Christmas Day is one of the most violent days of the year and most common for breaches of family violence intervention orders in Victoria, new police data shows. “While Christmas is a time to get together and celebrate, we know it’s not always the case for some families, as perpetrators use the time together to control or harm family members,” Family Violence Command Assistant Commissioner Lauren Callaway said. Victoria Police figures show family violence incidents spike about 33 per cent on Christmas Day. On December 25 last year, police recorded 91 order breach offences and 79 assaults. For the month of December 2023, police logged 8668 family violence incidents across the state. “Whether it’s perpetrators breaching orders by either attending the victim’s home or using technology to make contact or committing assault – the behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Ms Callaway said. “This festive season we will also continue to conduct proactive patrols and checks to let perpetrators know they won’t get away with it.” Organisations such as Safe Steps can be called or emailed 24/7. It runs an online direct message service from 9am to midnight. No to Violence runs a men’s referral service. “If you are concerned that your behaviour is putting the safety of family members at risk there are services to call who can help you to change,” Ms Callaway said. “Maybe making that call is the best gift you can give your family this Christmas.” GET HELP Safe Steps • 1800 015 188 • safesteps@safesteps.org.au • Web chat available on weekdays from 9am – midnight, at safesteps.org.au/chat Men’s referral service • Operated by No to Violence • 1300 766 491

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The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (National Standardisation Administration) of the People’s Republic of China (SAMR/SAC) have entered into a groundbreaking partnership aimed at enhancing cooperation in the field of Standardisation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on December 06, 2024, with both parties expressing their commitment to advancing technical innovation and reducing trade barriers through harmonized standards. Executive Director of GNBS, Trevor Bassoo, and outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Her Excellency, Guo Haiyan, signed the MOU, which is set to foster collaboration in international standardisation, information sharing, and the adoption of standards that align with international guidelines, particularly in key areas such as climate change, smart city development, digital technology, and sustainable development. Mr. Bassoo emphasised the significance of this partnership, stating, “This MOU signals a strengthened relationship between the Standards Bodies of Guyana and China. The signing of this MOU is a symbol of our commitment towards improving trade relationships through the development and promotion of Standardisation.” Further, he noted, “there is a lot we can learn from the people of China, especially in the area of technology and we intend to make the best of the opportunities. We also extend our open arms to cooperate with our counterparts in China and lend support in areas that we can.” In her remarks, Ambassador Haiyan highlighted “I am happy that we can sign this MOU today. I believe that the signing of this MOU will help to lower costs and further improve the quality of our economies, and this is very important to us. This MOU opens doors for potential investments between our countries moving forward. Her Excellency added, “This is a significant moment for us, and I am proud to state this partnership will be mutually beneficial for China as well; there are many opportunities to learn from each other in areas of Standardisation.” Key areas of cooperation under this MOU include: The MOU also aims to integrate Standardisation resources into the Standards Information Platform among Belt and Road Partner Countries of Africa, Europe and Asia, fostering greater accessibility and use of standards information by stakeholders. This agreement will remain in force for five years and can be renewed upon mutual agreement. It signifies a strong step forward in aligning Guyana’s standards with international best practices, ultimately benefiting industries and consumers alike. This collaboration promises to enhance Guyana’s economic and industrial landscape while reinforcing its commitment to international cooperation in Standardisation.

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and its El Paso counterpart suffered a cyberattack that disrupted computer systems and applications, potentially exposing the data of 1.4 million patients. The organization is a public, academic health institution that is part of the Texas Tech University System, which educates and trains healthcare professionals, conducts medical research, and provides patient care services. The organization announced that, in September 2024, it suffered a cyberattack involving sensitive data theft. "In September 2024, the HSCs identified issues that resulted in a temporary disruption to some computer systems and applications," reads the notice . "Immediately after identifying these issues, the HSCs took steps to ensure the security of the network and began an investigation. The investigation confirmed that a cybersecurity event caused the technology issues, resulting in access to or removal of certain files and folders from the HSCs' network between September 17 and September 29, 2024." In a filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center reports that the breach exposed the combined data of 1,465,000 people. The information that may have been exposed to hackers varies by individual and may include the following: Those who are confirmed to have been impacted will be notified by the organization and will be offered free credit monitoring services. Impacted individuals are advised to remain vigilant against potential phishing and social engineering attacks, monitor their credit reports and health insurance billing statements, and report any suspicious activity to the authorities. Interlock claimed the attack The attack at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center was claimed by Interlock ransomware on October 27, nearly a month after the healthcare and education institute reportedly blocked the hackers' access to its systems. The threat actors have leaked 2.1 million files totaling 2.6 TB of data allegedly stolen from HSCs, and the entire package is available for download from their extortion portal on the dark web. Interlock is a recently launched ransomware operation that stands out for using an encryptor targeting FreeBSD servers, along with a Windows variant. BleepingComputer has learned that Interlock demands ransom amounts ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions, depending on the size of the organization.