledon and never come back here.”
KARTAL UNSIGHTED
Kartal said she had been unsighted as to whether her shot was out and was equally confused at the time.
“That situation is a rarity. I don’t think it’s really ever happened,” she said. “It’s tough luck. What can you do? The umpire is trying his best. I think he handled it fine.”
Pavlyuchenkova, who felt a back-up system should be in place, is not the first person this week to question the automated line-calling system.
Britain’s Emma Raducanu claimed there were wrong calls during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka.
“No, I don’t (trust the system) — I think the other players would say the same thing, there were some pretty dodgy ones but what can you do?,” she said after her defeat.
Britain’s Jack Draper also believed it was not 100% accurate while Swiss player Belinda Bencic said this week that it was a hot topic in the locker rooms.
Pavlyuchenkova said it was something that needed to be addressed.
“I think since we have already automatic line-calling and so much invested into this, we should probably look into something else to have better decisions on it,” she said.
Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling technology came under fire on Sunday after an embarrassing malfunction robbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point during her last-16 victory over Britain’s Sonay Kartal on Centre Court.
Russian Pavlyuchenkova had reached game point at 4-4 in the opening set and Kartal hit a shot that looked clearly long but there was no call and Pavlyuchenkova stopped play.
An automated voice call of “STOP STOP” rang out and confusion reigned as umpire Nico Helwerth sought advice from tournament organisers via telephone.
Television replays showed that Kartal’s shot was clearly out, yet Helwerth ruled that because the Hawk-Eye technology had not tracked the ball, the point must be replayed.
Pavlyuchenkova went on to have her serve broken and was clearly fuming at the changeover, telling the umpire: “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me. They stole the game from me. You stole the game from me”.
The 34-year-old quickly regrouped and showed the resilience that has marked her long career by reaching the quarter-finals with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win.
But the main talking point was the first big glitch of Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling system that has replaced human line judges this year.
OPERATOR ERROR
Tournament officials later said the problem had been caused by operator error and that the umpire had followed the correct protocols, although Pavlyuchenkova felt that he should have intervened to correct an obvious mistake.
“We were waiting for a decision as the system was down, but I was expecting to hear if they said the ball was in or out,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters.
“Instead they just said, replay the point. It was tricky especially as it was a very crucial moment in the match.
“I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take the initiative. That’s why he’s there sitting on the chair. He also saw it (was) out, he told me after the match. I thought he would do that, but he didn’t.
“I think it’s also difficult for him. He probably was scared to take such a big decision.”
Asked how she would have felt if the point had cost her the match, Pavlyuchenkova raised a smile: “I would just say that I hate Wimbledon and never come back here.”
KARTAL UNSIGHTED
Kartal said she had been unsighted as to whether her shot was out and was equally confused at the time.
“That situation is a rarity. I don’t think it’s really ever happened,” she said. “It’s tough luck. What can you do? The umpire is trying his best. I think he handled it fine.”
Pavlyuchenkova, who felt a back-up system should be in place, is not the first person this week to question the automated line-calling system.
Britain’s Emma Raducanu claimed there were wrong calls during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka.
“No, I don’t (trust the system) — I think the other players would say the same thing, there were some pretty dodgy ones but what can you do?,” she said after her defeat.
Britain’s Jack Draper also believed it was not 100% accurate while Swiss player Belinda Bencic said this week that it was a hot topic in the locker rooms.
Pavlyuchenkova said it was something that needed to be addressed.
“I think since we have already automatic line-calling and so much invested into this, we should probably look into something else to have better decisions on it,” she said.
Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling technology came under fire on Sunday after an embarrassing malfunction robbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point during her last-16 victory over Britain’s Sonay Kartal on Centre Court.
Russian Pavlyuchenkova had reached game point at 4-4 in the opening set and Kartal hit a shot that looked clearly long but there was no call and Pavlyuchenkova stopped play.
An automated voice call of “STOP STOP” rang out and confusion reigned as umpire Nico Helwerth sought advice from tournament organisers via telephone.
Television replays showed that Kartal’s shot was clearly out, yet Helwerth ruled that because the Hawk-Eye technology had not tracked the ball, the point must be replayed.
Pavlyuchenkova went on to have her serve broken and was clearly fuming at the changeover, telling the umpire: “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me. They stole the game from me. You stole the game from me”.
The 34-year-old quickly regrouped and showed the resilience that has marked her long career by reaching the quarter-finals with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win.
But the main talking point was the first big glitch of Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling system that has replaced human line judges this year.
OPERATOR ERROR
Tournament officials later said the problem had been caused by operator error and that the umpire had followed the correct protocols, although Pavlyuchenkova felt that he should have intervened to correct an obvious mistake.
“We were waiting for a decision as the system was down, but I was expecting to hear if they said the ball was in or out,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters.
“Instead they just said, replay the point. It was tricky especially as it was a very crucial moment in the match.
“I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take the initiative. That’s why he’s there sitting on the chair. He also saw it (was) out, he told me after the match. I thought he would do that, but he didn’t.
“I think it’s also difficult for him. He probably was scared to take such a big decision.”
Asked how she would have felt if the point had cost her the match, Pavlyuchenkova raised a smile: “I would just say that I hate Wimbledon and never come back here.”
KARTAL UNSIGHTED
Kartal said she had been unsighted as to whether her shot was out and was equally confused at the time.
“That situation is a rarity. I don’t think it’s really ever happened,” she said. “It’s tough luck. What can you do? The umpire is trying his best. I think he handled it fine.”
Pavlyuchenkova, who felt a back-up system should be in place, is not the first person this week to question the automated line-calling system.
Britain’s Emma Raducanu claimed there were wrong calls during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka.
“No, I don’t (trust the system) — I think the other players would say the same thing, there were some pretty dodgy ones but what can you do?,” she said after her defeat.
Britain’s Jack Draper also believed it was not 100% accurate while Swiss player Belinda Bencic said this week that it was a hot topic in the locker rooms.
Pavlyuchenkova said it was something that needed to be addressed.
“I think since we have already automatic line-calling and so much invested into this, we should probably look into something else to have better decisions on it,” she said.
Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling technology came under fire on Sunday after an embarrassing malfunction robbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point during her last-16 victory over Britain’s Sonay Kartal on Centre Court.
Russian Pavlyuchenkova had reached game point at 4-4 in the opening set and Kartal hit a shot that looked clearly long but there was no call and Pavlyuchenkova stopped play.
An automated voice call of “STOP STOP” rang out and confusion reigned as umpire Nico Helwerth sought advice from tournament organisers via telephone.
Television replays showed that Kartal’s shot was clearly out, yet Helwerth ruled that because the Hawk-Eye technology had not tracked the ball, the point must be replayed.
Pavlyuchenkova went on to have her serve broken and was clearly fuming at the changeover, telling the umpire: “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me. They stole the game from me. You stole the game from me”.
The 34-year-old quickly regrouped and showed the resilience that has marked her long career by reaching the quarter-finals with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win.
But the main talking point was the first big glitch of Wimbledon‘s automated line-calling system that has replaced human line judges this year.
OPERATOR ERROR
Tournament officials later said the problem had been caused by operator error and that the umpire had followed the correct protocols, although Pavlyuchenkova felt that he should have intervened to correct an obvious mistake.
“We were waiting for a decision as the system was down, but I was expecting to hear if they said the ball was in or out,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters.
“Instead they just said, replay the point. It was tricky especially as it was a very crucial moment in the match.
“I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take the initiative. That’s why he’s there sitting on the chair. He also saw it (was) out, he told me after the match. I thought he would do that, but he didn’t.
“I think it’s also difficult for him. He probably was scared to take such a big decision.”
Asked how she would have felt if the point had cost her the match, Pavlyuchenkova raised a smile: “I would just say that I hate Wimbledon and never come back here.”
KARTAL UNSIGHTED
Kartal said she had been unsighted as to whether her shot was out and was equally confused at the time.
“That situation is a rarity. I don’t think it’s really ever happened,” she said. “It’s tough luck. What can you do? The umpire is trying his best. I think he handled it fine.”
Pavlyuchenkova, who felt a back-up system should be in place, is not the first person this week to question the automated line-calling system.
Britain’s Emma Raducanu claimed there were wrong calls during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka.
“No, I don’t (trust the system) — I think the other players would say the same thing, there were some pretty dodgy ones but what can you do?,” she said after her defeat.
Britain’s Jack Draper also believed it was not 100% accurate while Swiss player Belinda Bencic said this week that it was a hot topic in the locker rooms.
Pavlyuchenkova said it was something that needed to be addressed.
“I think since we have already automatic line-calling and so much invested into this, we should probably look into something else to have better decisions on it,” she said.
Indian pacer Akash Deep has dedicated India’s historic Test win at Edgbaston to his elder sister, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer for the past two months.
Speaking after India’s victory over England in the second Test, the 27-year-old revealed that he had kept his sister’s illness private, focusing on cricket while his thoughts remained with his family.
“I have not told this to anyone. My elder sister has been suffering from cancer for the last two months. She is stable now and doing fine. I think she will be the happiest seeing my performance. I want to dedicate this match to her. I just wanted to see a smile on her face,” Akash told Sony Sports after the match.
He added, “This is for you. Whenever I held the ball in my hand, your face was on my mind. I want to see happiness on your face. We are all with you.”
Akash Deep produced a match-winning spell at Edgbaston, claiming 10 wickets for 187 runs — four in the first innings and six in the second — to hand India their first-ever Test win at the iconic venue.
His figures broke Chetan Sharma’s long-standing record of 10/188 (1986) for the best Test bowling performance by an Indian in England. He also became only the second Indian pacer to take a 10-wicket match haul on English soil.
Before leaving for England, Akash Deep had spent weeks in hospital corridors attending to his sister. The pacer said his family’s struggle kept him grounded through the tour and that every delivery he bowled carried a prayer for his sister’s recovery.
Behind the milestone, he said, was a simple wish: to see his sister smile.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) joined Congressmen Mike Lawler (R-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse the decision to discontinue specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the bipartisan letter, the congressmen expressed alarm and concern over the plan to terminate the service within the next 30 days, pointing to its proven impact in the form of an average of roughly 2,100 contacts each day as of February 2025. Following the adoption of 24/7 availability in March 2023, there have been over 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats, providing LGBTQ+ youth in need with a safe, reliable, and secure outlet during a moment of crisis.
“To a young person feeling alone and scared, 988 is truly a lifeline,” the congressmen wrote in their letter. “Discontinuing this service would be a dangerous step backward and would send a devastating message to LGBTQ+ young people across the country that their needs are not seen, their lives are not valued, and that support will not be there in their darkest hour. We cannot allow that to happen.”
“Cutting this crisis line is not just a policy decision; it’s a moral failure,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “We have a duty to protect every young person in crisis, and ending this service would abandon LGBTQ+ youth at the exact moment they need us most.”
The bipartisan group concluded their letter by urging HHS to maintain the staffing, infrastructure, and funding necessary to continue this lifesaving service.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced the Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act, bipartisan legislation with the goal of aiding schools in connecting students with the mental health services needed to succeed and thrive. Students and young people continue to face unprecedented mental health challenges inside and outside of school, with pressure and stress impacting Americans across the country. Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s legislation seeks to ensure all students, particularly those in underserved communities and under-resourced school districts, have access to appropriate and timely care. Joining Congressman Krishnamoorthi in introducing this bipartisan bill are Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH), Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (D-OR).
“Our school systems are lifelines of support when young people need mental health care and don’t know where to turn,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Currently, most American school districts are unequipped to support our children, but our Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act will fill in the gaps and connect young people with the mental health services they need. By investing in the mental health of America’s future generations, we are setting all students up for success, regardless of their background or where they live.”
“The youth mental health crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time, and schools cannot tackle it without real support,” Congressman Fitzpatrick said. “The Connecting Students to Mental Health Services Act delivers targeted, high-impact resources—especially for underserved communities—to ensure students get the care they need. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, my priority is to advance solutions like this that strengthen our system and ensure every student has a clear path to support, stability, and success.”
“Getting students better access to mental health resources is so important,” Congressman Landsman said. “As a former teacher and the son of teachers, I’ve seen firsthand what’s happening in our classrooms – and know how much more we can do. Expanding access to care in our schools, especially through telehealth, will give our students what they need to be stronger and healthier. And when it’s easier to connect with professionals to work through what they’re facing, they’re in a much better position to succeed in school and life.”
“Students across the country are facing a growing mental health crisis, and we have a responsibility to ensure they’re not navigating it alone. The Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act will help break down barriers to care, especially for students in rural and underserved communities, by expanding access to telehealth in our schools. I’m proud to join Rep. Krishnamoorthi and our colleagues in delivering resources for our students and schools,” Congressman Lawler said.
“As a mom of four, I know how essential providing mental health services to students is to their success. We need to make sure we are investing in America’s youth, and that starts with making sure they can succeed in the classroom,” Congresswoman Bynum said. “That’s why I’m so proud to introduce the Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act which takes important steps towards providing this vital care to our students in rural and high-poverty areas, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive now and for generations to come.”
The legislation would support partnerships between public schools and community-based mental health providers by:
Establishing a grant program through the Department of Education to fund school-based mental health coordination initiatives;
Supporting the hiring and training of school mental health professionals and liaisons;
Helping schools create referral pathways to community providers and expand access to tele-mental health options.
The legislation has been endorsed by leading mental health and education organizations, including the School Superintendents Association (AASA), National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of Elementary School Principals, and National Association of Social Workers.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The Northern Territory Police Force are currently investigating a fatal crash that occurred along the Arnhem highway overnight.
Around 9pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received report that a vehicle had rolled on the Arnhem Highway, approximately 40km outbound from the Marrakai turnoff. The vehicle was carrying a 32-year-old male driver, a 14-year-old female and an 8-year-old male.
St John Ambulance, Police and the NT Fire and Rescue Service attended and conducted first aid.
The 8-year-old male was declared deceased at the scene, with the 32-year-old man and 14-year-old female conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital via CareFlight.
Both currently remain in stable conditions. It is believed the occupants are all family members.
The Major Crash Investigation Unit are investigating and the Arnhem Highway remains closed from the Bark Hut Inn for 11km outbound.
Police advise motorists to avoid the area as delays are expected to remain until midday July 7.
Police urge anyone with information to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25181329.
The lives lost on Territory roads now stands at 22.
Carlos Alcaraz came through a ferocious fourth-round firefight against a red-hot Andrey Rublev to win 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4 6-4 on Centre Court and keep his bid for a third successive Wimbledon title on track on Sunday.
The Spanish second seed stuttered in his opening three rounds but found his best form to eventually subdue an inspired opponent who once again came up short against the very best.
Rublev rocked Alcaraz by roaring into a 4-1 lead only to be pegged back but the Russian produced some astonishing tennis to snatch the tiebreak and move ahead.
Alcaraz never looked ruffled though and levelled the match after Rublev double-faulted on a break point. Rublev continued throwing everything in his arsenal at the champion in the third set but paid for not taking some early break points as Alcaraz found another gear.
Alcaraz looked impregnable in the fourth set and a single break of serve was enough to seal a 22nd successive match win and set up a last-eight clash with Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
“Andrey is one of the most powerful players we have on Tour and is so aggressive with the ball. It’s really difficult to face him, he forces you to the limit on each point,” Alcaraz, bidding to become only the fourth man to win back-to-back French Open and Wimbledon titles multiple times, said on court.
“Really happy with the way I moved and played intelligent and smart tactically. A really good match all round.”
With so many seeds having fallen early, this was the first match between top-20 players in the men’s singles this year and it did not disappoint as the quality scaled rare heights.
Rublev, 27, has barely been outside of the top 10 since 2022 but has never got close to winning a Grand Slam, losing all 10 quarter-finals that he has contested.
The 14th seed must have sighed when he saw Alcaraz in his way in the fourth round, but he came out in positive fashion, off-loading rockets at the five-time Grand Slam champion.
With the roof closed after earlier thunderstorms the noise of the ball striking strings sounded like rifle shots.
Rublev hit harder, then harder still and at 5-5 in the opening set launched an outrageous backhand winner off a full-blooded Alcaraz forehand and then followed with a powerful forehand of his own to the baseline to move a set ahead.
He barely did anything wrong after that but Alcaraz, finally clicking into gear after three scratchy wins, showed why taking the title off him will be such a tough task.
The turning point came at 3-3 in the third set when Rublev, attempting to save a break point, sent Alcaraz sliding from side to side with a barrage of power only for the Spaniard to whip a forehand cross court winner, before cupping his ear to the crowd who rose as one to salute the moment of genius.
Rublev stuck manfully to his task but he was powerless to prevent an 11th loss from 11 matches against top-five opponents at a Grand Slam.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Sunday met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 2025 BRICS summit, during which the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation among other key issues.
“Good to meet with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia on the sidelines of #BRICS2025. Discussed bilateral cooperation, West Asia, BRICS and SCO”, the EAM said in a post on X.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X, “Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of External Affairs of India @DrSJaishankar hold a meeting on the sidelines of the XVII #BRICS Summit. Rio de Janeiro, July 6.”
Jaishankar also shared a photo with the Russian Foreign Minister.
The meeting took place as BRICS leaders condemned the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed. In response, India’s armed forces carried out Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Notably, Russia, besides condemning the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, maintained that it stands in solidarity with India in eliminating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Moscow’s stand was conveyed in May this year when an all-party delegation from India, led by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, met senior members of the Russian Federation Council, including Andrey Denisov, First Deputy Chair of the Committee on International Affairs, in Moscow to reaffirm the united stand against terrorism.
During that meeting, the Russian side strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack and reiterated its solidarity with India in the global fight against terrorism in all its forms.
The visit was part of India’s unprecedented diplomatic campaign to expose Pakistan’s sustained role in cross-border terrorism following the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
A man was arrested after allegedly being caught red-handed stealing copper from a communications pit at Beulah Park overnight.
About 1.30am on Monday 7 July, police were notified of an alarm activation within a cabling pit on the corner of The Parade and Shipsters Road, Beulah Park.
Police attended and located the suspect and his vehicle nearby.
A large quantity of copper piping was found inside the vehicle.
A 40-year-old man from Leabrook was arrested and charged with property damage and theft. He was refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court later today.
His vehicle was seized for further forensic examination.
The extent of damage to the cabling and communications equipment is not yet known.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Alger, Associate Professor / Senior Lecturer in Global Environmental Politics, The University of Melbourne
Deep-sea mining promises critical minerals for the energy transition without the problems of mining on land. It also promises to bring wealth to developing nations. But the evidence suggests these promises are false, and mining would harm the environment.
The practice involves scooping up rock-like nodules from vast areas of the sea floor. These potato-sized lumps contain metals and minerals such as zinc, manganese, molybdenum, nickel and rare earth elements.
Technology to mine the deep sea exists, but commercial mining of the deep sea is not happening anywhere in the world. That could soon change. Nations are meeting this month in Kingston, Jamaica, to agree to a mining code. Such a code would make way for mining to begin within the next few years.
On Thursday, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, released research into the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining. It aims to promote better environmental management of deep-sea mining, should it proceed.
We have previously challenged the rationale for deep-sea mining, drawing on our expertise in international politics and environmental management. We argue mining the deep sea is harmful and the economic benefits have been overstated. What’s more, the metals and minerals to be mined are not scarce.
The best course of action is a ban on international seabed mining, building on the coalition for a moratorium.
The Metals Company spent six months at sea collecting nodules in 2022, while studying the effects on ecosystems.
Managing and monitoring environmental harm
Recent advances in technology have made deep-sea mining more feasible. But removing the nodules – which also requires pumping water around – has been shown to damage the seabed and endanger marine life.
CSIRO has developed the first environmental management and monitoring frameworks to protect deep sea ecosystems from mining. It aims to provide “trusted, science-based tools to evaluate the environmental risks and viability of deep-sea mining”.
Scientists from Griffith University, Museums Victoria, the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Earth Sciences New Zealand were also involved in the work.
The Metals Company Australia, a local subsidiary of the Canadian deep-sea mining exploration company, commissioned the research. It involved analysing data from test mining the company carried out in the Pacific Ocean in 2022.
In a media briefing this week, CSIRO Senior Principal Research Scientist Piers Dunstan said the mining activity substantially affected the sea floor. Some marine life, especially that attached to the nodules, had very little hope of recovery. He said if mining were to go ahead, monitoring would be crucial.
We are sceptical that ecological impacts can be managed even with this new framework. Little is known about life in these deep-water ecosystems. But research shows nodule mining would cause extensive habitat loss and damage.
Do we really need to open the ocean frontier to mining? We argue the answer is no, on three counts.
How does deep-sea mining work? (The Guardian)
1. Minerals are not scarce
The minerals required for the energy transition are abundant on land. Known global terrestrial reserves of cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum and nickel are enough to meet current production levels for decades – even with growing demand.
There is no compelling reason to extract deep-sea minerals, given the economics of both deep-sea and land-based mining. Deep-sea mining is speculative and inevitably too expensive given such remote, deep operations.
Claims about mineral scarcity are being used to justify attempting to legitimise a new extractive frontier in the deep sea. Opportunistic investors can make money through speculation and attracting government subsidies.
But deep-sea mining will not necessarily displace, replace or change mining on land. Land-based mining contracts span decades and the companies involved will not abandon ongoing or planned projects. Their activities will continue, even if deep-sea mining begins.
Deep-sea mining also faces many of the same challenges as mining on land, while introducing new problems. The social problems that arise during transport, processing and distribution remain the same.
3. Common heritage of humankind and the Global South
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the international seabed is the common heritage of humankind. This means the proceeds of deep-sea mining should be distributed fairly among all countries.
Deep-sea mining commercial partnerships between developing countries in the Global South and firms from the North have yet to pay off for the former. There is little indication this pattern will change.
For example, when Canadian company Nautilus went bankrupt in 2019, it saddled Papua New Guinea with millions in debt from a failed domestic deep-sea mining venture.
The Metals Company has partnerships with Nauru and Tonga but the latest deal with the US creates uncertainty about whether their agreements will be honoured.
European investors took control of Blue Minerals Jamaica, originally a Jamaican-owned company, shortly after orchestrating its start up. Any profits would therefore go offshore.
Given the threat of environmental harm, the evidence suggests deep-sea mining is not worth the risk.
Justin Alger receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
D.G. Webster receives funding from the National Science Foundation in the United States and various internal funding sources at Dartmouth University.
Jessica Green receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Kate J Neville receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Stacy D VanDeveer and Susan M Park 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.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Alger, Associate Professor / Senior Lecturer in Global Environmental Politics, The University of Melbourne
Deep-sea mining promises critical minerals for the energy transition without the problems of mining on land. It also promises to bring wealth to developing nations. But the evidence suggests these promises are false, and mining would harm the environment.
The practice involves scooping up rock-like nodules from vast areas of the sea floor. These potato-sized lumps contain metals and minerals such as zinc, manganese, molybdenum, nickel and rare earth elements.
Technology to mine the deep sea exists, but commercial mining of the deep sea is not happening anywhere in the world. That could soon change. Nations are meeting this month in Kingston, Jamaica, to agree to a mining code. Such a code would make way for mining to begin within the next few years.
On Thursday, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, released research into the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining. It aims to promote better environmental management of deep-sea mining, should it proceed.
We have previously challenged the rationale for deep-sea mining, drawing on our expertise in international politics and environmental management. We argue mining the deep sea is harmful and the economic benefits have been overstated. What’s more, the metals and minerals to be mined are not scarce.
The best course of action is a ban on international seabed mining, building on the coalition for a moratorium.
The Metals Company spent six months at sea collecting nodules in 2022, while studying the effects on ecosystems.
Managing and monitoring environmental harm
Recent advances in technology have made deep-sea mining more feasible. But removing the nodules – which also requires pumping water around – has been shown to damage the seabed and endanger marine life.
CSIRO has developed the first environmental management and monitoring frameworks to protect deep sea ecosystems from mining. It aims to provide “trusted, science-based tools to evaluate the environmental risks and viability of deep-sea mining”.
Scientists from Griffith University, Museums Victoria, the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Earth Sciences New Zealand were also involved in the work.
The Metals Company Australia, a local subsidiary of the Canadian deep-sea mining exploration company, commissioned the research. It involved analysing data from test mining the company carried out in the Pacific Ocean in 2022.
In a media briefing this week, CSIRO Senior Principal Research Scientist Piers Dunstan said the mining activity substantially affected the sea floor. Some marine life, especially that attached to the nodules, had very little hope of recovery. He said if mining were to go ahead, monitoring would be crucial.
We are sceptical that ecological impacts can be managed even with this new framework. Little is known about life in these deep-water ecosystems. But research shows nodule mining would cause extensive habitat loss and damage.
Do we really need to open the ocean frontier to mining? We argue the answer is no, on three counts.
How does deep-sea mining work? (The Guardian)
1. Minerals are not scarce
The minerals required for the energy transition are abundant on land. Known global terrestrial reserves of cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum and nickel are enough to meet current production levels for decades – even with growing demand.
There is no compelling reason to extract deep-sea minerals, given the economics of both deep-sea and land-based mining. Deep-sea mining is speculative and inevitably too expensive given such remote, deep operations.
Claims about mineral scarcity are being used to justify attempting to legitimise a new extractive frontier in the deep sea. Opportunistic investors can make money through speculation and attracting government subsidies.
But deep-sea mining will not necessarily displace, replace or change mining on land. Land-based mining contracts span decades and the companies involved will not abandon ongoing or planned projects. Their activities will continue, even if deep-sea mining begins.
Deep-sea mining also faces many of the same challenges as mining on land, while introducing new problems. The social problems that arise during transport, processing and distribution remain the same.
3. Common heritage of humankind and the Global South
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the international seabed is the common heritage of humankind. This means the proceeds of deep-sea mining should be distributed fairly among all countries.
Deep-sea mining commercial partnerships between developing countries in the Global South and firms from the North have yet to pay off for the former. There is little indication this pattern will change.
For example, when Canadian company Nautilus went bankrupt in 2019, it saddled Papua New Guinea with millions in debt from a failed domestic deep-sea mining venture.
The Metals Company has partnerships with Nauru and Tonga but the latest deal with the US creates uncertainty about whether their agreements will be honoured.
European investors took control of Blue Minerals Jamaica, originally a Jamaican-owned company, shortly after orchestrating its start up. Any profits would therefore go offshore.
Given the threat of environmental harm, the evidence suggests deep-sea mining is not worth the risk.
Justin Alger receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
D.G. Webster receives funding from the National Science Foundation in the United States and various internal funding sources at Dartmouth University.
Jessica Green receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Kate J Neville receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Stacy D VanDeveer and Susan M Park 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.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karinna Saxby, Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne
Medicare spending on mental health services varies considerably depending on where in Australia you live, our new study shows.
We found areas with lower Medicare spending on out-of-hospital mental health services had poorer mental health outcomes, including more suicides.
This variation across the country was mostly related to factors such as a shortage of mental health providers and GPs, rather than people in some regions being in poorer mental health in the first place.
We also looked at how much extra government funding in today’s money would make a difference to people’s mental health across the population, using the latestdata.
We worked out increasing government spending on out-of-hospital mental health services by A$153 million a year – about $7.30 per adult per year – could lead to:
28,151 fewer mental health emergency department visits (a 10% reduction)
1,954 fewer hospitalisations due to self-harm (a 20% reduction)
313 fewer suicides (a 10% reduction).
Here’s where our research suggests it’s best to target this extra funding.
What we did
We looked at Medicare-funded out-of-hospital mental health services, such as GP mental health visits, as well as visits to psychologists and psychiatrists. For the purposes of this article, we’ll call these Medicare-funded mental health services.
We also looked at mental health prescriptions (such as for depression or anxiety).
We looked at these services and prescriptions for the entire Australian population from 2011 to 2019.
We followed adults as they moved between regions to see how their use of mental health services and prescriptions changed after the move. This meant we could account for underlying individual factors, such as someone’s mental health needs.
Our study allowed us to assess how differences in the availability of mental health care across regions impacted how much the government spends on mental health services and prescriptions, and how this links to people’s mental health outcomes.
What we found
We found that only 28% of variation in spending on mental health services across regions was driven by patient-related factors, such as their need for mental health care. The rest was due to geographical reasons, such as availability of mental health providers and GPs.
But about 81% of the regional variation in spending on mental health scripts was due to patient factors.
In other words, when people experience mental health distress, accessing mental health medications, largely provided by a GP, is much easier than accessing care from a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
Areas with lower spending on out-of-hospital mental health services had higher rates of mental health-related emergency department visits, hospitalisations for self-harm, and suicides.
We mapped access to mental health services
We also compared funding for people with the same “need” for mental health services across different regions. This was from the best access (the most funding) at 100% down to 0% (no access).
After controlling for factors such as socioeconomic background and underlying mental health-care need, the region with the best access was the Gold Coast, with the highest Medicare spending on out-of-hospital mental health services.
The regions with the worst access were western Queensland and the Northern Territory. Here, a person with similar mental health-care needs would receive about 50% less in mental health service spending compared to someone on the Gold Coast.
Our results suggest there is unmet need for mental health services across the board. But some regions are more affected than others.
So we should target extra funding to rural and low-income regions – particularly when considering expanding access to psychologists and psychiatrists.
Recent policy initiatives have tried to improve access to GPs. This includes creating financial incentives for providers to bulk bill and to practise in underserved regions.
However, these policies have had little or modest effects on boosting access to GPs. There has also been much less focus on attracting more specialty mental health providers, such as psychologists or psychiatrists, to underserved areas.
To address the disparities and unmet needs in mental health care, we recommend:
expanding the mental health workforce: implementing targeted incentives to attract and retain psychologists, psychiatrists, and mental health-trained GPs in underserved areas
reforming funding models: adjusting funding allocations and incentives to target regions where there is significant unmet need. Our map shows which regions should be targeted first
improving access to digital mental health services: using technology to provide accessible mental health support, particularly in areas with limited in-person services, while ensuring digital solutions are integrated with traditional care pathways.
If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Karinna Saxby receives funding from the University of Melbourne McKenzie Fellowship.
Dennis Petrie receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), Australian Research Council (ARC), Transport Accident Commission (TAC), National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care, Department of Social Services (DSS), Breast Cancer Trials and WISE (Employment Service Provider).
Sonja de New receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
