No democracy sausage at our polling booth yesterday - definitely changed the vibe 😞

Arrested at gunpoint, charged as a felon: a midwife’s lot in anti-abortion Texas The state with the most radical abortion law is seeking to make an example of Maria Margarita Rojas

Do not go to Texas (or any red state)...

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Everything You Say to Your Echo Will Soon Be Sent to Amazon, and You Can’t Opt Out Amazon is killing its “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” privacy feature on March 28 as the company aims to bolster Alexa+, its new subscription assistant.

"Hey Alexa, are you recording this?"

Yes, the answer is yes. Amazon is killing its “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” privacy feature on March 28 as the company aims to bolster Alexa+, its new subscription assistant.

As Cervical Cancer Deaths Plummet, Experts Credit HPV Vaccine HPV can cause a variety of cancers, including cervical. New mortality data for women under 25 point to the success of the HPV vaccine.

A recent study found that cervical cancer deaths in young women have plummeted since the introduction of the human papillomavirus vaccine.

'Easy to slip through': Low-income earners priced out of mental health care Canberrans told to go to emergency departments.

Healthcare - including mental healthcare - has to be affordable & accessible.

It's simply not sustainable to make Emergency Departments the defacto provider for mental health services for people on low incomes.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/890144...

A reminder for these times.

👇 Nearly two-thirds of major sporting teams in one state are backed by gambling money.

Kids can’t watch a game without seeing a betting logo.
We need a federal ban but the government has done nothing.
And as we head into another weekend of sport, kids will be harmed.

Enough. Ban gambling ads. Now.

ACCC picks fight with gas exporters over domestic supplies Competition cop Gina Cass-Gottlieb says Queensland gas exporters plan to use increasing amounts of domestic gas to meet commitments to foreign buyers.

Both Labor and the LNP refuse to introduce an East Coast gas reservation scheme (like WA’s) to ensure we have sufficient local gas, at low prices. So, fuelled by greed, the uncontrolled gas cartel are hatching plans to export even more of OUR gas. #auspol

Wondering what Independents have been up to for the past three years?

We’ve made a list of some of the biggest Independent achievements at IndieWins.com.au so you can find out.

U.S. Terminates Funding for Polio, H.I.V., Malaria and Nutrition Programs Around the World Here are some of the 5,800 contracts the Trump administration formally canceled this week in a wave of terse emails.

The Trump administration terminates funding for polio, HIV, malaria and nutrition programs around the world.

“People will die,” said Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi of the African Population and Health Research Center, “but we will never know, because even the programs to count the dead are cut.”

Colour Gone tea-towel — Cathy Wilcox While the oceans warm and climate events become more frequent and extreme, and the colour bleaches from our magnificent coral reefs, all that vivid rainbow spectrum seems to be turning up on charts an...

Still got some of these, which seem relevant for our times.
www.cathywilcox.com.au/shop/colour-...

CDC Shutters PRAMS Program on Maternal and Infant Health The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is a federal data collection...

One of the richest data sources on maternal health ended by a "pro-life" administration. I feel truly ill. CDC Shutters PRAMS Program on Maternal and Infant Health talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/cdc-s...

In South Africa, Samkelo shared his last HIV/AIDS medications with his friend. Trump's cuts to #PEPFAR could kill both of them. A salute to the @financialtimes.com for this searing report. @brandonwolf.bsky.social @gregggonsalves.bsky.social @ambdanfoote.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/533b...

Statement from @egpaf.bsky.social on the cancellation of their PEPFAR agreements (which had waivers) that had provided HIV treatment to 10,000 Children and 10,000 Pregnant Women)
pedaids.org/press-releas...

Opinion | Germany’s Far-Right Comeback Germany’s attempts to “remember away” its Nazi past has instead paved the way for an extremist resurgence.

Germany’s John Oliver, the satirist Jan Böhmermann, argues that the country's repeated and increasingly hollow attempts to "remember away" its Nazi past have actually contributed to the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany Party. Watch our Opinion Video:

YouTube video by thejuicemedia Honest Government Ad | Our Last Fair Election?

will the next be the last fair election in australia?

another ad from the australien gov’t that’s surprisingly honest… @thejuicemedia.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kYI...

Labor and the Coalition have struck a deal to protect their power, boost their own funding, and shut out competition. They’re taking an additional $4.8M a year from taxpayers while weakening transparency laws—proving they’ll do whatever it takes to maintain control and block community independents

For decades Australians have been told a lie.
We’ve been told that only the major parties can govern.
But do you feel like they’ve been solving the problems we face?
As a voter said, “It’s a choice between sh*t, and sh*tter.”
#auspol #IndependenceWorks #ZoeDaniel

US FDA drops web pages on improving clinical trial diversity The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has pulled draft guidance from its website requiring companies to test medicines and devices in diverse populations as part of a purge of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at U.S. health agencies.

One of my friends has a grant from the #FDA to look at disparities in clinical trial research and just submitted a manuscript with the findings. She was told today by the collaborators from the #FDA to rescind it.

#Censorhip has started, we are living in authoritarian government.

Thanks for shining a light on this. We are trying to get a family member home after a #NOF and not into aged care. We can’t apply for an assessment for a home care package until they get home and if approved the wait to access the package is ~12 months . The aged care system is failing our elders.

Government allows extension of coal mines as minister boasts of no new approvals Minutes after officially recommending a "greenfield" coal mine be approved in Queensland, and approving extensions to three others, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek boldly declared no new coal min...

Minister boasts new approvals yet allows extension of coal mines: disappointing political trickery

Doctors urged not to start new patients on HRT patches amid severe shortage Doctors have been urged to reconsider prescribing new patients crucial hormone replacement therapy amid a severe shortage that is leaving some women in a "constant state" of anxiety.

Imperative to find long term solutions to stop MHT shortages and the impact on women www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...

Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Iron-Deficiency Anemia in US Females Aged 12-21 Years, 2003-2020 This study examines prevalence of iron deficiency among females aged 12 to 21 years to inform future screening strategies for iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia.

Just your regular reminder that iron deficiency affects ~40% of 12-21 yo females and still no one cares.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Supporting the Freedom to Read: The Ms. Q&A with Amanda Jones, Author of 'That Librarian' - Ms. Magazine When Louisiana middle school librarian Amanda Jones spoke before the Livingston Parish Public Library board in July 2022, she knew some of her neighbors and friends would disagree with her anti-censor...

Thank you to @msmagazine.bsky.social for allowing me to share my story!

msmagazine.com/2024/08/22/a...

Australia leads the world in arresting climate and environment protesters A new study shows more than 20 per cent of climate and environment protests in Australia lead to arrests, more than in the UK, Norway, and the United States.

www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...

Cervical cancer deaths drop among younger women; study credits HPV vaccine The HPV vaccine has led to a significant drop in cervical cancer deaths among younger women, with a 62 percent decline in mortality over the last decade.

Thank you #vaccines. Thank you #publichealth. #medsky wapo.st/3Zm23SU

1 in 3 women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual violence mostly at the hands of an intimate partner.

It’s the International Day to End Violence against Women and Girls!

1 in 3 girls and women around the world experience physical and/or sexual violence by:

A husband
A boyfriend
An intimate partner
A lover
A parent
A relative
A colleague
A boss
A stranger

bit.ly/3gy8pfq
#NoExcuse

Crazy !!