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Nations must go further than current Paris pledges or face global warming
Nairobi, Nov 21 (IANS)
As global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions break records, the latest Emissions Gap Report from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) finds
that current pledges under the Paris Agreement put the world on track for a 2.5-2.9 degrees Celsius temperature rise above pre-industrial levels this century, pointing to the urgent need for increased climate action. Released ahead of the 2023 climate summit in Dubai, the Emissions Gap Report 2023: Broken Record -Temperatures hit new highs, yet world fails to cut emissions (again), finds that global low-carbon transformations
Website: mccq.org.au Email: info@mccq.org.au
DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
are needed to deliver cuts to predicted 2030 greenhouse gas emissions of 28 per cent for a two-degree pathway and 42 per cent for a 1.5-degree pathway. “We know it is still possible to make the 1.5 degree limit a reality. It requires tearing out the poisoned root of the climate crisis: fossil fuels. And it demands a just, equitable renewables transition,” said Antonio Guterres, UN
Argentina’s president-elect foresees public spending adjustment, privatisations Buenos Aires, Nov 21 (IANS)
The president-elect of Argentina, Javier Milei, has said that when coming into office next month, he plans to make an adjustment in public spending, and privatize companies such as Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales (YPF) and public media. “My intention is to be the first link in the Argentine continued on pg. 2 reconstruction. Afterwards we will see if I have to govern for four or eight years. I want my government to mark a turning point in Argentine history,” Milei was quoted by the state news agency Telam as saying hostages released, as outlined on Monday. in the Qatari-mediated truce The far-right candidate deal, according to an Israeli from the Liberty Advances video statement. coalition won 55.69 per cent The temporary cease-fire in of the votes in Sunday’s runoff the Gaza Strip, entering its third day on Sunday, entails election, beating the ruling a cessation of hostilities and party candidate, Economy an increased flow of aid Minister Sergio Massa, who trucks carrying relief supplies and fuel through the Rafah crossing. The cease-fire agreement also stipulates the release of 50 Israeli female and teen hostages from Gaza in exchange for releasing 150 Palestinian women and children from Israeli prisons, with provisions for increasing the number of releases at subsequent stages of the agreement.
Mediation efforts ongoing to extend Gaza Truce Gaza/Jerusalem, Nov 27 (IANS)
Mediation efforts have been intensified to extend the current Israel-Hamas humanitarian cease-fire, Palestinian sources have reportedly said. “Qatar and Egypt conveyed a draft agreement to Israel and Hamas aiming to extend the current four-day cease-fire and facilitate a larger prisoner exchange between the two sides,” the Palestinian sources, who wished to be anonymous, told Xinhua news agency. The sources said the discussions involved the release of 40 to 50 detainees in Gaza, with increased humanitarian aid flowing into the enclave to alleviate the humanitarian
crisis. Hamas has shown initial willingness regarding the Qatari-Egyptian proposal. According to a statement from a representative of the group on Sunday night, “Hamas is seeking to extend the cease-fire beyond the four days that were initially agreed upon with Israel.” Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he might agree to extend the truce with Hamas by a few days if Hamas would free more hostages. In a phone call with US President Joe Biden, Netanyahu said he would “welcome” the truce extension on the basis of an additional day for every additional ten
Agents charging Indian students more ahead of UK govt ban on dependents
Netanyahu says ‘war to continue till Hamas are crushed’ as 5 nations work on ceasefire London, Nov 23 (IANS) Hamas leaders were willing for a larger swap. extension Education agents are charging to extend the truce for another “Netanyahu can see that Tel Aviv, Nov 29 (IANS)
Five countries have been negotiating feverishly towards hammering out an agreement to extend the current ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas beyond Thursday for another four days even as fears loomed large over resumption of war in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said war will continue to crush Hamas fully even if ceasefire is extended and hostages are returned. However, he faces pressure from US President Joe Biden to end the conflict. Negotiators from at least five countries were working towards an agreement to extend a ceasefire in Gaza Strip while Hamas announced on Wednesday that three militant-held Israeli hostages have died, media reports said. www.mccq.org.au
four days and release more Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the Times of Israel reported, citing a source close to the militant group. Israeli officials also showed interest in extending the cease-fire with the proviso that Hamas agree to release more hostages.
Officials in Qatar, Egypt and the US have been working with Hamas and Israeli leaders on another temporary extension with an eye towards ending the 50-day war. Netanyahu, however, is firm that fighting will ultimately continue until Hamas has been crushed. Martin Indyk, a former US ambassador to Israel, wrote on X that the “time is ripe”
obtained 44.3 percent of the votes, Xinhua news agency reported. Milei, who will assume the presidency on December 10 for a four-year term, said that he will carry out a “fiscal adjustment” to put public accounts in order, which “will not be paid for by the good Argentines, but by the politicians”. He also said he intends to privatize state-owned companies and agencies, such as the YPF, Energia Argentina, public television, national radio and Telam, among others.
Hamas prefers not to return to war but the public insistence on prioritizing return of hostages ties his hands,” Indyk wrote.
“And pressure from (President Joe) Biden to extend the pause makes it doubly difficult for him to resume the battle.” However, a senior Israeli official told USA Today that, despite reports to the contrary, he was “not aware of any possibility” to turn the pause into a longer-term cease-fire involving all the remaining hostages, including men and soldiers, being released in exchange for all Palestinians in Israeli jails. “We are doubtful there is such an offer,” the official said. Israel has been pounding Gaza since Hamas militants
Indian students more money to secure spots at UK universities ahead of a government ban, which prohibits dependents from entering the country, beginning January 1, 2024. A near-eightfold rise in the number of family members joining foreign students led Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to announce the ban earlier this year for those not studying
slipped into Israel on October 7 on a mission of destruction, killing 1,200 people before racing back into Gaza with an estimated 240 hostages. Israel’s response has been tierce reducing parts of Gaza into massive rubble with bombardment in a vengeful military campaign that Palestinian authorities say has killed more than 13,000 people.
“high-value” degrees under government plans. A couple paid 30,000 pounds to secure a student visa and a dependent’s visa to travel to the UK together, according to The Telegraph newspaper. With a rise in the number of students accelerating their visa applications to avoid the ban, some universities have opened up applications in November and December, the report added. Sunak’s announcement followed a sharp rise in study-related visas for dependents of students, which almost doubled from 80,846 in the year ending June 2022 to 154,063 in June 2023, accounting for nearly 24 per continued on pg. 2
The truce began on Friday and initially was to last four days, allowing the release of 50 Israeli hostages and 150 Israeli-held Palestinian prisoners. The talks resulted in a two-day extension through Wednesday that allowed for more releases. continued on pg. 23
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MULTICULTURAL NEWS AUSTRALIA
DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
Publisher Dr. Ram Mohan Editor Dr. Ram Mohan Associate Editor Amrita Deshpande Contributors Rabindra Mukherjee Deepika Banerjee Website Design & Updates A’s Design Studio Cosmos Media (www.cosmosmedia.info) Designing A’s Design Studio Cosmos Media (www.cosmosmedia.info) Editorial editorial@mccq.org.au Advertising adverts@mccq.org.au Multicultural Community Connect Queensland Unit 49, 391, WICKHAM TERRACE, Ground Floor, Spring Hill, Brisbane, QLD – 4000
Nations must go further than current Paris pledges or face global warming
... continued from page 1
Secretary-General. Maintaining the possibility of achieving the Paris Agreement temperature goals hinges on significantly strengthening mitigation this decade to narrow the emissions gap. This will facilitate more ambitious targets for 2035 in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and increase the chances of meeting net-zero pledges, which now cover around 80 per cent of global emissions. “There is no person or economy left on the planet untouched by climate change, so we need to stop setting unwanted records on greenhouse gas emissions, global temperature highs and extreme weather,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “We must instead lift the needle out of the same old groove of insufficient ambition and not enough action, and start setting other records: on cutting emissions, on green and just transitions and on climate finance.” Until the beginning of October this year, 86 days were recorded with temperatures over 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. September was the hottest www.mccq.org.au
recorded month ever, with global average temperatures 1.8 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The report finds that global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased by 1.2 per cent from 2021 to 2022 to reach a new record of 57.4 gigatonne of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (GtCO2e). GHG emissions across the G20 increased by 1.2 per cent in 2022. Emission trends reflect global patterns of inequality. Because of these worrying trends and insufficient mitigation efforts, the world is on track for a temperature rise far beyond the agreed climate goals during this century. If mitigation efforts implied by current policies are continued at today’s levels, global warming will only be limited to three degrees above pre-industrial levels in this century. Fully implementing efforts implied by unconditional Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) would put the world on track for limiting temperature rise to 2.9 degrees. Conditional NDCs fully implemented would lead to temperatures not exceeding 2.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. All of these are with a 66 per
cent chance. These temperature projections are slightly higher than in the 2022 Emissions Gap Report, as the 2023 report includes a larger number of models in the estimation of global warming. Current unconditional NDCs imply that additional emissions cuts of 14 GtCO2e are needed in 2030 over predicted levels for two degrees. Cuts of 22 GtCO2e are needed for 1.5 degrees. The implementation of conditional NDCs reduces both these estimates by 3 GtCO2e. In percentage terms, the world needs to cut 2030 emissions by 28 per cent to get on track to achieve the two degrees goal of the Paris Agreement, with a 66 per cent chance, and 42 per cent for the 1.5 degrees goal. If all conditional NDCs and long-term net-zero pledges were met, limiting the temperature rise to two degrees would be possible. However, net-zero pledges are not currently considered credible: none of the G20 countries are reducing emissions at a pace consistent with their net-zero targets. Even in the most optimistic scenario, the likelihood of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees is only 14 per cent.
Agents charging Indian students more ahead of UK govt ban on dependents
... continued from page 1
cent of all sponsored study related visas. To avoid the ban, one couple entered into a “contract” marriage, where the man agreed to fund his wife’s university education in the UK in return for her sponsoring his dependent visa so he could work in the UK. He did not have the required academic or language qualifications to enter the UK as a student and ended up paying 30,000 pounds for her tuition, visa and admission fees on top of her expenses. Rinku Sharma from Ahmedabad sold his agricultural land to pay the education agent 11,000 pounds for his admission in a masters course as well as a dependent visa for his wife. “It is a one-time investment. Once we get a degree from the UK and work experience,
we have a great future both in the UK and back in India,” Sharma told The Telegraph. Sahil Bhatia, head of Om Visa, a Punjab-based visa consultancy, said he was receiving between 30 and 40 spouse applications a day. Bhatia said universities like BPP in London, Birmingham and Bedfordshire were taking students in November and December. According to estimates, international students add 35 billion pounds a year to the UK economy, and 490,763 students were given visas last year. Foreign students and their dependents contributed to the UK economy not just through fees of 10,000 pounds to 26,000 pounds but also via an NHS surcharge of 400 pounds a year for the student and 600 pounds for a dependent, UK-based New Way Consultancy said.
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MULTICULTURAL NEWS AUSTRALIA
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DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
Dr Noel A. Kanagaraj
MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY CONNECT QUEENSLAND INC. OUR Ambassador
+61 403 799 976
Multicultural Ambassador
drnoel@noelnetwork.com
Breast Cancer Risk Factors that can be changed Being overweight or obese Excessive consumption of alcohol and smoking Not being physically active and lack of exercise Low level of Vitamin D Taking hormones during menopause Eating unhealthy food
Early detection through breast cancer screenings
DR. Noel Kanagaraj at the Redlands Community Center (above) and the Premier's Diwali Reception with Mr. Maha Sinnathamby. AM (Right) To become a member of MCCQ visit our website www.mccq.org.au or Contact Ram Mohan at president@mccq.org.au OR Amrita Deshpande at secretary@mccq.org.au
Our Multicultural Ambassador Dr. Noel. A. Kanagaraj has written books on Life skills and health awareness. To highlight two of his books are one The Golden Years and the other Breast Cancer Awareness. Following is the gist of the content of both the books.
Glorious Golden Age- by Dr. Noel Kanagaraj Life is short but as you age it grows into a glorious fulfilling experience. The book Glorious Golden Age talks about these phases in life that one leads up to the day of liberty from this material world. He reveals the secrets of joy, peace and fulfillment. He defines the glorious age as that phase where one embarks on a journey of achievements and satisfaction. In his book he illustrates the lives of eminent philosophers, great authors, Heroes and legendary personalities from across the world who have lived an exemplary life as trendsetters, and role models of humanity. Dr. Noel Kanagaraj, says" Your retirement at the age of 50years or 60 years from your active engagements is the beginning of the golden era which paves the path of an amazing phase of achievements and success." He urges to have a planned life with purpose and longterm goals for achieving that socially rewarding life. His message to all is that "to enjoy your golden age, it is necessary to define your life's philosophy without losing time and be in the present." To know more about his book or purchase his book contact Dr. Noel Kanagaraj at drnoel@noelnetwork.com.
Breast cancer screenings involve the use of medical technologies to detect cancer before signs and symptoms of the disease. There are different screening options including breast mammograms, MRI and other biopsies to help in the detection of this disease. Although breast screenings won’t prevent cancer, it is definitely beneficial to detect breast cancer earlier and treat it when it is easier to do so. BreastScreen Australia is an organisation that provides free two-yearly breast screening through screening and assessment services. BreastScreen and You provide recommendations, information on benefits and risks of screening tests when deciding if mammograms can be your best alternative. There are many available alternative breast screenings in Brisbane, although it would be best judged by your GP on which test would best suit you.
Breast Cancer Screening Tests Mammograms Mammograms are the X-rays of the breast that can find even the minute changes in your breast health that fails to identify symptoms during a physical examination. Mammograms are an easier way to identify risks than other medical screening tests. Undergoing regular mammogram tests is the most effective way to prevent breast cancer. For free mammograms in Brisbane, you must be aged between 50 to 74, as this is the age group where screenings have demonstrated benefits.
Ultrasound This painless scan uses sound waves to generate an image of cancer developed in the breast.
Breast Magnetic Resonance Imagining A breast MRI procedure administers radio waves to take images of the breast to detect any abnormal growth. This procedure is used only for lower-risk cases as a breast MRI can also show abnormal growth without cancer. They are usually done alongside a mammogram.
Biopsy and other scans During a biopsy, tissue from the breast is removed and studied under a microscope to detect any abnormal cell growth. Additional scans such as a CT scan is also used to detect cancer.
Role of a GP in breast cancer treatment GPs are trained to provide a management plan for chronic diseases like breast cancer. When you visit a GP with breast cancer symptoms, they will conduct an initial test that involves a physical test and asking questions about your symptoms and medical history. They will further refer you to cancer specialists to carry out screening tests. They also provide all the necessary assistance with treatment decisions and works in a team with other specialists for your on-going treatment support.
Dr. Noel Profile Dr. Noel is a philosopher, psychologist and an Author of several Books in philosophy, psychology, Biography and metaphysics. His popular Books are : Flowers of Paradise, Glorious Golden Age, From Mother to Saint (Mother Teresa) Confucius Philosophy
What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
on Beauty & The Philosophy of Christianity. He is a public Speaker and his discourses can be viewed on Youtube: Dr. Noel’s Brisbane Talk show which focuses on Youth-Development. He draws his life experience from being an Entrepreneur and businessman from India and as a Road safety consultant to Australia Government for India. He spent all his life time in Championing Road safety in India recommending Australian Road safety strategies and Action plan to various Government bodies in India. He currently lives in Brisbane with his family.
Some of the risk factors associated with breast cancer like being a woman, getting old and genetics cannot be changed. However, other factors including overweight, smoking, consumption of alcohol can be easily controlled by making the right choices.
Dr. Noel has a Doctorate in philosophy and won the prestigious Gem of India Award in 2012. He had organized several seminars and International conferences in India. He is a motivational speaker.
If you identify any breast cancer risk factors in your health, talk with your GP for advice on how to lower your risk factors and how early screenings can be helpful.
He is member of Australia India Business Council (AIBC), Brisbane Theosophical Society (BTS) Multicultural Community connect, Queensland (MCCQ) and various other multicultural societies in Australia.
Empowering Young Mothers - By Dr. Noel Kanagaraj
Breast Cancer Risk factors that can’t be changed Age: The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer increases with age. In Australia, 1 in every 8 women is diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of 85. Family history of breast and ovarian cancer: A woman has an increased risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer if she has a first-degree relative including a mother, sister and daughter with breast and ovarian cancer. The risk can be increased with both her father’s and her mother’s side of the family Woman with a previous history of undergoing radiotherapy: Women who have undergone radiotherapy as a part of the treatment for other medical condition before the age of 30 has a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer Previous history of breast cancer: A woman with previous history breast cancer are more likely to be diagnosed again for the second time
www.mccq.org.au
Dr Noel’s Pocket Philosophy
For Young Mothers
Empowering Young Mothers A Breast Cancer Awareness Initiative
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DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
Global Fair thanksgiving dinner was a huge success among the fashion lovers Brisbane, November 23 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
The Global Fair Multicultural Thanksgiving Dinner brought together the esteemed Global Fair Awardees, inspirational members of the multicultural communities, families, and friends to celebrate an evening of cultural appreciation and fashion. It featured a vibrant and lively Multicultural Fashion Parade with 45
participants to showcase the shared values of diversity, unity, and gratitude that binds us as a global community. It was a safe place for all who shred their inhibitions, became bold to take the stage on fire. The women Swirl and twirl in the beautiful dresses each of them wore proudly showcasing the culture, who they are and what they represent.
Pia Du Pradal, a local designer, showcased her works of fashion which were sportingly carried by volunteer models from the local ethnic community. For four weeks prior to the event women volunteered to join Pia at her boutique trying out the dresses she designed. The dressess that were showcased at the event were for sale and the proceeds from the sale were to go towards
donation to a charity of Pia’s choice for the development of multicultural women. The show and event was sponsored by local businesses and organized by Global Fair chairman Aunty Agnes Whitten and Marketing head Maria Guillergan. Fashion often binds women together, but this event also brought the men together not only to support the event as sponsors or provide the cultural displays and works of art but also participate in the parade, and shake a leg to the music. They stood by all the women who sportingly took part in the fashion parade and encouraged them to be bold, be beautiful, and forget the traumas behind. The gendered inhibitions were eliminated bringing everyone together
Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Awards 2023 Brisbane, November (MCCQ Newsdesk)
The Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards for Business celebrate the
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contributions of the multicultural businesses towards the Brisbane economy and community through their creativity, innovation, and
resilience. Community leaders, Connect Queensland board Business owners and supporters members attended the event were present at the event. and supported the award Adhis Cole, DrNoel Kanagaraj function. MCCQ also & Multicultural Community Congratulates all the winners:
enjoying the evening. Among the attendees was the Consulate General of Phillippines Ms. Sherill Gabutero, who connected with everyone present. She thanked Aunty Agnes for her contributios to the society as well as helping her, being a mentor to her to become what she is today. The evening turned out to be fun and mental stress free with sumptous food and drinks, along with eightees music, and the goodies that people won through the raffles. Global Fair once again gave a fabulous event for the community to enjoy.
especially Mr. Kyungtae from Little Lawyers, Nike Zhao from Peer Consulting Engineers, and Mr. Alen Chi Kong Ho and Mrs. Swee Han Kong Chilik Agencies. The proceeds from the event support the Lord Mayor’s Business Scholarship Program.
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MULTICULTURAL NEWS AUSTRALIA
Logan City Council becomes the First Local Government in Queensland to be recognised as a Welcoming City! Logan city, Nov 28 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
Congratulations to the Logan City Council for being the very first local government in Queensland to be officially recognized as a Welcoming City. Pictured: City of Logan Mayor Darren Power (centre) receives the official Welcoming Cities accreditation from Welcoming Cities Queensland Co-ordinator Cate Gilpin (left), joined by Logan City Council Community Development Program Leader Michelle Griffin.
The Welcoming Cities accreditation is part of a national initiative that provides a framework for local governments to achieve social cohesion.
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DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
Roundtable Discussion on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
ECCQ celebrates the Council’s achievement and will continue to support them in creating a more welcoming Queensland for over 234 multicultural communities in the region. Logan City has a diverse population consisting of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Hence, multiculture thrives in this area, with community organisations striving hard to connect, rrehabilitate, settle, and help survive the migrants.
QPASTT celebrates and recognizes volunteers who work hard on their programs helping others Leader in Toowoomba, about her work in our Building Stronger Families program. Volunteer Paul Mifsud spoke about the joy he found in meeting people from around the world here in Brisbane. As our Co-CEO Liz Gordon said, our Community Connectors, Champions and Volunteers offer inclusion and kindness to the people we support, helping ensure people feel safe and welcome.
Brisbane, Friday 24th November 2023 (MCCQ, Newsdesk) The Multicultural
diverse perspectives, and a collective commitment to fostering positive change. Attendees engaged in insightful dialogue, contributing to the depth and richness of discussions that unfolded throughout the event. Asteria Grace, our esteemed co-host, deserves special recognition for her invaluable contributions, which enhanced the overall depth and resonance of our discussions. Her commitment to advancing DEIB principles shone through, guiding the evening’s proceedings and ensuring a meaningful exchange of ideas. The room buzzed with
exceptional energy and passion, a testament to the inspiring thought leaders who generously shared their insights and ideas. Their contributions added a profound layer to the dialogue, creating a space for meaningful exchange that we anticipate will resonate long after the event. As an organization, we are steadfast in our commitment to providing a platform for
continuous dialogue and collaboration. This event marks just one step in our collective journey towards a more inclusive and equitable future. We recognise the importance of sustained efforts and pledge to facilitate ongoing opportunities for meaningful engagement. We express our heartfelt gratitude to each participant for contributing to the success of this incredible event. Your presence and active involvement have undoubtedly left a lasting impact, and we look forward to building on the momentum generated during the discussion.
Professional Network extends sincere appreciation to the community leaders who graced the Roundtable Discussion on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) held on November 24th, 2023. This impactful event brought together thought leaders, change-makers, and passionate individuals dedicated to shaping a more inclusive and equitable professional landscape. The evening was marked by dynamic conversations,
Photos by Wahyu Arfany Brisbane, Friday 24th November 2023 (MCCQ, Newsdesk)
On Friday 24th 2023, an event unfolded to welcome the Community Connectors, Community Champions and Volunteers to QPASTT to say a huge thank you for all their support and contributions over the past year.
QPASTT Co-CEOs Sally and Liz hosted a tour of the head office after which everyone enjoyed dinner, speeches, dancing, and even some stand-up comedy by the talented artist Thereze Miburo. Attendees also heard from Monica Agoth, a Community Connector and Community
Connected Parenting Program for Multicultural parents by QPASTT term, is running the Connected approaches to parenting.
Brisbane, Nov 2023 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
OPASTT family program for this www.mccq.org.au
Parenting Program at Woodridge North Community Hub. They aim to support the mental health and well-being of parents and carers who have experienced displacement and resettlement, improving their understanding of the impact of refugee trauma on parenting and children’s wellbeing. Participants will also explore the strengths of culture-led
Participants say the program has helped them understand and respond to their children’s emotional needs. This is an important aspect in the resettlement of migrants and refugees to stay connected with their children and understand the emotional as well as physical needs children go through in the process of resettlement.
About The Multicultural Professional Network: Founded in 2022, The Multicultural Professional Network is a non-profit organization committed to promoting mutual respect and social inclusion among all people in Australia. The organization empowers talent across diverse backgrounds, including races, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities, veteran statuses, and gender identities. Partners are welcomed.
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SA Multicultural Festival - Travel around the world without leaving one of the world’s most livable cities South Australia, November 12 (MCCQ Newsdesk) On Sunday 12 November South Australia’s Victoria Square/
Tarntanyangga came alive for the 2023 Multicultural Festival. The festival celebrated South Australia’s diverse culture – representing over 70 community groups through art, food, music, dance and more. The Multicultural Festival, attended by the Australian Government’s Smartraveller saw over 10,000 people visit the event. Anyone who felt inspired to travel overseas after visiting the festival are encouraged to make Smartraveller their first destination. It provides Australians with the information they need to prepare and plan their overseas trip and make informed choices.
This includes advice on passports, visas, and travel insurance through to detailed travel advice on over 175 destinations. It also offers essential resources in multiple languages. “Smartraveller is a must-see website before embarking on any travels especially if you love to explore,” said one festival goer. Another festival goer commented that “subscribing to Smartraveller email updates, even when I’m visiting family overseas, means I’ll always have the latest travel advice information.” Smartraveller’s travel tips for your future overseas adventures: Q Research and confirm visa and entry requirements for your destination. Reach out to the relevant
Victorians pocket $2.1 million in container refunds in two weeks Victoria, November 20 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
Support for Victoria’s new container deposit scheme (CDS Vic) has showed no signs of slowing in its second week, with more than 21 million containers now returned by Victorians.
In week two of the scheme, 11.1 million containers were returned across the state, eclipsing the 10.2 million returned in week one. The Exchange Depot in Mildura reigns as Victoria’s best performing return point,
having processed more than 950,000 containers since CDS Vic officially opened on 1 November. Jim Round, CEO of scheme co-ordinator VicReturn, said Victorians had shown incredible support for the scheme from day one.
embassy or consulate for up-to-date information. Q Consult a doctor to learn about recommended vaccinations and health precautions for your destination. Check your medication’s legality and requirements. Q Don’t forget your travel insurance and make sure you read the fine print on your policy. Q Be aware of how dual nationality may affect your travel plans and consular services. Q Respect the laws of the country you’re visiting, as they may differ from those in Australia. Q Be mindful of the culture and places of significance in the regions you explore. This includes wearing appropriate clothing at places such as temples. Q Leave a copy of your travel
For more information about Smartraveller and to access their travel advice please visit https:// www.smartraveller.gov.au/ consular-services/communities
The DUTCH CLUB celebrates Sinterklass! A delicious, mouthwatering On Sunday 3 December
from 10am to 12pm, The Dutch Club is celebrated Sinterklaas which is an open event for people to come along to meet Sinterklaas and Piet visiting Brisbane to present gifts for the children. The actual date for Sinterklaas is 5 December however the weekend is better for celebrations for all the members of the family to enjoy together. There is a variety of Dutch food available for purchase.
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itinerary and insurance details with someone back in Australia. Q If you don’t already have a passport allow six weeks to renew or apply. Future travellers are encouraged to read the Consular Services Charter on Smartraveller. It’s a great resource for understanding what the Australian Government can and cannot do to assist travellers overseas. Travellers should align their travel insurance decisions with the advice level of their destination and the activities they are doing.
experience one must not miss. There is a shop selling Dutch items for a good opportunity to get your Christmas Shopping done.
The Dutch Club is located on Pine Rd Richlands. The Club is on Facebook, please follow the Facebook page to keep things in track. If you would like further information, please don’t hesitate to ask. Please call on the phone number 0411 875 960.
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DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
ECCQ had their Annual general meeting on the 23rd of November 2023 Brisbane, (MCCQ Newsdesk)
Members of ECCQ attended the meeting in earnest zeal to know who will be the next Deputy Director Chair and an addition to the 10 Director team Board members. There were four nominations for one position, hence it was an exciting election for the board.
Dr. Surendra Prasad OAM was elected as the Deputy Chair and Dr. Ram Mohan was elected as the fresh new Director to the Board. Dr. Ram Mohan is the Chairman of Australia India News, President of the Multicultural Community Connect Queensland Inc. and Director of Star Promotions
Pvt. Ltd. He brings his business skills to the table as it is a need for ECCQ to think about the finances and the business models of the AGED CARE facility which is the only source of income for ECCQ. Dr. Ram Mohan upon winning the election said, “ I am truly humbled and honored to take
the newly elected position as a Director to the ECCQ Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland’s Board of Directors. I wanted to express my sincere gratitude to all who have confidence in me and support my nomination. I am excited about the incredible opportunity to contribute to the continued success and growth of ECCQ.
Thank you to the dedicated ECCQ Board, members of ECCQ and staff of ECCQ for welcoming me to the board.” Congratulations to Dr. Ram Mohan and Dr. Surendra Prasad for your appointment to the Board. ECCQ looks forward to working with you and your team.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk invites the Indian diaspora to celebrate Diwali at the Parliament houseAnnastacia Palaszczuk MP one has attained through his the community.
Brisbane, November 14 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
Premier’s Diwali Reception to Community Leaders of the Indian diaspora in Brisbane is always a good networking event not only for the Indian community but also for the Government officials.
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Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) in collaboration with the Premier’s office often coordinates in organizing the event. This time FICQ committee members felicitated the Premier
and Multicultural Affairs Minister Ms. Leanne Linard MP with a colorful Stoll, as a gesture honoring the divine soul that lives in everyone. Honoring with a Stoll is also a gesture where one respects and honors the achievements
or her work.
This event helps many community leaders connect with their council members and strike vital collaborations and pathways for fruitful projects to be implemented in
Hence, this becomes an important event apart from the fact that community leaders get to meet the Premier of Queensland and the Multicultural Minister.
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Lord Mayor Diwali Reception for all organizations celebrating Diwali in Brisbane Brisbane,November 21 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
Every year Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner invites Indian Diaspora Organisations to his City Hall Balmoral
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Room for a short celebration of the community organizations who invite the Mayor’s office and Councillors to their Diwali events.
It is a gesture to express gratitude to these organizations for doing the good work they do in bringing the community together, keeping them safe, engaged,
informed, and active through the programs and events they run for the community.
the Lord Mayor, and his team of councilors present at the reception.
In attendance at this event is also the Hon. Consul General of India in Brisbane Mrs. Archana Singh. The event is one where the community leaders can briefly express their community concerns to
It is an honor to be invited to this event as it is also a way for the Lord Mayor to recognise the community leaders with whom he has been interacting with throughout the year on various projects.
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Sur 420 Dhoom Machale- local singers rock the stage Brisbane, November 25 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
On Saturday, local singers group performed a concert of Bollywood songs mixed bag of old and new songs. The show catered to every age present in the audience.
Local singers OM Reddy and his brother both rocked the stage with their singing talent. They sang the songs Shrivali and Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass the best. Both brothers have a melodious voice which made the audience spring up to their feet.
Ruchie Pathak sang Ami je Tomar, a song that really tests your vocal ability and understanding of the sargam. Ruchie Pathak performed the song very well. The show had a mixed bag of Hindi, Tamil, and Bengali
songs. This made the show multicultural within the Indian context. The show was a total entertainer event. Opposition leader Hon. David Crisafulli supported the show. He volunteered to serve food to all present and to
listen to the issues within the community. He genuinely mixed and mingled and asked the diaspora of various concerns in the community. It was sponsored by American College and Leaders Institute.
Channel Nine celebrated Diwali this year on Today Show Brisbane, November 7 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
Diwali celebration on the Channel Nine Today Show was a big hit among the
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diaspora. It was scheduled for Friday, 10 November, commencing at 4:15 am at Captain Burke Park, Kangaroo Point.
This was a fantastic opportunity for the Indian diaspora to showcase the spirit of Diwali on a live televised platform.
Community members from various Indian organisations came together to put their best efforts in showcasing the culture of India.
Thanks to the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland Leadership team this event became possible.
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Brisbane Latin American Festival 2023- Latina Fiesta 2023 an extravaganza! Brisbane, November 11 (MCCQ Newsdesk) The Brisbane Latina Fiesta
festival held this year on November 11th is often a glamour filled, larger than life showcase of the Latina culture. As a Latina, every person belonging to South
America is overjoyed to participate in all the festivities the event has to offer. Held on the showgrounds of Mt. Gravat in Brisbane, the festival makes Brisbanites be aware of the presence of the talents of the Latina diaspora. This year among all other performances the highlight
was the performance of Tinku. Tinku, is a Bolivian Aymara tradition, began as a form of ritualistic combat. In the indigenous language, it means “meeting-encounter”. During this ritual, men and women from different communities meet and begin the festivities by dancing!
Everything is not dancing in this festival. One must attend the festival for the delicious food the Latin Americans bring to Australia. There were Food stalls with food from Mexico to Chile, the delicious Arepas, Empanadas, Tequeños, Brazilian BBQ, Tacos, Nachos, Hibiscus beverage, and much more
to consume and satisfy the belly!!! Apart from the food there was animal farm and art for children, with a multicultural parade that showcased the beautiful fashion and cultural attire of Latin America. The event was sponsored by American College RTO code 31987.
Former Prime Minister of Somalia Hon. Abdi Farah Shirdon meets the African community in Brisbane ASEAN Family Day organized Brisbane, November 1 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
Thank you to all the leaders of the African community for joining us to welcome at the African Village the former prime minister of Somalia the Honourable Abdi Farah on November 1st, 2023. The community leaders were pleased to hear from an elder and leader who acknowledged the vast talent he observed from the community with
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young people and members that shaped him and his work. According to the Prime Minister, community living, and collective efforts are the key for achieving success and improving situations. He said, “it is important to work together to support each other as we face challenges from multiple fronts.” President of QACC Mr. Beny Bol OAM had the opportunity
to meet with the president one on one. He said “it was a fascinating and productive brief with the visiting former Somali prime minister, Abdi Farah Shirdon. Very humble, visionary and wise elder and leader. Thank you to our friend and equally visionary leader, President of Somalia QLD TV Faysel Ahmed Selat for everything that you do and for your leadership.”
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African Youth Affairs Strategy Oversight Committee (AYASOC) organized a forum with the UN Human Rights Commission Brisbane, November 3 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
It was an extraordinary session organized by the African Youth Affairs Strategy Oversight Committee (AYASOC) on 3rd of November with special
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presentations and fascinating discussions with the UN Human Rights Commission’s Special Rapporteur Ms Mama Fatima Singateh from Geneva and Magistrate Veena Goverdhan. The discussions and presentations
were extremely moving as the audience heard personal stories from the speakers that were moving and inspirational. AYASOC Thanks all of the partner organizations and community advocates for the unconditional support
and commitment extended towards the AYASOC. The African Village is a culturally and professionally safe space where our community shares their profound thoughts and ideas with those who reach out with the
genuine hands of friendship and support. AYASOC leader Beny Bol expresses his gratitude for attending the forum, being there in person to discuss those difficult conversations that we have to have.
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AFCON (African Cup of Nations QLD) is currently underway in Brisbane! Nairobi, October 27 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
AFCON (African Cup of Nations QLD) is being played over three weekends at Kippen Park Goodna. It kicked off on 18th of November 2023 with the most diverse games and teams ever. The aim of the tournament is to bring together the QLD African communities’ top teams in an exhilarating display of skill, passion, and unity. Above all to come
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together and have fun.
The tournament has reached another level with the ABC television capturing the voices of the ones that took their teams to the finals last year and attempting to defend the titles. The next two weekends will be a game-changer hence the community is encouraged to pay a visit anytime between 9 am and 6 pm every Saturday
and Sunday until the 3rd of December.
Both Men and women league matches are being played. Ipswitch Mayor Teresa Harding attended the women’s matches, she says “This weekend is the first weekend and today I watched the women’s Liberia v South Sudan and men’s South Sudan v Ethiopia. There is a great community feel at the fields. I also had some amazing Joll of
Rice and chicken wings from one of the stalls. Thank you to Beny Bol and the Queensland African Communities Council team on such a well run event. I went to a few games and the final last year. If you love soccer, you will love these matches, especially the finals on 3 December.” The organizers of the tournament are extremely grateful, they would like to convey the message “We’ll
be persistent and relentless to ensure that we share our positive stories and they are heard particularly about the amazing and exceptionally talented young people in our local communities.” Beny Bol, President of QACC Thanks Western Spirit Football Club for hosting AFCON.
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Taiwan Film Festival Celebrates Taiwanese Culture with 4 Amazing Films
Brisbane, October 28 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
For its 2023 event, the 7th Taiwan Film Festival in Brisbane launched four Taiwanese films – one Taiwanese puppet animation, one drama portraying indigenous people, and two documentaries – at Hoyts Cinemas Sunnybank on 28 Oct. By bringing the vivid and dynamic Taiwanese culture and history to the big screen,
the four featuring films received raves and applause from the audience. “Our mission is to promote Taiwanese culture through cinematic art,” said Kaijung Yu, CEO of Taiwan Film Festival in Brisbane, “presenting Taiwan’s profound history, abundant nature, contemporary social issues and people to the Australian audience as part of our celebration to multi-culturalism.” The opening film Demigod: the Legend Begins, a fantasy animation film featuring the unique puppetry art of Taiwan. With its unbelievable camera staging and mind-blowing
battle choreography, this 2022 award-winning film incorporates action, adventure, and even romance in its Marvel-like universe of puppet version. “Remember Me,” the documentary that followed, explores the stories of three residents on Quemoy (or Kinmen, the tiny island close to Mainland China) and how they reflect upon the upheavals between the two sides of Taiwan Strait. “A Letter to Ama,” the other documentary that took 10 years to finish, leads the audience to dive into a journey of constructing the collective memory of Taiwan. The film’s artistic approach
and depth of emotions moved many viewers in tears. “I loved how it was able to incorporate history, culture, perspective and knowledge in such intimate depth. It was very touching,” a comment left by a young viewer in the survey. Written, directed and played by indigenous people, the closing film “Gaga” portrays a Taiwanese indigenous family, the members’ relationship and their struggles and dilemma between adapting to the modern world and keeping the ancestors’ doctrine. “Very sad, but very beautiful,” commented by a viewer after the screening.
The Taiwan Film Festival in Brisbane is hosted and organized by World Arts & Multi-culture Inc. Melody Chen, the Founding President of the association, expressed, ‘We strive to bring Taiwanese culture here.’ We extend our heartfelt gratitude for the funding support from the Lord Mayor’s Festival and Cultural Event of Brisbane City Council, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brisbane, Overseas Community Affairs Council of Taiwan, and sponsorship from local businesses, including YFG Shopping Centers, Liming International, Raymon Wong Associates, and Taiwan Business Bank in Brisbane.
The Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Biman Prasad will visit Brisbane Brisbane, November 27 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
The Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Biman Prasad attended the second meeting of the Emergency Committee meeting in Suva on 14th of November. In addressing the the
Committee members during the meeting, Hon. Prasad encouraged the expedition of relief assistance to affected Fijians, and commended the leadership of the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management and the work
done by the Fiji NDMO in ensuring the safety of all Fijians during the height of TC Mal. Acting Prime Minister Hon. Biman Prasad will be in Brisbane to meet Fijian diaspora in Australia.
Rerevaka na Kalou ka doku
Visit by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji, Honorable Professor Biman Prasad Please join us in warmly welcoming the Honorable Professor Biman Prasad, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics. Date: Sunday, December 3rd Time: 2:00 PM for 2.30PM start Event: Welcome Ceremony & Talanoa Location: Sunnybank RSL Hall Address: 19 Gager St, Sunnybank,QLD Contacts: Jitendra Prasad 0402 422 777 Jitendra Deo 0411 798 012
For more information, please contact Fiji High Commission to Australia: admin@aus-fhc.org
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CommBank unveils its inaugural Next Chapter Innovation think tank Canberra, October 26 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
Commonwealth Bank has hosted its Next Chapter Innovation think tank for its five Next Chapter Innovation Partners who are helping to make a difference in the lives of those affected by domestic and family violence by delivering innovative responses to financial abuse recovery.
Next Chapter Innovation program allows us to bring our experience in incubating and delivering innovation to provide practical support and accelerate action for these community organisations and the great work they are doing to address financial abuse, in the context of domestic and family violence.
“We are proud to share our resources with not-for-profit Held at CommBank’s offices organisations which may in South Eveleigh, the Next not otherwise be available to Chapter Innovation Think them. By offering support, Tank included the five commentoring and by bringing munity organisations selected together a think tank we can as Innovation Partners along help bring to life projects that with a range of executives and will make a big difference subject matter experts from to the lives of so many” Ms the bank including retail, HR, Lewis said. business banking, strategy, marketing and community The five Next Chapter investment. Innovation Partners are: YFS LTD - provides a range Each organisation selected of services to people in Logan to be an Innovation Partner and Scenic Rim. YFS Ltd will will be mentored by a senior develop and trial practical leader from the bank who will ways to help raise awareness provide support and ongoing about technology-facilitated expertise over the next 12 abuse through hosting ‘bring months to help the organisayour device’ sessions and tions deliver impact through capacity building sessions their programs of work. for stakeholders, as well CBA Group Executive, as security upgrades and Human Resources, Sian technology sweeps for those Lewis said: “CommBank’s impact by domestic violence
and financial abuse. Indian (Sub-Cont) Crisis and Support Agency (ICSA) – is dedicated to the needs of vulnerable South Asian communities. Informed by research, ICSA will focus on the issue of dowry abuse and develop a comprehensive set of guidelines and deliver sessions about this issue tailored to the community, legal, domestic violence sector and frontline workers. EACH – a for-purpose organisation delivering health and support services that improve lives and strengthen communities. EACH will commission a report to inform the development of a national ‘domestic and family violence in small business’ resolution service. Afghan Women on the Move - supports Afghan and other multicultural women in Australia, helping them build physically, mentally, spiritually, and financially healthy, independent lives. Afghan Women on the Move seeks to address the nuanced challenges of domestic violence and financial abuse within the multicultural community by providing language-targeted content and therapeutic art workshops.
Schools closed due to floods in Navaua Fiji, November 27 (MCCQ Newsdesk) The Permanent Secretary
of Education Ms Selina Kuruleca, upon close consultation with National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), is advising that the Navua Schools from Rampur College to Nakavu – are closed today
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due to the flash flooding, continuous heavy rain and the expected high tide later this morning. Heads of Schools must exercise caution and ensure that the safety of their children is always paramount. Any travelling external examination students who
may have access restricted are to remain at home for their safety, and parents are requested to notify their Heads of Schools. In being consistent with our other students who have not been able to sit external examinations this year,
Illawarra Women’s Health Centre - provides free or lowcost and affordable medical, allied and complementary health care as well as health and well-being programs, groups and education to improve women’s health. Through the Illawarra Women’s Recovery Centre, opening in 2024, it will co-design a Pathways to Financial Security Framework to define what financial security means from a lived experience perspective after experiencing domestic and financial abuse, and what steps are needed to establish and build long-term financial security. Lula Dembele, Director Lived Expertise & Advocacy, Illawarra Women’s Health Centre said “We are thrilled to be partnering with CBA through Next Chapter Innovation to help create a way forward for women to re-establish financial security following financial abuse. Too many women remain trapped in abusive relationships or face poverty after experiencing economic abuse and each have different challenges to rebuild their lives. Through our Pathways to Financial Security project we will work
compassionate assessments will be applied as necessary. There have been no other reports of flooding or heavy downpour outside of Navua. Together with the NDMO we continue to urge parents to prioritize the safety of their
with women and partners to understand what support they need and how to access it.” Next Chapter Innovation, announced in July 2023 offered eligible not-forprofit and social enterprise organisations: access to grants of $50,000, $100,000 or $200,000 dedicated executive support and mentoring from CommBank access to a think tank to leverage corporate expertise For further details on CommBank Next Chapter, visit: commbank.com.au/ nextchapter Anyone worried about their finances because of domestic or family violence or coercive control can contact the Next Chapter Team on 1800 222 387 for support – no matter who they bank with. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency or if you’re not feeling safe, always call 000.
children during such times and ensure that they STAY AWAY and REFRAIN from attempting to cross flooded areas. Please contact MoE Disaster focal point Mitieli.ratiniwasa@edu.gov.fj or 998 3785 for any further clarifications.
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Minister Ditoka commends Yanuca villagers advisories. He commended their decision to prioritize safety by staying in Pacific Harbor instead of risking the treacherous journey back to their island home.
to supporting communities affected by natural disasters, and today’s delivery of food rations is part of that ongoing effort,” stated Minister Ditoka during his visit.
The Minister, accompanied by a team, personally delivered crucial food rations to guarantee the community’s well-being during their stay in the shelter.
“You have shown that safety is paramount by opting to stay back in Pacific Harbor to weather the storm. That is good decision-making and one that will instill in your children the importance of adhering to advisories during natural disasters,” said the Minister.
Amenatave Dauvucu, an elder in the group, explained that they had originally planned to return in two groups over the weekend.
During the meeting with the Yanuca villagers, Hon Ditoka expressed gratitude for their responsible behavior in adhering to government
“We recognize the sacrifice and strength of the Yanuca villagers in prioritizing safety during this challenging time. The government is committed
Fiji, November 27 (MCCQ Newsdesk) In a display of commitment
to the welfare of the people, Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon Sakiasi R Ditoka MP visited the 14 Yanuca villagers taking refuge at Pacific Harbor today.
However, due to rough sea conditions, they heeded the advice of authorities, including the police officers and marine checkers present at the jetty. The group decided to wait out the cyclone, with one subgroup accommodated at the Pacific Harbor Police Post and the others with relatives
20 citizens still held by Hamas: Thailand Tel Aviv, Nov 25 (IANS)
Thailand on Saturday said that there are still 20 of its citizen which are held by Hamas. On Friday, Hamas released 13 Israelis hostages, including 10 Thailand citizens and one Philippine national while Israel released 39 Palestinians as part of the deal between Hamas and Israel brokered by Qatar. Thailand said that it will
work for the release of all its citizens held by Hamas.
Reportedly, Iran has played a pivotal role in the release of 10 Thailand nationals and one Philippine national. Sources in Thailand Embassy in Tel Aviv told IANS that they will use all the possible backchannels for the release of its citizens. As part of deal, including four day ceasefire which stared from Friday, the movement
of trucks with aid materials including food, fuel and medicines will be allowed in Gaza via Rafah crossing. No gun shots were heard since Friday morning in Gaza, reports said. However, Israel has alleged that it has shot down missiles allegedly fired by Hezbollah from the West Bank region on Saturday morning.
nearby. Expressing gratitude, Mr. Dauvucu stated, “We thank the Minister and the Government for the food ration, and we look forward to returning to our island when given the approval.” In other significant announcements today: 1. Schools Reopening: All schools are set to reopen from tomorrow, with teachers actively contributing to the disinfection of school premises. 2. Civil Servants Return: Non-essential civil servants are expected to resume work starting tomorrow.
N. Samar village execs told to help in disaster preps
TACLOBAN CITY –, Nov 30 (MCCQ Newsdesk, PNA) The Northern Samar provincial government has asked village officials in the province to help mitigate the impact of natural calamities following the recent widespread floods in the province that affected more than 100,000 families. Speaking to local officials on Thursday, Governor Edwin Ongchuan said the cooperation of village heads and villagers is crucial in building disaster resilience. “The cooperation of the people from the villages is very critical in times of disaster. We need to work together and be always ready to lessen the risk and mitigate the impact of natural calamities,” Ongchuan told new village officials. Among the primary duties of village officials include the establishment and operationalization of the barangay risk reduction management committees, risk reduction and management plans, and allocation of funds for disaster response and recovery.
3. Evacuation Center Support: Food ration distribution for active evacuation centers commenced today to ensure the well-being of those affected. 4. Resumption of Business Operations: Businesses and public service providers have received the green light to resume operations, signaling a return to normalcy. Government continues to monitor the situation closely and emphasizes the importance of community cooperation during such challenging times.
“We don’t know when disaster, specifically stronger typhoons, will strike, but it’s better for us to always be ready. Though the people of Northern Samar have shown resilience, we need to continuously assess our readiness,” Echano added. The provincial government acknowledges the partnership between the community, government agencies, and disaster officials, which has led to Northern Samar being recognized as a fully compliant provincial government in terms of disaster risk reduction and management in the 2023 Gawad Kalasag national award. Northern Samar’s heavy floods last week were caused by unprecedented 618 millimeters rainfall in a span of 24 hours, or an equivalent to nearly six weeks’ volume of rainfall in a single day. The floods have affected over 100,000 families in Northern Samar and left PHP99 million damage to the agricultural sector. (PNA)
Rei Josiah Echano, head of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office, emphasized the importance of unity, cooperation, and preparedness among the people of Northern Samar to achieve zero casualties during typhoons and other calamities.
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ARTA inks tie-up deals with German, Nordic businesses Manila, Nov 29 (PNA) By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is partnering with the German and Nordic business groups in the Philippines to further promote ease of doing business in the country. ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the representatives of the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) and the Nordic Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (NordCham) on Wednesday in Pasay City. The MOU, which designates both GPCCI and NordCham as ARTA champions, will focus on sharing best practices and strengthening efforts to simplify processes and reduce bureaucratic red tape. GPCCI president Stefan Schmitz said the GPCCI would organize information sharing events and participate in policy discussions to ensure the business sector’s recommendations would be heard. “We look forward to a future of increased efficiency, transparency and growth in the business sector. This collaboration is more than just an agreement on paper, it is a proactive step towards creating a more dynamic and competitive business landscape in the Philippines,” he said.
“By combining German expertise and innovation with Filipino resilience and ingenuity, we are set to make significant strides in making the Philippines a more attractive destination for investors.” German Ambassador Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke is also optimistic the MOU would contribute to a stronger German-Philippine economic relations. “Germany is a reliable partner for the Philippines, has always been a reliable partner and will be a reliable partner in the future. I’m sure this MOU will contribute to improve our exchange, our trade, and the business climate in the Philippines,” he said.
Chamber of Commerce Philippines and the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industries Philippines. Under the MOU, ARTA “champions” can receive complaints in relation to Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 and endorse them to ARTA for action. PCCI-ARTA deal ARTA on Wednesday also signed an MOU with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) focused on promoting transparency between government agencies and Filipino businesses.
NordCham president Bo Lundqvist also emphasized his group’s commitment to work with ARTA in enhancing the overall investment climate in the Philippines.
Upon signing the deal, PCCI president George Barcelon said he sees increased engagements between ARTA and its network of local chambers across the country.
“Efficient government services have been a key pillar of the economic growth and public-private partnerships in our Nordic countries,” he said.
“We want to strengthen it and hopefully mas regular ‘yong mga meetings namin with ARTA on a regional basis. Dito sa national madalas naman kami (hopefully meetings will be more regular with ARTA on a regional basis. Here at the national level it already is),” he said in an interview.
“The trust in government services is also one of the key factors that make the Nordic people among the happiest in the world. We wish the same for the Philippines,” he added. ARTA previously signed similar MOUs with the Korean
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PCCI has at least 123 local chambers nationwide led by area vice presidents and 19 regional governors. (PNA
Gov’t adopts science-based farming to reduce importation – DA chief
Manila, Nov 29 (PNA) By Ma. Teresa Montemayor MANILA – The national government is adopting the latest technologies and building more agricultural infrastructures to improve rice production and increase farm yield and grain supply, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Wednesday. Tiu Laurel said the government “is moving with a sense of urgency” to widen irrigation coverage and set up more drying facilities and other infrastructures needed to boost rice yield.
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He said Marcos wants livestock, poultry, fisheries and high value crops to be affordable, readily available and accessible to Filipino consumers. Marcos also assured that law enforcement agencies are ready to go after smugglers, hoarders and price manipulators of farm products to protect both consumers and farmers, Tiu Laurel added.
“Ultimately, our aim is to minimize rice importation to achieve food security and sufficiency,” he said at the 35th National Rice R4D Conference in Nueva Ecija.
Citing that many of the 10 million farmers and fisherfolk are considered poor, Laurel said minimized importation of rice and other agricultural products would create more jobs and reverse the shrinking trend of agriculture’s contribution to economic growth.
So far, the country has imported around 2.8 million tons, 1 million tons less than the volume of grains bought from abroad last year, with improved rice harvest.
Latest DA data show that around 2.4 million agricultural workers are involved in rice farming and many of them are already approaching their senior years.
Laurel said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. wanted a sustainable rice value chain in the country which could be achieved through the prioritization of research and
“We hope to attract a new generation of farmers, researchers, and innovators who will ensure the country’s food security in the years to come,” he said. (PNA)
Philippines: Earthquake death toll rises to eight
Manila, Nov 19 (IANS)
REDUCING RED TAPE. (From left) German Ambassador Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke; GPCCI Executive Director Christopher Zimmer, GPCCI president Stefan Schmitz, ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez; and ARTA Deputy Director General for Legal Geneses Abot sign a memorandum of understanding during the 2023 Ease of Doing Business Convention at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Wednesday (Nov. 29, 2023). The MOU focuses on sharing best practices and strengthening efforts to simplify processes and reduce bureaucratic red tape. (PNA photo by Ben Briones)
development.
The death toll from the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked the Philippines rose to eight, the Philippines’ disaster agency said on Sunday. The number of casualties “is still subject to validation,” adding that provincial officials are continuously conducting assessments, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. The agency said one died in Davao Occidental province, three in South Cotabato province, and four in Sarangani province, Xinhua news agency reported. The quake affected over 1,500 people. Around 50
houses and over 70 structures were damaged, including school buildings, government facilities, bridges, roads and private establishments. Some of the damaged roads are still not passable, the agency added. The offshore quake, which occurred at 4:14 p.m. local time (0814 GMT) on Friday, hit about 34 km northwest of Sarangani town in Davao Occidental with a depth of 72 km. The archipelagic country has frequent seismic activities due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
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Celebrating Thailand’s Festival of Lights New Delhi, Nov18 (IANSlife)
Thailand is set to sparkle this November as the country celebrates one of its most colourful and picturesque cultural festivals – Loy Krathong, also known as the Festival of Lights. To celebrate the water goddess Phrae Mae Khongkha, millions of Thais float (loy) a little raft (krathong) commonly made from banana trunk and topped with flowers and candles. The krathongs carry the hopes, wishes, and gratitude of individuals, and represent the act of letting go of the old and ushering in the new.
city in the country. This Loy Krathong, Airbnb has already seen a 17 percent surge in international guests searching for a stay in Thailand. The most popular destinations during this festive period are Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, Koh Pha Ngan and Krabi. Many are flocking to The Land of Smiles for the end of year holidays – Airbnb has seen approximately an 88 percent spike in searches by China travellers for November-December travel to Thailand, and an over 15 percent increase in searches by Australian guests in the same period
Loy Krathong is celebrated nationwide every year, on the night of the full moon of the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar. The festival takes place on 27 November this year, and is a special occasion for both Thais and travellers who flock to the country for this dazzling festival.
If you’re thinking about visiting Thailand this holiday season, make it one to remember and join the festivities! Read on for Airbnb’s recommendations of the best destinations and places to stay to experience Loy Krathong.
Thailand was the #1 most visited country on Airbnb in Southeast Asia last year, with Bangkok the most visited
Renowned for its mountains and lush forests, Chiang Mai in Thailand’s north is home to the traditional Lanna culture.
Chiang Mai
Loy Krathong celebrations are marked by large ceremonies and illuminated temples and are held at the same time as the Yee Peng festival, where Thais release thousands of paper lanterns (khom loi) into the night sky – making for a truly incredible sight. Flowing through the heart of Chiang Mai province is the Ping River, a popular place amongst locals and visitors alike to float krathongs. Tha Phae Gate is another; located on the east side of the old city wall. The surrounding moat is a local favourite and popular gathering place, while Three Kings Monument in front of the old town hall has a lively atmosphere and attracts many to join in the activities. You can’t leave Chiang Mai without trying the local delicacies, and there are many to choose from. Some musttries are sai oua (a northern Thai sausage), nam ngiao (sour and spicy noodles with tomato soup), and the always popular khao soi (creamy coconut curry with crispy noodles). Bangkok
Thailand’s vibrant capital transforms every Loy Krathong, as the city embraces its cultural roots and traditions in a spectacle not to be missed. The main water artery of Bangkok, the Chao Phraya River, is a popular destination for visitors and locals to float krathongs and where you can join in the festivities against the backdrop of iconic landmarks such as Wat Arun. Alternatively, make your way to Wat Saket where you can enjoy a memorable Loy Krathong by one of Bangkok’s oldest canals, Khlong Maha Nak, and explore the iconic Golden Mount nearby. A short stroll from the Chao Phraya is the hip neighbourhood of Song Wat – recently voted one of the world’s 40 coolest neighbourhoods in 2023 by TimeOut – with an eclectic mix of art galleries and historical buildings to explore. While exploring Bangkok, don’t forget to try the city’s food offerings, from street food vendors offering Thai staples such as pad thai and pad krapow, to markets such as Jodd Fair and
Michelin-starred eateries. Phuket There’s much more to Phuket than meets the eye. Famous for its beaches and islands, Phuket is steeped in history, and dotted with temples and shrines making for a unique Loy Krathong experience with an island-style vibe. There are more than 30 beaches where locals often float their krathongs. Alternatively, explore some of the less touristy and equally popular spots, such as Sapan Hin Lake and Suan Luang Park in Phuket Town, or Nai Harn Lake in the south or Bang-Ma-Ruan Lake in the north. When in Phuket, don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy some of the freshest seafood caught daily from the Andaman Sea. Delicious Southern dishes to try include kaeng som (sour and spicy soup), massaman (a flavourful, slightly sweet Thai curry) and kaeng tai pla (an intensely spicy curry with fermented fish). And while enjoying island life, don’t forget to explore the history and Sino-Portuguese architecture in Phuket Town.
Shop #2, 493, Ipswich Road, Annerley QLD 4103
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Over 6 hours of sedentary time daily may double fibroid risk in women
New AI model to predict physical & mental development in preemies London, Nov 29 (IANS)
Researchers have developed an AI model to predict longterm outcomes in extremely premature babies early in life. Though much progress has been made in neonatal care, infants born before 28 weeks still show a very high risk for long-term difficulties with cognition and movement. Predicting these potential issues early is vital, allowing health care providers to tailor support right from the start.
Beijing, Nov 29 (IANS)
Clocking up six or more hours of sedentary leisure time every day may double a woman’s risk of uterine fibroids before she’s gone through the menopause, warned a study. The risk of these benign -- but potentially large and painful -womb growths seems to rise in tandem with the amount of time spent sitting or lying down during the day, showed the findings published in the open access journal BMJ Open. Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumours in women of childbearing age, varying in prevalence from 4.5 per cent to 69 per cent. These growths may not produce any symptoms, but they may also be associated with abnormal bleeding, pelvic and abdominal pain, and infertility, among other things. “This cross-sectional study, based on the natural population, showed that (sedentary leisure time) has a linear positive correlation with (uterine fibroids), indicating that (it) may be an
independent risk factor,” said the researchers from Kunming Medical University in China. Sedentary behaviour is associated with tumours that rely on the female hormone oestrogen, such as endometrial, ovarian, and breast cancers; uterine fibroids are also fueled by oestrogen. The researchers therefore wanted to find out if there might be a link between extensive sedentary leisure time and the risk of uterine fibroids. The study included 6,623 women aged 30 to 55 who had not yet gone through the menopause. Sedentary behaviour was classified as 1.5 or fewer metabolic equivalent of task (MET) hours/day when sitting or lying down. METs express how much energy in calories is expended per hour of physical activity. In all, 562 (8.5 per cent) of the women had uterine fibroids, the prevalence of which increased with age. Rates were highest (2.5 times higher) among those aged 50 and older.
While sedentary leisure time wasn’t associated with the prevalence of fibroids in premenopausal women, it was associated with the prevalence of fibroids in perimenopausal women: the risk was five times higher among those who clocked up six or more sedentary leisure hours a day than it was in those who clocked up fewer than 2 hours. This is an observational study, and as such, can’t establish causal factors. The study also relied on subjective assessment for many of the factors, point out the researchers. But one possible explanation for the observed associations might be that sedentary behaviour is related to obesity, which is a risk factor for uterine fibroids, say the researchers. Both sedentary behaviour and obesity increase the body’s oestrogen level.
HEALTH
The model, developed by University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands, can identify which infants might face intellectual disability as they grow. When further developed, it could offer crucial insights for health care providers as well as valuable information for parents about their child’s expected developmental journey. The new study, published in The Lancet Digital Health, marks a crucial step towards developing a tool for early detection that, in the future, could guide parents and medical teams to support vulnerable infants more effectively. The AI model was able to identify with reasonable accuracy which infants might struggle with intellectual disability later in childhood. The model analysed recordings of the brain’s electrical activity, called EEGs, of 369 infants in the first three days after birth. It was able to distinguish between infants that turned out to have a low IQ and those with optimal outcomes
at early school age, with an accuracy of approximately 80 per cent. “This kind of knowledge is invaluable,” said neonatologist Maria Luisa Tataranno. “It means that extra help, resources, and care can be directed where they are most needed, right from the earliest days.” A glimpse into the future of extremely premature babies will not only help doctors make the right choices. It will also offer parents of premature babies valuable information. These parents often struggle with uncertainty about their child’s future. “The question they ask us most often is ‘What can we expect?’,” said Maria Luisa. “An accurate prediction could ease their worries or help them prepare for what lies ahead.” She cautions that much work remains to be done to actually get such a tool to the hospital bedside, though. The team wants to continue working to improve the AI model in the coming years. “EEG is just the beginning,” said Xiaowan Wang, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering. “We plan to incorporate more types of medical data such as MRI scans of the brain, as well as data about blood oxygenation and possibly even babies’ movement patterns, to further refine our predictions.”
Other possible explanations include the known associations between sedentary behaviour and metabolic disorders, chronic inflammation, and vitamin D deficiency, they said.
Cancer treating radiation therapy may help against heart failure
said cardiologist Ali Javaheri, Assistant Professor of medicine, at the varsity.
New York, Nov 29 (IANS) Radiation therapy -- a strategy typically used against cancer -- may help treat patients with a life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm called ventricular tachycardia, suggests a study. Cardiologists and radiation oncologists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis pioneered the use of radiation therapy in a small number of these cardiac patients and modelled the www.mccq.org.au
effects of low-dose radiation in mice with heart failure. The findings, published in the journal Med, suggest that low-dose radiation therapy improves heart function, at least in part, by reducing the number of inflammatory immune cells in the heart muscle. “The radiation therapy used to treat ventricular tachycardia is targeted to a specific location in the heart; however, a large portion of the rest of the heart gets a low-dose exposure,”
“We wanted to understand the effects of that low-dose radiation on these patients’ hearts. There was concern that it could be harmful to overall heart function, even though it treats dangerous arrhythmia. We were surprised to find the opposite: Heart function appeared to be improved after radiation therapy, at least in the short term,” he added. A group of nine patients with ventricular tachycardia were evaluated with cardiac MRI before and after radiation treatment, with the MRIs showing improved heart function soon after radiation. In particular, the patients’ hearts showed improved pumping capacity of the left ventricle, which supplies blood to the entire body. The improvement was seen a few days after treatment, so it was deemed
unlikely to be due to the reduction of the arrhythmia, which happens more gradually over the ensuing weeks and months. The researchers also studied the effects of similar low-dose radiation to the heart in groups of mice with heart failure from three different causes. Similar to what was observed in the human patients, the researchers found improved heart function in mice receiving radiation therapy, especially in the left ventricle. In the mice with progressive heart failure, radiation therapy increased survival of the animals, indicating
that improvements in heart function translated to improved survival. The researchers found that the failing mouse hearts that received radiation had reduced fibrosis -- or scar tissue -- and reductions in cardiac macrophages, a type of immune cell that can drive inflammation in the heart. In general, the irradiated hearts had fewer cells that proliferated quickly -such as immune cells and fibroblasts -- which tend to contribute to worsening heart failure. In contrast, normal heart muscle cells generally do not divide often, if at all.
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Third session sees negotiations on international plastics treaty advance in Nairobi
Nairobi, Nov 20 (IANS)
The third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, concluded here on Monday, with agreement on a starting point for negotiations at the fourth session. More than 1,900 delegates participated in the session, representing 161 members, including the European Union and over 318 observer organizations -- UN entities, intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Over the course of negotiations, members discussed the Chair’s zero draft, went through a compilation of text to include all views of
members, prepared a validated, co-facilitator merged text, and found a way forward on issues not discussed as yet. “I am encouraged by the forward motion of the negotiations towards a treaty that ends plastic pollution. I thank the Chair, Ambassador MezaCuadra, and the members of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for their determination to get to the finish line and put us on course for a world where plastic pollution is a problem of the past,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). “Continue to be ambitious, innovative, inclusive, and bold. And use these negotiations to hone a sharp and effective instrument that we can use to carve out a better future, free from plastic pollution.” Officially closing the session, outgoing Chair of the INC, Gustavo Adolfo Meza-Cuadra Velasquez thanked the government of Kenya and the UN in Nairobi for hosting the
session, as well as the member states, observers, co-facilitators and support staff of the discussions. “These past 10 days have been a significant step forward towards the achievement of our objective to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. But it has also reminded us that much remains to be done both in narrowing down our differences and in developing technical work to inform our negotiations,” he said. “I am pleased to see that the Nairobi spirit of collaboration, compromise and commitment has been in full force during our session in the city that birthed the INC process. We saw this during our preparatory meeting on November 11, which set the stage for the positive momentum we achieved at this session, and in the constructive and cooperative manner in which you all engaged throughout this week,” said Jyoti MathurFilipp, Executive Secretary of the INC Secretariat
Africa Qualifier: Namibia punch tickets to 2024 T20 World Cup Dubai, Nov 28 (IANS)
Namibia beat Tanzania by 58 runs to confirm their berth at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and USA. Namibia’s perfect record of five wins from five games has confirmed their spot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The Eagles currently sit on top of the table with 10 points, with their win against Tanzania ensuring a top-two finish required to qualify for the showpiece event next year, reports ICC. The fight for the remaining spot is still on, with Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Nigeria still in the reckoning. Uganda and Kenya hold their destiny in their hands, while Zimbabwe and Nigeria rely on favourable outcomes in other matches. The match between Uganda and Kenya is a do-or-die encounter. Tanzania and Rwanda have already been eliminated from the competition. This will be the third edition in a row that Namibia will be playing in the Men’s T20 World Cup. In 2021, they managed to make it to Super 12 after finishing second in the group stage but failed to do so last year. With Namibia qualifying for www.mccq.org.au
the T20 World Cup, let’s take a look at their journey in the Qualifier tournament so far: Namibia beat Zimbabwe by 7 wickets Namibia made a statement in their first game of the tournament with a comfortable victory over fellow favourites Zimbabwe. The bowlers showcased exceptional skill, maintaining a tight grip on Zimbabwe’s scoring and restricting them to a mere 132/2 in 20 overs. In reply, Nikolaas Davin blazed to 89 off 45 balls as The Eagles romped home by seven wickets. Namibia beat Uganda by 6 wickets For the second game in a row, Namibia pulled off a successful chase after the bowlers restricted the opposition to a meagre total. This time, the seasoned David Wiese took charge in the bowling department with figures of 4/17 helping bowl Uganda out for 114. The openers once again laid the foundation with a 43-run stand in the Powerplay. Despite a brief setback with three quick wickets, Jan Frylinck and Captain Gerhard Erasmus guided the team
AFRICA
DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
1 in 3 children worldwide exposed to life-threatening water scarcity
Addis Ababa, Oct 28 (IANS) UNITED NATIONS – One in three children worldwide lives in areas exposed to high or very high water scarcity, according to a UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report released on Monday. “The double burden of dwindling water availability and inadequate drinking water and sanitation services is compounding the challenge,” said the report, “The Climate Changed Child.”
It said conditions put the challenged 739 million children at even greater risk. “The consequences of climate change are devastating for children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Their bodies and minds are uniquely vulnerable to polluted air, poor nutrition and extreme heat.” “Not only is their world changing --with water sources drying up and terrifying weather events becoming stronger and more frequent-- so too is their well-being as climate change affects their mental and physical health,” she said. “Children are demanding change, but their needs are far too often relegated to the sidelines.” The report throws a spotlight on the threat to children, one of the ways the impact of climate change is felt. It also outlines other ways in
to victory with three overs remaining.
which children bear the brunt of the impacts of the climate crisis, including disease, air pollution and extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. From conception until adulthood, the health and development of children’s brains, lungs, immune systems and other critical functions are affected by the environment they grow up in. According to the report, children are more likely to suffer from air pollution than adults. Generally, they breathe faster than adults and their brains, lungs and other organs are still developing. The report shows that those most affected live in low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Southern Asia, and Eastern and South-Eastern Asia. In 2022, it said, 436 million children lived in areas facing extreme water vulnerability. Some of the most impacted countries include Niger, Jordan, Burkina Faso, Yemen, Chad, and Namibia, where eight out of 10 children are exposed. The report said investment in safe drinking water and sanitation services is an essential first line of defense to protect children from climate change impact. It was released ahead of the COP28 climate change summit, beginning in the United Arab Emirates on Nov. 30. COP28 stands for the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. (Xinhua)
Namibia beat Rwanda by 68 runs (DLS method) Batting first for the first time in the tournament, the batters flexed their muscles against Rwanda. Davin’s 59-ball 80 anchored the innings while the rest of the batters went big to post a total of 207/3 in their 20 overs. Rwanda were dented early as they lost three wickets in the first two overs. At the halfway stage, they were 46/5 when rain interrupted play and didn’t go away. With Namibia in a commanding position, they secured two additional points through the DLS method. Namibia beat Kenya by 6 wickets Opting to field first, Namibia were disciplined in their bowling as Kenya only managed to put 104/6 on board. Irfan Karim’s 43* wrested a collapse but Kenya couldn’t find the big hits in the end. Namibia found themselves in a spot of bother, having lost four wickets within nine overs. Nevertheless, Jan Frylinck (57*) and JJ Smit (14*) played pivotal roles in
rescuing the team, forming a match-winning partnership of 59 runs that guided the team to victory. Namibia beat Tanzania by 58 runs Facing a test of batting depth for the first time in the tournament, Namibia rose to the occasion. All of the top 4 made runs but it was only Smit who scored quick and big with an unbeaten 24-ball 40. Tanzania showed great skill to curb Namibia’s scoring with regular wickets but when the
lower order was called into action, Zane Green and Nicol Loftie-Eaton delivered crucial cameos to put 157 runs on board. The 158-run target proved too steep for Tanzania as they only managed to 99/6. Namibia bowlers didn’t let the opposition free their arms, with none of the Tanzania batters scoring at more than run-a-ball. With the win, Namibia booked their tickets for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
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EAST ASIA
DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
China’s FM says Beijing will play role in stability of Korean Peninsula Busan, Nov 26 (IANS)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said his country will play a role in helping ensure the stability of the Korean Peninsula as he expressed concerns over the current security situation in the region. Wang made the remarks during his bilateral talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin in Busan, an official at Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said. During their talks, Park also requested that China play a “constructive” role after North Korea scrapped a 2018 military tension reduction accord with South Korea and warned of more provocations to come, Yonhap news agency reported. Park stressed that Seoul’s decision to abandon part of the inter-Korean military deal, which came in response to North Korea’s launch of a military spy satellite, was the minimal defensive measure for the safety of its people. “We clearly made a point about North Korea’s attitude of threatening further provocations, saying that it will not be bound by the September 19 military agreement, and shifting the responsibility to us,” a Foreign Ministry
official told reporters after the talks. “Minister Park requested that the two countries work closely, and that China play a constructive role, as it is in the common interests of South Korea and China that North Korea stop its provocations and take the path of denuclearization,” the official said. Wang, in turn, expressed “concerns” over the latest situation on the Korean Peninsula and told Park that China will do its part to “help stabilize the situation,” according to the official. Wang arrived in Busan on Saturday to attend a trilateral gathering with Park and his Japanese counterpart, Yoko Kamikawa, took place on Sunday. The talks came days after North Korea said it launched a military spy satellite and successfully placed it into orbit, after two botched launch attempts in May and August, respectively. In response, South Korea scrapped part of a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction accord. In a titfor-tat, North Korea said the next day it will immediately restore all military measures it had halted under the
agreement. China has called for all concerned parties to “remain calm and exercise restraint,” over the satellite launch, saying it will continue to play “a constructive role” in promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. At the talks, the two sides reaffirmed the commitment to developing their bilateral relationship into a “healthy and more mature” one, based on “mutual respect, reciprocity and common interests,” according to the Seoul Ministry. Sharing the view that economic cooperation has been an important driver in the development of bilateral ties, the Ministers agreed to bolster “mutually beneficial and substantive cooperation in light of the changing external environment”. In that vein, Park noted the importance of working together to ensure the stable management of supply chains and the safety of South Korean companies doing business in China, as well as the need to facilitate cultural content, such as games and films. Park also relayed concerns over the forced repatriation
S.Korea, China, Japan agree to expedite preparations for trilateral leaders’ summit: FM not been held since the last of forced labour during Busan, Nov 26 (IANS)
South Korea, China and Japan agreed on Sunday to accelerate preparations to resume the long-stalled summit among the leaders of the three countries at an “earliest, mutually convenient” time, Seoul’s Foreign Minister Park Jin said. Park made the remarks after holding the tripartite talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in Busan, the first such meeting to take place after a four-year hiatus. “We, the three Ministers, reaffirmed the agreement to hold the summit, the pinnacle of the trilateral cooperation system, at the earliest, mutually convenient time and agreed to accelerate the preparations necessary for the summit,” Park told reporters at a press session after the talks. “We will continue efforts to make sure that the holding of a summit will materialise in the near future,” he added. Park said the three countries agreed to “restore and normalise” three-way cooperation, Yonhap news agency reported. The trilateral summit has www.mccq.org.au
one took place in China’s southwestern city of Chengdu in December 2019. The summit has been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak and a deterioration in Seoul-Tokyo relations over the issue of compensating Korean victims
Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Talks of reviving the summit gathered momentum amid a dramatic warming of the Seoul-Tokyo relations after South Korea said in March it will compensate the Korean victims on its own without
of North Korean defectors in China and asked for Beijing’s active cooperation in helping North Koreans move to desired places, instead of being forced to return home, where they may face harsh punishment. As Pyongyang’s key ally, China does not recognize North Korean defectors as refugees and regularly repatriates them to their home country. The two top diplomats discussed efforts to promote high-level communications at all levels, including a potential visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Critics say the relations with Beijing have recently cooled
due to what they describe as President Yoon Suk Yeol’s attempts to bring South Korea closer to the US and Japan, a departure from the previous Moon Jae-in administration’s greater emphasis on China. During Sunday’s talks, Park asked for Beijing’s support for South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan, and Wang said China “will seriously consider” it, according to the Ministry official. Wang and Park last held talks on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers’ meeting involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta in July. Wang last visited South Korea in September 2021.
asking for contributions from Japanese companies. “It’s important to institutionalise trilateral cooperation so that it can develop into a stable and sustainable system,” Park said at the start of the talks in Busan. To do so, Park added that he highlighted the need to explore substantive cooperation projects that “can be felt by the people of the three nations”. “I look forward to working together to ensure that the trilateral summit of Korea, Japan and China, which is at the pinnacle of the three-way cooperation, will be able to take place at an early date,” he said. On North Korea’s launch this week of a military spy satellite, Park emphasised that such provocations, along with ballistic missile launches, pose serious threats to peace and stability in the region. The three sides agreed to continue communications at all levels to help resolve the North Korean issues, the South Korean Foreign Minister said. At the talks, Park also asked for support from Japan and China for South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan. Wang pointed out that the three-way cooperation “has never been stopped” even during the global spread of the
Covid-19 pandemic, saying there is “huge potential, strong demand and a wide range of resources”. “China, Korea and Japan must play a positive role in regional and global development with a more honest attitude,” he said at the start of the talks. Kamikawa said the trilateral cooperation has become increasingly important as it “greatly contributes to peace and prosperity” even at a time of many unprecedented challenges, such as climate change and artificial intelligence. “Whether we can provide resilience with the power to overcome these challenges depends on how we can collaborate with ideas that are not tied to existing methods,” she added. “I would like to return to this starting point and make today’s talks an opportunity to restart cooperation between the three countries,” she said. Ahead of the trilateral talks, Park had separate bilateral talks with Kamikawa and Wang. Wang and Kamikawa arrived in Busan on Saturday. Park also hosted a luncheon meeting for his two counterparts. It marks the first visit by Kamikawa since she took office in September. Wang last visited South Korea in September 2021
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DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
Sri Lanka President sack sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe
New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS)
Sri Lanka President Ranil WIckremesinghe sacked sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe on Monday amid ongoing controversy in the Sri Lanka Cricket board. Ranasinghe, who sought to sack the Sri Lanka Cricket board (SLC) and install an interim committee led by Arjun Ranatunga. However, Ranasinghe has not only been sacked as sports minister, but has also
been removed as minister of youth affairs and minister of irrigation - the other portfolios he held.
of an interim committee to oversee Sri Lankan cricket administration, saying, “I took action based on audit reports.”
This occurred following his accusations against the president earlier on Monday in parliament. Additionally, Ranasinghe had routinely charged SLC with mismanagement and corruption. A day later, the courts in Sri Lanka removed the interim committee he had appointed, which included two politicians’ sons who had no prior experience running the cricket team. Arjuna Ranatunga led the group.
SLC had pleaded with the “upper echelons” of the Sri Lankan government to ensure that politics would not be allowed to re-enter the country’s cricket administration.
For drawing attention to corruption in cricket, is this my reward? Ranasinghe spoke of his appointment
It is believed that SLC requested an ICC suspension in an effort to exert pressure on the sports minister, who had temporarily fired the cricket board. Sri Lanka also lost the privilege to host the Under-19 men’s World Cup, which was originally slated for January and February of 2024, as a result of SLC’s suspension.I
Bhutanese delegation visits Meghalaya, discusses various issues
Shillong, Nov 26 (IANS)
A 12-member Bhutanese delegation from the Centre for Bhutan Studies visited Meghalaya to learn more about the governance and discussed on diverse issues covering sustainable urban development, climate change, natural resource management, women’s roles in rural tourism and economic connectivity between Bhutan and northeast India, officials said on Sunday. The delegation during its fourday visit to Meghalaya paid field visits, engaged in-depth roundtable discussions on diverse issues and interacted with Pymiad Sing Syiem, Chief Executive member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, one of the three tribal autonomous body in the mountainous state.
more. The delegation also experienced the rich Khasi tradition at the Seng Kut Snem festival and the unique culture of the Whistling Village of Kongthong, appreciating how the local communities preserve their traditions in Meghalaya,” officials said. Organised by Asian Confluence, the premier Indian think tank headquartered in Shillong, the Bhutanese delegation visited Meghalaya as follow up to the recent 8-day visit of Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, who visited India (November 3-10) and held bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During Bhutan King’s threeday visit to Assam, Wangchuk visited the Kamakhya Temple and enjoyed an evening jeep safari in the world famous Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The Bhutanese delegation visit was arranged in partnership
with Thimphu based Center for Bhutan Studies and supported by Meghalaya Tourism Department, Indian Embassy in Bhutan, and Meghalaya Institute of Governance. The initiative was earlier flagged off by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma in the presence of officials of India’s External Affairs Ministry, Assam and Meghalaya government. An in depth dialogue was also held at the Asian Confluence Center in Shillong on bilateral trade, connectivity and Bhutan India strategic partnership in the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) region. A delegation from Meghalaya is also expected to visit Bhutan in early 2024. Three northeastern states of India – Arunachal Pradesh (217 km), Assam (267 km) and Sikkim (32 km) – have 516 km borders with Bhutan.
SOUTH ASIA
Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines reduce airfare for SAARC member nationals visiting Bhutan
New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS)
The Department of Tourism of Bhutan is pleased to announce that Bhutan’s two airlines, Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines, have officially confirmed a decrease in flight prices for citizens of SAARC member nations intending to visit Bhutan. This promotion is to strengthen ties with neighbouring SAARC nations, and boost tourism and overall economic growth within Bhutan. The introduction of the SAARC fares came into effect on November 20, 2023, and the reduced fare is, on average, approximately 43 percent cheaper than other fares.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985, and comprises eight Member States: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines both currently fly to Bhutan from Singapore, Thailand, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. From January 2024, Bhutan Airlines will also operate a flight from Sharjah, UAE. Guests who wish to take advantage of the reduced airline prices will need to have a valid passport from one of the SAARC member countries. Applicable Sustainable Development Fees (SDF) will also apply, which are USD 100 per night for all guests, and Rs 1,200 per night for Indian nationals.
India-Nepal joint military exercise commences at Pithoragarh New Delhi, 24 November (IANS) The armed forces of India
and Nepal commenced a joint military exercise -- ‘Surya Kiran’ -- at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand on Friday. The joint exercise will conclude on December 7. According to the Ministry of Defence, during the joint military exercise, armies of both countries will focus on jungle warfare and counter-terrorism operations in the mountainous terrain. The Nepal Army contingent comprises 334 personnel, who are here for the 17th edition of the joint military exercise. It is an annual event which is conducted alternatively between the two countries. The Indian Army contingent comprising of 354 personnel is being led by a Battalion from the Kumaon Regiment.
The Nepal Army contingent is represented by Tara Dal Battalion, a Defence Ministry official said. The exercise will also focus on employment of drones and counter-drone measures, medical training, aviation aspects and environment conservation. Through these activities, the troops will enhance their operational capabilities, refine their combat skills and strengthen their coordination in challenging situations, the official said. The exercise will also provide a platform for soldiers from India and Nepal to exchange ideas and experiences, share best practices and foster a deeper understanding of each other’s operational procedures.
The delegation before concluding its visit to Meghalaya on Sunday held conversations with the local community at the Sacred Groves in Mawphlang and engaged in discussions with community leaders of Integrated Village Cooperative Societies at Kyiem. “Ideas were exchanged on forest conservation, natural resource management and www.mccq.org.au
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EUROPE COMMUNITY NEWS
DEC2022 2023 - Vol 1, Issue July - Vol 1, Issue 1 12
573 migrants arrive on Italy’s Lampedusa island
UK cop convicted of gross misconduct for mimicking woman’s landing on Italy’s shores this year topped 150,000, accordThe following day, a woman ing to figures from the UN and a two-year-old girl died, Indian accent Refugee Agency (UNHCR). and at least eight others went
Rome, Nov 28 (IANS)
A fishing vessel with 573 migrants aboard landed on southern Italy’s Lampedusa island after being towed ashore by the Italian Coast Guard. It is the fourth major landing of migrants on the island this month, reports Xinhua news agency. Local media reported that the migrants had set off from Libya. They arrived at a migrant processing center on Lampedusa designed to house around 400 people. With the latest arrivals, the total number of migrants
With only five weeks left to go this year, the figure is more than in any other complete year since 2016. As of Monday, the UNHCR said that at least 2,659 people had died or gone missing crossing the Mediterranean route to European countries, around 220 more than in all of last year. More than 60 per cent of migrants using the Mediterranean route to arrive in the European Union this year have landed in Italy, and 85 per cent of those arriving in Italy landed on the island region of Sicily -- almost all of them on Lampedusa, a small island located between Sicily and Tunisia. On November 20, more than 800 people landed on Lampedusa in one day.
missing when two smaller vessels sank off the coast of Lampedusa.
For years, the North African country of Libya was the most popular launching point for migrant boats. However, after the European Union began supporting Libya to enhance its coastal patrols to prevent vessels from setting off for Europe, Tunisia became the most common departure point for migrants on the deadly Mediterranean route. UNHCR figures show that through the end of October, 19 per cent of migrant arrivals in Italy were from Syria, slightly more than those from Bangladesh, Tunisia and Egypt, both accounting for over 13 per cent of the total, were the third and fourth most common countries of origin.
Foreign workers will need salary of over 30,000 pounds to enter UK: Report
London, Nov 27 (IANS)
A policeman has been convicted of gross misconduct in the UK for mimicking the Indian accent of a woman who had called to report a hate crime incident in November 2022. Police Constable Patrick Harrison resigned from the West Yorkshire Police prior to a judgement by a misconduct panel, which ruled that his discriminatory actions “de-humanised” the caller, The Daily Mirror reported. The panel heard that following the phone conversation between Harrison and the woman, the former imitated some of the phrases the caller had used, without realising that she was still on the phone line. The woman heard these comments and reported Harrison to Islamophobia monitoring group, Tell MAMA (Measuring AntiMuslim Attacks), a national project recording anti-Muslim incidents across the UK.
London, Nov 21 (IANS)
Foreign workers will need a salary of more than 30,000 pounds to come to Britain as ministers set out proposals to reduce net migration levels by raising the salary threshold for skilled professionals, according to a media report. The proposal, which is yet to be finalised, comes ahead of Thursday’s net migration data for the year ending June 2023, which is expected to stick at around 500,000, The Telegraph reported. resently, workers outside shortage occupations currently require a salary of at least 26,200 pounds to take up jobs in the UK, which is significantly lower than the median wage of 33,000 pounds.
www.mccq.org.au
The number entering the UK minus those leaving, that is the net migration, hit a record peak of 637,000 in the year ending September 2022 before falling to 606,000 in the year ending December 2022. Experts anticipate it may be around 500,000, significantly surpassing the government’s 2019 pledge to reduce net migration overall, the UKbased daily reported. The surge has been fuelled with the UK granting visas to more than 1.4 million migrants per year to work, study or escape conflict or oppression.
Minister Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, who was recently sacked as Home Decretary. “Net migration is far too high. For more than 30 years, the British public have been voting for controlled migration. But politicians of all stripes have failed to deliver the migration system that they’re seeking,” Jenrick told The Telegraph last week.
Harrison admitted his ‘unacceptable and inexcusable’ behaviour and accepted it breached the standards of professional conduct and amounted to gross misconduct. Panel chair Katherine Wood said if Harrison hadn’t resigned, he would have been dismissed from the force for his “deliberate, conscious discrimination”.
Wood ruled that Harrison had discriminated against the woman caller due to her race, adding: “Racism and Islamophobia within the police are issues of significant national concern. Had the former officer not already tendered his resignation, (the panel) would have recommended his immediate dismissal from the service,” The Mirror reported. Harrison told the panel that he was remorseful for his actions and offered to meet with the caller to apologise in person. The panel heard that the officer’s actions had caused ‘psychological distress’ to the woman, and had resulted in her ‘loss of trust and confidence’ in the police. “The behaviour of the former officer is so serious and the impact that it has had on SA (the caller) and the confidence of the public as a whole is such that no lesser sanction would be justified... Harrison has engaged in behaviour which breaches the standard of professional behaviour relating to Authority, Respect and Courtesy and Equality and Diversity. We are satisfied that (his actions) amount to gross misconduct,” Wood said.Hlas party heads six departments and the deputy Prime Minister's role, and the Slovak National Party manages culture, the environment, and the soon-to-be-established Ministry of Sports and Tourism.
The report did not specify whether the proposals will include restrictions on the number of foreign care workers -- currently 120,000 a year -- and on migrants bringing their families to the UK.
The proposals to reduce net migration were pushed within government by Immigration
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France keen to support Lebanon’s security: Macron
Paris, Nov 29 (IANS)
French President Emmanuel Macron has ssured that his country is keen to support and enhance Lebanon’s stability, security and independence. “We have constantly supported these goals,” Macron was quoted as saying in a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Tuesday. The President added that he informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on several occasions that
France is concerned about the danger of escalation and the spread of the Gaza conflict into Lebanon, referring to the Hamas militant group. Macron warned that the spread of the conflict into Lebanon “will have serious consequences” for the country and its people, adding that “no party should use the Lebanese territory in a way that contradicts the country’s sovereign interests”. The President also underscored the urgent need to elect
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a new president for Lebanon to help the country emerge from its current crisis and avoid security deterioration associated with the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The Lebanese southern border has witnessed cautious calm over the past two days after seven weeks of confrontations between the Hezbollah and Israeli forces after the Iranbacked militant group fired dozens of rockets toward the Jewish nation on October 8 in support of the Hamas surprise attack the previous day.
Air pollution levels still too high across Europe: EU report
Copenhagen, Nov 26 (IANS)
Air pollution is currently the most important environmental health risk factor in Europe, the European Union (EU) environment agency has warned in a report published. “Air pollutant concentrations in 2021 remained well above the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its air quality guidelines,” said the European Environment Agency (EEA) in the report.
Netanyahu says ‘war to continue till Hamas are crushed’ as 5 nations work on ceasefire “Reducing air pollution to these guideline levels would extension prevent a significant number ... continued from page 1
Now, talks are on for further extension of ceasefire to facilitate the release of more hostages. Hamas said it will release two Russian hostages Wednesday at the behest of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Militants have released 61 Israeli hostages and 20
foreigners since the temporary truce began. Israel has freed 180 female teenage Palestinians. Thirty-one children have been among the hostages released by militants, but a 10-monthold, a 4-year old and seven teens are still being held, Israeli officials say. About 85 hostages have been released overall and about 155 remain
in captivity. Hamas says three hostages have died. The Israeli military said it was investigating the validity of such claims that that three Israeli hostages have died “as a result of a former Zionist bombing on the Gaza Strip”, apparently prior to the start of the ceasefire.
of attributable deaths in EU member states,” it added.
The report found that over 320,000 deaths within the European Union in 2021 were related to three main air pollutants -- fine particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen dioxide, Xinhua news agency
reported. Some “253,000 deaths could have been avoided in the EU” if the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations had met WHO recommendations, it said. Meanwhile, pollution from nitrogen dioxide (NO2) resulted in 52,000 deaths and short-term ozone (O3) exposure led to 22,000 deaths. The number of pollutant-related deaths across Europe reached 389,000 when a larger set of European countries outside the EU were included, according to the report. Exposure to air pollution causes or aggravates certain diseases like lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, and diabetes according to new estimates of health impacts, according to the EEA.
Finland, Sweden pledge cooperation on security, immigration
Berlin, Nov 6 (IANS)
Helsinki, Nov 28 (IANS) Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, held discussions here which focused on bilateral relations,
security issues and other topical international and EU affairs.
immigration, emphasizing the importance of proportionate and effective actions.
Orpo stressed the importance of closer contact between Finland and Sweden, especially on security issues, reports Xinhua news agency.
For his part, Kristersson said the EU external border is “no longer a matter for Italy, Greece and Spain” only, but also a concern for the Nordics.
During a joint press conference on Monday, Orpo mentioned Finland’s consideration of new measures to address unauthorised
He expressed strong support for Finland’s efforts in protecting the EU border, saying: “We have a common
interest.” Both leaders stressed the importance of the 2024 European Parliament election.
“Finland and Sweden are cooperating to have a strong impact on the future European Union agenda,” Orpo said. They also discussed their roles as NATO members, with Kristersson emphasizing that the transition “from following NATO to shaping NATO”
represents a new identity. “You have to be there when the decisions at NATO are de facto being taken,” he said. On the same day, the Prime Ministers also held a joint meeting with the Foreign and Defence Ministers of the two Nordic nations. The Swedish delegation also met Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
Supreme Court rules UK govt’s Rwanda asylum policy unlawful
Rome, Nov 15 (IANS)
London, Nov 15 (IANS) In a big setback to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government, the UK’s Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected plans to send migrants to Rwanda as unlawful as it would put them at risk. Issuing a unanimous judgement, the country’s highest www.mccq.org.au
court said that the policy would put asylum seekers at “risk of ill-treatment” as they could be sent back to their home countries once they land in Rwanda. Sunak, who has vowed to stop migrants reaching Britain in small boats across the English Channel, said the ruling “was not the outcome we wanted”.
“We have seen today’s judgment and will now consider next steps. This was not the outcome we wanted, but we have spent the last few months planning for all eventualities and we remain completely committed to stopping the boats,” he said in a statement.
Braverman said that the PM had no “Plan B” if the government lost the Supreme Court case.
Since Brexit, net immigration has continued to mount, touching a record of 606,000 in 2022. Last year, a record 45,775 people were detected arriving without permission in Britain
in small boats. So far this year, more than 27,000 have arrived this way. Launched in April 2022 by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Under the plan, anyone who arrived in Britain illegally after January 1 last year faced deportation to Rwanda.
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India remains strategic partner, plot-to killcharge serious: US in the White House, said in respose to a question at a news conference.
New York, Dec 1 (IANS) The White House said that while it continues to strengthen strategic partnership with India, it takes the allegations that an Indian was involved in a foiled bid to kill a Sikh separatist leader on its soil “very seriously”.
The response came closely after New Delhi reacted to the US indictment of an Indian individual in a plotto-kill charge, and said it is a “matter of concern” and also “contrary to the government policy”. “I would just say two things. India remains a strategic partner and we’re going to continue to work to improve and strengthen that strategic partnership with India. At the same time, we take this very seriously,” John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council
Welcoming India’s efforts to investigate the matter, Kirby also said that the recent developments will not impact the India-US relationship. “These allegations in this investigation, (we) take it very seriously. And we’re glad to see that the Indians are too by announcing their own efforts to investigate this. And we’ve been clear that we want to see anybody that’s responsible for these alleged crimes to be held properly accountable,” he said, adding that it will not impact India-US relationship. India constituted a high-level Enquiry Committee to look into all the relevant aspects of the matter, and said it will take necessary follow-up action based on the findings of Committee. While speaking to reporters travelling with him to Tel Aviv, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the Indian government’s announcement of an
investigation “good and appropriate” and said that they “look forward to seeing the results”. The US prosecutors on Wednesday announced murder-for-hire charges against Indian national Nikhil Gupta for involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate US citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun allegedly on behalf of an Indian government employee. New York-based Pannun, who was not named in the indictment, is a designated terrorist in India and the legal counsel of banned Khalistan group, Sikhs For Justice. Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities on June 30 in response to a request by the US under an extradition treaty, according to a statement issued by the office of the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams. A resident of India, Gupta is alleged to be involved in international narcotics and weapons trafficking.
George Bush mourns death of Henry Kissinger
Washington, Nov 30 (IANS)
Former US President George Bush led the Republicans in mourning the death of former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, as he described him as a “distinctive voice” on foreign affairs. He recalled that Kissinger was “one of the most dependable and distinctive voices” on foreign affairs. “America has lost one of the most dependable and distinctive voices on foreign affairs with the passing of Henry Kissinger. I have long admired the man who fled the Nazis as a young boy from a Jewish family, then fought them in the US Army,” he was quoted in multiple reports quoted as saying. “When he later became Secretary of State, his appointment as a former refugee said as much about his greatness as it did America’s greatness,” Bush said, adding: “He worked in the Administrations of two Presidents and counselled www.mccq.org.au
many more. I am grateful for that service and advice, but I am most grateful for his friendship. Laura and I will miss his wisdom, his charm, and his humor. And we will always be thankful for the contributions of Henry Kissinger.” Former President Richard Nixon’s children also paid tribute to his former national security adviser who served their father and ended the Vietnam War. “Kissinger played an important role in the historic opening to the People’s Republic of China and in advancing detente with the Soviet Union, bold initiatives which initiated the beginning of the end of the Cold War,” the Nixon daughters said in a statement. “His ‘shuttle diplomacy’ to the Middle East helped to advance the relaxation of tensions in that troubled region of the world.” Kissinger became Nixon’s National Security Advisor in 1968 and led the US’ withdrawal from Vietnam. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Kissinger’s death signalled the ‘end of an era’. “It is with a heavy heart that
I mourn the passing of a great statesman, scholar, and friend, Dr. Henry Kissinger, who left us at the age of 100,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
NORTH AMERICA
India needs to take this seriously: Trudeau on US charge murder-for-hire charges against Indian national Nikhil Gupta for involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen allegedly on behalf of an Indian government employee. New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS)
Hours after the US charged an Indian national with conspiracy to assassinate a New York-based Sikh separatist, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that New Delhi needs to take the charge “seriously” and cooperate in the investigations. Trudeau, who had been claiming since September that Indian agents were involved in the killing of its citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, told CBC News that they have been working closely with their American counterparts on the “serious” allegations. “The news coming out of the US further underscores what we’ve been talking about from the very beginning, which is... India needs to take this seriously,” Trudeau told reporters on Wednesday. “The Indian government needs to work with us to ensure that we’re getting to the bottom of this. This is not something that anyone can take lightly,” he added.
Neither the “government employee”, nor Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, were named in the document. Pannun was only identified as a “US citizen” The indictment alleged that the Indian government employee recruited Gupta in or around May 2023 to assassinate Pannun -- a designated terrorist in India. Gupta, in turn, got in touch with a man he believed to be a “criminal associate” but was actually a confidential source of the US Drug Enforcement Agency. India has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to look into the security concerns raised by the US government. As for Canada, High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma said this month that neither Ottawa nor its allies have shown “concrete evidence” backing Trudeau’s allegations.
“Kissinger’s departure marks the end of an era, one in which his formidable intellect and diplomatic prowess shaped not only the course of American foreign policy but also had a profound impact on the global stage,” he said.
The Prime Minister further said that his responsibility is to keep “Canadians safe, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do”.
“Henry Kissinger was not just a diplomat; he was a thinker who believed in the power of ideas and the importance of intellectual capital in public life. His contributions to the field of international relations and his efforts in navigating some of the most challenging diplomatic terrains are a testament to his extraordinary capabilities,” media reports from Tel Aviv said.
US stocks climb in the best ever month as investors bet on Fed’s interest rate cuts
The US prosecutors Wednesday announced
on
New York, Dec 1 (IANS)
US stocks climbed on Thursday morning, making it the best month this year for the investors who continued to bet on interest-rate cuts after reports of a key reading of consumer inflation which was more or less stable. Inflation is now 3.2 per cent, considered “cool” by the Federal Reserve which aims for keeping it steady at 2 per cent but is not considering any immediate hike and a cut instead.
In an interview with a Canadian journalist last week, Verma reiterated that India is only asking for specific and relevant information “so that we can help the Canadian investigators to reach their conclusion”.
due to past interest rate hikes. Consumer spending is on the high with both Thanksgiving day sales and Cyber Deal Monday topping cumulatively over $15 billion with last minute sales on online retailing touching a record $15 million per minute, reports said.
Dow Jones Industrial Average gained with a jump of about 0.6 per cent, or nearly 200 points, while the S&P 500 and the techheavy Nasdaq Composite inched up about 0.2 per cent. The stock Fed’s preferred inflation gauge hit gauges head into the last day of lowest levels in more than 2 years, November trading with fresh media reports said. 2023 closing highs within reach. That comes after a monster rally The US economy is also poised powered by optimism that the to grow at 5.2 per cent against Federal Reserve is done with estimates of 4.9 per cent amid hiking interest rates, experts at fears of inflation rising, which has Yahoo Finance said. been belied and borrowing costs still remain high for consumers
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ISREAL /GAZA
Israel releases 30 more Palestinian prisoners as Gaza truce set to expire today reported There was also no immediate confirmation of the prisoners’ release by the Hamas or the militant group’s affiliated media. Jerusalem, Dec 1 (IANS)
The Israeli prison service has confirmed that 30 more Palestinians have been released as part of the ongoing humanitarian truce which is set to expire on Friday after it was extended for 24 hours the previous day. The namesof the freed Palestinians have however, been witheld, the BBC
Israel agreed to count two Israeli-Russian hostages who were set free on Wednesday as part of Thursday’s release, informed sources told CNN.
In a statement, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Under the terms of the Israel- Benjamin Netanyahu said: Hamas truce, Israel has to free “The Government of Israel embraces our six citizens three Palestinians for every who have just returned to Israeli hostage freed. Israeli territory. Their families have been updated After a tense and lengthy by the responsi-ble back-and-forth on extending authorities that they have the truce into a seventh day, the Israeli government eventu- returned to the country. ally accepted a proposal for “The Government of Israel is Hamas to release eight new Israeli hostages on Thursday. committed to the return of all
Spanish PM’s remarks on Gaza war spark further war of words with Israel also said Israel must “base its actions on international humanitarian law”.
Madrid, Dec 1 (IANS)
The diplomatic relations between Spain and Israel worsened after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised comments by his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez that he had “serious doubts” over whether the Jewish nation was observing international humanitarian law in Gaza. Speaking on the Spanish state TV network RTVE about the conflict in Gaza, Sanchez on Thursday first underlined that “what Hamas did in Israel is absolutely despicable”, reports Xinhua news agency He stressed Spain’s “condemnation and rejection” of the attack, saying that “Hamas has to free all of its hostages in Gaza without any conditions”. However, Sanchez
“With the images that we are seeing, and the growing number of victims, especially children who are dying, frankly I have doubts that they (Israel) are fulfilling international humanitarian law,” he added. The Spanish Prime Minister said that a political solution was needed to end the conflict in Gaza and the solution is a Palestinian state. He argued that Israel is already an internationally recognised country and the US and European countries should also recognise Palestine. In response to Sanchez’s statement, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a tweet that the Spanish Ambassador to Israel was summoned to the Israeli Foreign Ministry “for a reprimand”, calling the remarks
“shameful comments”. This is the second time in a week that Spain’s ambassador to Israel was summoned for a rebuke. Last week, Israel accused Sanchez of supporting terrorism after he criticised the Israeli offensive on Gaza while visiting the Rafah frontier post between Egypt and Gaza, which made Spain tell the Israel Ambassador in Madrid that the accusation was “especially serious”. “Israel is acting, and will continue to act, according to international law, and will continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is eliminated from Gaza,” Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen posted on X late Thursday. In response to what he called the latest “baseless accusations” by the Spanish leader, Cohen said he had decided to recall Israel’s Ambassador to Madrid, Rodica RadianGordon, for consultations.
Over 2,700 truckloads of humanitarian aid enter Gaza through Rafah crossing: Egypt
Rafah (Egypt), Dec 1 (IANS)
A total of 2,781 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid have so far entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing, the only linking point between Egypt and the Palestinian enclave, Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS) said.
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Ayman Walash, the manager of the SIS press centre for foreign media, told Xinhua news agency on Thursday that since the first relief convoy was allowed into Gaza on October 21, a total of 3,176 tons of medical materials, 1,308 tons of fuel, and 13,348 tons of food had been sent to Gaza through the Rafah crossing until Wednesday. Some 10,359 tons of water, 3,203 tons of other relief aid, 137 tents, and 18 ambulances have also been transported to Gaza, Walash said.
An Egyptian security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that 200 trucks were scheduled to cross into Gaza through the crossing every day during the ongoing ceasefire, but the Israeli intransigence caused some delays, Xinhua news agency reported.
of the hostages and missing.”
a.m. IST) on Friday.
Meanwhile, Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari also reiterated the terms of the truce extension on Thursday, stating Israel would release 30 Palestinians in Israeli prisons in exchange for the release of 10 hostages in Gaza — with the two Israeli-Russian nationals released on Wednesday counted on the list as part of the hostage deal.
The military wing of Hamas is calling for its forces to remain on “high combat readiness” in case the ceasefire isn’t extended.
Meanwhile, the truce, which was only renewed at the last minute for the seventh day, is set to expire again at around 7 a.m. local time (about 10.30
Since the start of the pause, 240 Palestinians, 86 Israelis, and 24 foreign nationals have reportedly been released.
Thursday’s extension was the second of the initial four-day truce that commenced on Novermber 24. It was extended for two more days on Tuesday.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels warn Israel against resuming fighting in Gaza Sanaa, Dec 1 (IANS)
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have vowed to resume missile attacks on Israel and hijack Israeli ships in the Red Sea, if Israel resumes fighting in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza Strip. “We confirm our full readiness to resume military operations against the Israeli enemy if it decides to resume its aggression against Gaza,” Yehya Sarea, the Houthi military spokesman, was quoted on Thursday as saying by the al-Masirah TV. The Houthi forces “will not hesitate to expand attacks against the Israeli entity to include targets that Israel may not expect on land or at sea,” he said. “We continue to prevent Israeli ships in the Red Sea and we will take further measures to ensure the full implementation of this decision,” the spokesman added. The Houthi threat came hours ahead of the expected expiration of the one-week humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, during which the two sides swapped hostages for prisoners, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Houthi armed group has carried out several cross-border missile and drone attacks toward Israeli cities and Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7. On November 19, the Houthi forces detained a commercial ship in the Red Sea and took it to Hodeidah, the Yemeni strategic Red Sea port currently under the Houthis’ control. On Wednesday, the G7 foreign ministers issued a statement calling on the Houthi militia “to immediately cease attacks on civilians and threats to international shipping lanes and commercial vessels and release the M/V Galaxy Leader and its crew, illegally seized from international waters on November 19”. Israel has vowed to resume airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza after the end of the temporary truce, which started last Friday and has been extended for three days to facilitate the swap of more hostages for prisoners. Israel agreed to extend the ceasefire for one day if Hamas frees 10 more hostages in exchange for about 30 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Hamas and Israel agreed to prolong the humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip for an additional day, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced in a statement on Thursday.
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10 incredible Bhringraj oil benefits
New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANSlife) Bhringraj oil, also known as Eclipta alba or False Daisy oil, is a natural herbal remedy that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine. This oil is renowned for its remarkable benefits for hair, skin, and overall health. Derived from the Bhringraj plant, which is native to India, Bhringraj oil is a potent elixir that offers a wide range of advantages. Dr. Blossom Kochhar, Chairperson Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies shares ten incredible Bhringraj oil benefits and why it deserves a special place in your beauty and wellness routine. Hair Growth and Hair Loss Prevention: One of the most celebrated benefits of Bhringraj oil is its ability to stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss. This natural oil helps improve blood circulation to the scalp, nourishes hair follicles, and strengthens the hair, promoting healthier, thicker, and longer locks. Regular use of Bhringraj oil can significantly reduce hair fall and boost hair growth.Reverses Premature Graying: Bhringraj oil is a fantastic remedy for premature graying of hair. It contains compounds that help restore natural hair color by promoting the production of melanin. Massaging this oil into your scalp can help darken premature gray hair and delay the onset of graying.Dandruff Control: Bhringraj oil has antifungal and antibacterial properties that make it effective in controlling dandruff and various scalp infections. Regular application can soothe an itchy scalp and reduce the formation of dandruff, leaving your hair healthy
and flake-free.Improves Hair Texture: This oil is rich in essential nutrients that nourish the hair, making it softer, shinier, and more manageable. It repairs damaged hair and promotes overall hair health, leaving your tresses looking lustrous and luxurious.Scalp Health: Bhringraj oil aids in maintaining a healthy scalp by reducing inflammation, relieving dryness, and promoting balanced oil production. A healthy scalp is crucial for the growth of strong and beautiful hair.Skin Health: While Bhringraj oil is famous for its hair benefits, it also offers advantages for the skin. It can help alleviate skin issues like eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Massaging it into the affected areas can provide relief and promote skin healing. Reduces Acne and Blemishes: Bhringraj oil’s anti-inflammatory properties can also be beneficial for those with acne-prone skin. Applying it topically can reduce redness and inflammation associated with acne, helping to clear blemishes and leave your skin looking clearer and healthier.Anti-Aging Effects: The antioxidants present in Bhringraj oil help combat free radicals, which can accelerate the aging process. Regular use of this oil can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, leaving your skin looking more youthful and radiant.Wound Healing: Bhringraj oil has been traditionally used for wound healing. Its antimicrobial properties aid in preventing infections, while its soothing effects can accelerate the natural healing process of minor wounds, cuts, and burns.Stress Relief: Bhringraj
oil has a calming and cooling effect when massaged onto the scalp. This can help reduce stress and promote relaxation, which in turn can have a positive impact on your overall health. Stress reduction can lead to healthier hair and skin as well. How to Use Bhringraj Oil: To reap the many benefits of Bhringraj oil, here’s how you can incorporate it into your routine: Hair Massage: Warm the Bhringraj oil slightly and massage it into your scalp and hair. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for better results, before washing it off with a mild shampoo. You can do this 2-3 times a week.Skin Application: For skin benefits, apply a small amount of Bhringraj oil to the affected area and gently massage it in. Leave it on for about 30 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Repeat as needed.Aromatherapy: The soothing aroma of Bhringraj oil can be used for aromatherapy to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Simply inhale the scent or use it in a diffuser. Bhringraj oil is a versatile and natural remedy that offers a wide range of incredible benefits for hair, skin, and health. Whether you’re looking to improve the condition of your hair, address skin issues, or reduce stress, this Ayurvedic elixir can be a valuable addition to your beauty and wellness routine. Make sure to choose a high-quality, organic Bhringraj oil for the best results, and enjoy the transformative power of this ancient herbal treasure. IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in
Jennifer Garner gets into holiday spirit early with red dress at her film’s premiere
Los Angeles, Nov 30 (IANS)
Actress Jennifer Garner is having a festive start to the holiday season. The actress, 51, was spotted wearing a sleeveless red minidress at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Family Switch’. The asymmetrical dress included a high neckline and layered bottom. Garner paired the look with black open-toe heels and large dangle earrings, reports People magazine. The Christmas comedy is set to make its way to the platform on Thursday, and the ‘13 Going on 30’ star serves as a producer, along with starring in the role of Jess Walker. Jess and her husband Bill, played by Ed Helms, and the other family members find themselves involved in a supernatural body swap. As per People, director Joseph
McGinty Nichol previously opened up about what makes the film different from other body-swap comedies. “It just adds a twist, and it’s a hook and a way into a movie that’s about empathy and walking a mile in each other’s shoes. But just the six-way switch, I think, sets us apart because there’s just more fun to be having,” he told ‘People’. He also shared that the holiday movie also has a valuable lesson for all audiences.” “You can listen and not take it to heart, but to understand, you have to go into consideration and thought, and go over what you listened to. Once you understand where the person you’re talking to is coming from — be it your mom, your kid, your dog or your baby — then maybe you can hope to be understood,” McG shared.
Jessica Simpson remains inspired by ‘Y2K era’ fashion has achieved significant
success with her fashion label, explained: “I always go back to a platform when it comes to a shoe. I have my staples and they end up being a little Y2K-(inspired).”
Los Angeles, Dec 1 (IANS)
Singer Jessica Simpson shot to stardom around the turn of the millennium, and she has revealed that she’s still a huge fan of the Y2K era style. Simpson told People: “I feel like I’ve never really left that style.” She admits that some of her staple fashion choices belong to the Y2K era, reports femalefirst.co.uk. The ‘I Wanna Love You Forever’ hitmaker, who
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FASHION
Simpson co-founded her eponymous fashion line with her mother Tina, and the singer has even hailed her mom as a “fashion icon”. She added: “She prayed for me in her belly and put all of her love and blessings into my entire existence.” Meanwhile, Simpson previously claimed that she’s been able to “make money off” the conversation surrounding her fluctuating weight. The singer explained that the interest in her weight was one of the reasons she decided to launch her own fashion line, The Jessica Simpson Collection.
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MULTICULTURAL NEWS AUSTRALIA
OUR TAKE Gaza truce proved to be a saving grace for the ailing families As Prime Minister of Israel Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu issued ceasefire and imposed a 10-day Truce, it gave many families a chance to heal. The promise of releasing 10 hostages everyday gave each of those captured civilians on both sides a rebirth, to reunite with their loved ones. War is often a tumultuous phenomenon which takes lives of the innocent people more than those that fight the war on the front. And the Gaza conflict did not spare even the newborns. It targeted the hospitals which should have been the first places to be protected and kept away from the war zones. Humanity was challenged and once again the morales were tested. When the Truce was announced Pope Francis thanked God for the release of some of the hostages taken by the Hamas on October 7th in exchange for the release of Palestinian Prisoners. Pope Francis in his Angelus Address read by Mgr. Paolo Braida as Pope Francis was unwell said that, “Today, we thank God that there is finally a truce between Israel and Palestine and some Hostages have been released” He gave a message saying, “Let us Pray that all of them will be released as soon as possible. Let us think about their families. May more Humanitarian aid enter Gaza, and may we insist on dialogue, it is the only way to have peace. Those who do not want dialogue do not want peace”. So rightly pointed out that those who do not want a dialogue, do not want peace. A human state of mind that allows for violence to prevail paves the path of eternal unrest where peace is non-existent. The heart and the mind is disconnected, and the brain is in a state of immoral, destructive trip where concepts of right and wrong are blurred. A dialogue, a peaceful rethinking of the actions breaks the trans of that state of mind, where rationality is restored, and self-consciousness regained. But this state is often ephemeral. Unless a long-term incentive is put in place. The Gaza conflict did exactly that. On October 7th, the war broke out, created destruction to attract attention of the authorities against Hamas who demanded the release of the war prisoners. Isreal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then issued the 10-day Truce, where the peaceful exchange occurred and issued a warning to go back to fighting again claiming to destroy Hamas www.mccq.org.au
completely. He stressed that after the pause, Israel would continue its military operations with the goal of eliminating the Palestinian group Hamas and seeing to it that all the remaining hostages are returned. Earlier in the day, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that the military has resumed combat operations against the Hamas in Gaza, accusing the militant group of violating the truce agreement by firing towards the Jewish state, thus ending the seven-day ceasefire. In a post on X, the IDF said: “Hamas violated the operational pause, and in addition, fired toward Israeli territory. The IDF has resumed combat against the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza.” Media outlets affiliated with the Hamas group reported explosions and gunfire in northern Gaza. Several air strikes have hit the southern Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run interior and national security ministry said on its Telegram account. In a statement, the Ministry also said Israeli aircraft were in the skies above the area. The restart in hostilities is likely to worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, amid shortages of essential supplies. Since Hamas launched its massive assault against Israel on October 7, more than 14,800 Palestinians have died. Israel has reported over 1,200 casualties, including foreign nationals. How long will this combat last? If Hamas is not ready to have peace talks or cease to operate, would this war, the destructions and killing of humans infinitely continue? Where does then humanity exist and how many lives will be sacrificed? Would peace be restored once Hamas is destroyed? And is Hamas the problem? As humanitarian peace-loving citizens what can they expect and do? What happens to the hostages who have not yet been released? Many such unanswered questions continue to haunt, leaving the innocent people in a state of limbo where everything is unknown. This is the harbinger of the worst misery of humanity. Families are devasted, separated, and left to their own misery. Communication is distorted and chaos prevails all around. Is this the life one should lead in our modern world where we love peace? (Written by Amrita Deshpande, Associate Editor MCNA)
OPINION
DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
South African solidarity with Palestinians (Opinion)
New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS)
After October 7 following Hamas’s unprecedented surprise attack on Israel, much of the international community rushed to voice its concern about the escalation in tensions, but few took a moment to condemn Israel’s aggression against the Palestinians. However, as Israel continues to bomb Gaza and attack Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, several governments have started to turn critical of Israel’s actions - some more directly than others. Surprisingly, even the number of nations, condemning Israel’s brutal military oppression in Gaza, doesn’t exceed a two-digit list. In contrast there are some nations like South Africa, which have vociferously condemned the Israeli brutalities in Gaza on unarmed Palestinian children, youth and aged. On November 17, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said he had received a joint request from five countries to investigate the situation in the Palestinian territories. Prosecutor Karim Kahn said the referral had come from South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros and Djibouti. South Africa said the request was made to ensure that the ICC pays urgent attention to the grave situation in Palestine. Though, Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognise its jurisdiction, the ICC can investigate nationals of non-member states in certain circumstances, including when crimes are alleged to have been committed in the territories of member states. The Palestinian territories have been listed among the ICC’s members since 2015. Perhaps the emotional connect between S Africa and Palestine exists because of the two prominent leaders of the nonaligned movement i.e. Nelson Mandela and Yasser Arafat, from these two countries respectively, and recalling the experience of apartheid themselves, the South African leaders could better understand the plight of the Palestinians and raise their voice in their support. The South African government has made its position clear expressing support for the Palestinians amid the on going attacks by Israel in the Gaza Strip, though also condemning resistance group Hamas for attacking and kidnapping Israeli civilians. “We, who enjoy the freedom
from Apartheid, can never, ever be the ones who agree to an apartheid form of oppression. This cannot be tolerated. This brutality should not be accepted.” Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said in parliament on November 14 while delivering a ministerial statement on the raging conflict. “These actions remind us of our experiences as Black South Africans living under Apartheid. This is one of the key reasons South Africans, like people in cities all overthe world, have taken to the streets to express their anger and concern at what is taking place in Gaza and the West Bank.” she said. Taking a proactive action last week, South Africa withdrew all its diplomats from Tel Aviv for consultation over Israel’s assault in Gaza. The South African government also instructed the Foreign Ministry to take the necessary diplomatic measures to deal with the conduct of the Israel ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, whose conduct, they said is becoming very untenable. Belotserkovsky is accused of disparaging comments against people raising their voices against attacks on Palestinians. South Africa is among a handful of African countries maintaining diplomatic ties with both Israel and Palestine. Yet, it has strongly advocated for Palestinian freedom and has called for a two-state solution. Lesiba Teffo, a political scientist at the University of South Africa, commenting on the South African government’s response told Anadolu news agency that South Africa and Palestine have had historic relations for decades and that it is important for them to support the Palestinian cause for freedom. “Palestine was with South Africa during the struggle against apartheid, while Britain and America never supported us but they were ever supporting Israel. This context is important,” he told Anadolu. Teffo also said South Africa has been consistent in supporting Palestine over the years. Dirk Kotze, another professor of politics at the same university, told Anadolu that South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has had historical links with the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) since the time of late anti- apartheid hero and first Black South African President Nelson Mandela. Siyabulela Mandela, the great-grandson of Nelson Mandela in an interview said that despite South Africa being liberated from the senseless violence and oppression, he (Nelson Mandela) was able to recognise the fact that our freedom is not complete until the
people of Palestine are free. Siyabulela, an independent consultant on human rights, peace and conflict resolution, spoke with Global National’s Farah Nasser while in Toronto where he was interviewed on stage at the Journalists for Human Rights annual gala. He said that his great-grandfather, the first Black president of South Africa, was considered idealistic for thinking that there was a solution to apartheid in his country and people would consider it a miracle if it happened - and then it did. Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa joined a growing chorus of international voices against what many has termed “the genocidal operation” of the IDF in Gaza. The South African Parliament also last week debated whether to cut diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. Leading parties in parliament, notably the ruling ANC and the third largest party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), favour cutting diplomatic ties with Israel. In recent years, human rights organisations and legal experts have increasingly described Israel’s policies toward Palestinians as apartheid, adding to a longstanding debate about whether this is an accurate way to categorise the country’s practices. Human rights groups have argued that the Israeli government’s policies on land access, restrictions on movement, and limitations on the right to vote meet the ICC’s standard and that it has institutionalised racism against Palestinians in order to ensure Israeli Jews remain the dominant group across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT), which includes the West Bank and Gaza. Israel and its allies, including the U.S. and the European Commission, have rejected this assessment. Overall, it makes one wonder what is holding back the socalled Islamic states from taking any firm step against the Israeli aggression, like South Africa? Their own selfish interests and their lust for power, as most of them are monarchies and in no way are obligated to uphold the wish of their people, which recent demonstrations in some Arab states have shown. It would not be wrong to surmise that the current conflict has shown the leopard’s true spots. (Written by Asad Mirza- is a Delhi-based senior political and international affairs commentator)
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MULTICULTURAL NEWS AUSTRALIA
Was tough to watch England struggle in World Cup; it does not define the team: Ben Duckett Carse are six men from the ODI World Cup squad who are part of West Indies tour.
St. John’s (Antigua), Dec 1 (IANS)
England opener Ben Duckett said it was tough for him to watch the team struggle at the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup, but insisted that the dismal performance in the recent competition does not define the team, citing their previous track record. England entered the competition in India as defending champions, but lost six of their first seven matches to be out of race for the knockouts. But late victories over Netherlands and Pakistan secured their qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Duckett, a regular in the Test team, is among the players in a fresh-look England team when they start their ODI series against the West Indies on Sunday. Captain Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Gus Atkinson and Brydon
“I watched every England game (at this year’s World Cup) and it was tough to watch at times. I’m watching mates go out there and struggle. It was really difficult. I was playing with them a few weeks before, so it was tough.” “But we have watched how England have played over the past eight years and one bad five weeks does not define a team. It’s probably been the greatest white-ball team. What they’ve achieved over the past eight years has been incredible. If we can go and play how they have played over the past eight years, or even half as good, that will be an achievement,” said Duckett to Sky Sports. Duckett, who is also in England’s squad for the five T20Is that follow the ODIs, is eager to prove on the tour that he’s good enough to get a place in the white-ball team. “We know how they want to play their cricket and it seems the guys they have picked going into this, the young talent, they go and smack it for their counties and I’m sure they are going to do the same
Melbourne, Dec 1 (IANS)
Australia cricket legend Ricky Ponting has called left-handed batter Travis Head as one of the great emerging talents across all forms of the game in men’s international cricket, adding that he’s excited to see what the next 12 months hold for him.
“He’ll be the One Day opener for a while and what he’s done in the middle order in Test cricket has been awesome. I’m looking forward to seeing more of his development over the coming 12 months,” said Ponting on SEN Radio.
Head was Player of The Match in this year’s World Test Championship final after making 163, against India in the first innings at The Oval in June. In this year’s ODI World Cup, Head won Player of The Match honours in both semi-final and final, helping Australia lift the trophy with a superb 137 in the title clash against India.
Head, 29, has made headlines for his aggressive style of batting and putting pressure back onto opposition bowlers quickly. Ponting thinks that’s Head’s success in international cricket has come because of playing with absolute freedom.
“Right now he’s one of the www.mccq.org.au
“What I see there is someone that’s just playing with absolute freedom. That’s the way he’s playing and that’s obviously the way he plays
Next Gen ATP Finals: Medjedovic advance in semis with Van Assche
here.” “We’re just a group of players who can go and showcase what we can do. I think for each and every one of us it’s important to perform. I need to go and prove that I’m good enough to be on this team and so do the other guys.” “I don’t think there’s going to be a new approach because of how the World Cup went. They had guys who were potentially in their late 30s and coming towards the end of their 50-over careers, so it seemed like there was always going to be a fresh start after it.” Duckett signed off by saying he isn’t thinking of getting a place for the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup. “I’m genuinely thinking about the next three weeks. I know how difficult it is to stay in a side when there’s this many players.” “I think the biggest thing I’ve learned over the last 12 to 15 months is not thinking too far ahead. I’ve got to go and score runs this series to get to the next one. There’s people banging down the door who aren’t here so, I don’t think I’m a shoo-in for the next four years. I’d be silly to think that.”
Travis Head is one of the emerging great talents in all three formats of the game: Ricky Ponting emerging great talents I think in all three formats of the game around the world. That’s the way I sort of described him at the end of the World Cup. I think it’s really true. He’ll get a bit of a crack at it now in the T20 format.”
SPORTS
Nov 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
his best cricket. I think the first part of his international career, he was sort of juggling with trying to fight. It’s a bit like Cameron Green, I was just saying how he is trying to find the right way for him to be successful at the highest level.” “I think what we’ve seen with Travis now is, ‘Go out and hit the ball right from the start, try and put pressure back on the bowlers from the start of your innings’. A couple of those innings in the World Cup were quite breathtaking. But it’s been more his Test batting that’s really caught my eye the last couple of years.” “I think his strike rate in Test cricket in the last two years is nearly 100, which is quite remarkable. He’s made big scores along with it and when you make big scores and get them quickly like that, you win games, you set up games, whether it be white ball or Test match cricket. He’s done that really well,” he concluded.
Jeddah, Dec 1 (IANS)
Hamad Medjedovic put himself in a commanding position in the Red Group after he completed a perfect 3-0 group campaign to soar into the semi-finals, winning his first two matches at the Next Gen ATP Finals on Thursday, here at King Abdullah Sports City. The Serbian’s 3-4(6), 4-2, 4-3(5), 4-2 victory against Abdullah Shelbayh earned him a first-place finish in the Red Group and also qualified Luca Van Assche at Shelbayh’s expense. Entering the match, Medjedovic needed to win at least a set to advance to the semis, while Arab hope Shelbayh needed a victory in three or four sets. “It was a great match. I played really good after the first set,” said Medjedovic in his on-court interview. “He’s a good friend of mine, he’s a very good player and obviously the crowd here loves him and I respect that. It was a pleasure to play in front of (the crowd).” The semi-final stage is now
set in Jeddah: As winner of the Red Group, Medjedovic will face Dominic Stricker on Friday. Van Assche, the second-place finisher in the Red Group, will meet Green Group winner Arthur Fils. “I’ve known Dominic for a long time,” said Medjedovic. “He’s a great player and a great guy obviously. I think it’s going to be a great match and I’m happy to be in the semis.” Medjedovic will hope to continue his stellar serving in the knockout rounds. He hit 18 aces on Thursday against Shelbayh and won 88 per cent of his first-serve points, saving all three break points against him. Across his three group-stage matches, he fired a tournament-leading 45 aces and was broken just twice. “After the first match I started feeling really good on the court,” added the Serbian, who said he quickly adapted to the new rules at the Next Gen ATP Finals. “I think each match I’m playing better and better.”
Milan-Cortina 2026 qualification systems, competition schedule approved by IOC
Paris, Dec 1 (IANS)
The qualification systems for all sports of the 2026 Winter Olympics in MilanCortina have been finalised, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the qualification systems for Alpine skiing, bobsleigh and skeleton at the Executive Board (EB) meeting here on Friday. The competition schedule by session for each sport has also been validated by the IOC, reports Xinhua. In line with the Olympic Charter, the details of these qualification pathways have been developed respectively by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF). The Alpine skiing Olympic FIS points calculation has been revised in line with the FIS qualification events, and the eligibility criteria have been strengthened to ensure that the best athletes
qualify for the Games. No major changes have been made to the other disciplines compared to the Beijing 2022 qualification systems. Milan-Cortina 2026 will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026. A total of 2,900 athletes are expected to compete across eight sports, 16 disciplines and 116 medal events. A set of principles has been used to determine the most suitable competition schedule for these Games, namely athlete experience, gender equality, weather considerations, broadcaster requests and access for the largest possible audience. The IOC EB also heard updates about the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Gangwon and the next Summer YOG edition in Dakar in 2026, with 50 days to go before the opening ceremony of Gangwon 2024. In addition, the IOC approved the event program principles for the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028, with a focus on creating a compelling sports program while reducing cost and complexity.moments,” he added.
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TRAVEL
Nov 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
A journey for young explorers a heartwarming encounter for the whole family. The best time to visit is during the early morning or late afternoon, when the penguins are most active, offering delightful entertainment as they dive into the ocean and frolic on the beach, leaving children mesmerized by their delightful antics.
Vietnam sees 11.2 mn foreign arrivals so far this year
Take a Thrilling Cable Car Ride Up Table Mountain
New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANSlife)
In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it is easy to get caught up in routines and lose out on spending some quality time with your little ones. One of the most enriching ways to foster a strong parent-child relationship is by embarking on a journey of shared experiences together. With holidays around the corner, it is the perfect opportunity to plan an exciting holiday with your kids. South Africa is one of the popular destinations to explore with your children. The picturesque landscapes, rich cultural tapestry and thrilling adventures of this country are sure to spark the imaginations of young explorers. This diverse Rainbow Nation is a treasure trove when it comes to exciting wildlife encounters, immersive cultural experiences, and an abundance of kid-friendly attractions that promise both entertainment and education. Moreover, exploring new places, experiencing different cultures, and trying new activities together can be incredibly enriching. Whether it’s hiking through scenic trails, tasting local cuisine, or marvelling at historical landmarks, every adventure becomes a shared experience that strengthens your bond. Here are five must-visit destinations that will surely be enchanting and educative for the entire family. Witness the Majestic African Wildlife at Kruger National Park Prepare for an unforgettable safari adventure at Kruger National Park, South Africa’s premier wildlife sanctuary, where the iconic Big Five – lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, and buffaloes – roam
www.mccq.org.au
freely in their natural habitat. The best time to visit is during the dry season (May to September). Listen to the distant roar of lions and the gentle rustle of the grass as you spot herds of elephants and graceful giraffes, creating cherished memories that will last a lifetime. Explore the Enchanting Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Immerse yourself in a world of botanical splendour at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a celebrated gem among Africa’s botanic gardens. Boasting an impressive collection of over 7,000 indigenous plant species, including the iconic silver tree, Kirstenbosch offers a sanctuary for nature enthusiasts of all ages. Explore the themed gardens, such as the Medicinal Plant Garden and the Fragrance Garden, where children can discover the region’s diverse biodiversity while delighting in the scents and sights around them. Pro-tip for families: Pack a picnic to enjoy amidst the breathtaking landscapes, surrounded by the sweet fragrance of native blooms. Don’t miss the treetop canopy walkway, offering a bird’s-eye view of the lush gardens, and providing a magical experience for nature lovers of all ages. Say hello to the Adorable Penguins at Boulders Beach Prepare to be captivated by the charm of Boulders Beach, where a thriving colony of African penguins delights visitors with their playful waddles along the pristine shores. Their distinct braying calls fill the air with a symphony of joy, creating
Embark on a panoramic journey to the top of Table Mountain, South Africa’s iconic landmark, via an exhilarating cable car ride. Before you go, be sure to check the weather forecast and aim for a clear day to ensure stunning views of Cape Town and the surrounding coastline. Marvel at the rugged cliffs and sprawling cityscape below as the cable car ascends, offering a breathtaking perspective of the natural beauty that surrounds you. Children will relish the excitement of the ride and the panoramic vistas from the mountaintop. Delve into the Marine Wonders at Two Oceans Aquarium Immerse yourself in the secrets of the underwater world at Two Oceans Aquarium, where a mesmerising array of marine life from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans awaits. Children will be captivated by the vibrant colours and diverse creatures, from playful penguins and graceful sea turtles to majestic sharks and colourful reef fish. Engage in interactive feeding sessions and educational talks that deepen your understanding of the delicate marine ecosystem. Be sure to plan your visit during the morning to witness the vibrant underwater world at its liveliest. Take a Walk-Through of History at Inanda Heritage Route The Inanda Heritage Route will take you on a fascinating journey back in time as it showcases the pivotal role this area played in South Africa’s struggle for freedom and equality. Each step is a lesson in history as you get to explore everything from Mahatma Gandhi’s Phoenix Settlement to Ohlange Institute, where Nelson Mandela cast his vote in the first democratic elections. Through engaging and interactive experiences, the kids will get a chance to indulge in cultural experiences as they try their hands at traditional Zulu crafts or participate in cultural workshops. This firsthand experience fosters understanding, empathy, and a deep appreciation for the beauty of diversity.
Hanoi, Nov 30 (IANS)
Vietnam witnessed more than 11.2 million international arrivals in the first 11 months of 2023, 3.8 times higher than the same period last year and equal to 68.9 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the General Statistics Office on Wednesday. The Southeast Asian country welcomed over 1.2 million foreign tourists in November, an increase of 10.9 per cent compared to the previous month and 2.1 times higher than the same period last year,
reports Xinhua news agency. According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, South Korea remained Vietnam’s largest tourist source market during the cited period, with 3.2 million arrivals, accounting for 28.5 per cent. Vietnam has set the foreign arrival target in 2023 at about 12 million to 13 million tourists, according to the Ministry.
PH breaches target, records over 4.82M foreign arrivals Manila, Nov 30 (IANS)– The Philippines has recorded more than 4.82 million foreign visitor arrivals, including Filipinos based overseas, breaching its target even before year end, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco said Tuesday.
DOT data show that as of Nov. 28, a huge chunk of foreign arrivals comes from South Korea with 1,275,887 foreign visitors and 4,231 overseas Filipinos for a total of 26.46 percent. It is followed by the United States with 923,409 foreign visitors and 123,828 overseas Filipinos and Japan with 323,029 and 49,299 overseas Filipinos.
tourism is the second highest driver of economic growth for the Philippines. “This cements our position as one of the strongest pillars of the Philippine economy that employs no less than 5.35 million Filipinos in the tourism industry sector, ensuring jobs, livelihood, and the well-being of communities all over the country,” she added. She said the liberalization of visa policies, the building of tourist rest areas, the establishment of the first ever multi-platform tourist call center, among others, have contributed to reaching the target. (PNA)
Other international arrivals in the top 10 come from Australia, China, Canada, Taiwan, Singapore, United Kingdom and Malaysia. The foreign arrivals have brought PHP404 billion to the economy. Citing a report by economic managers, Frasco said this manifests that Philippine
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DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
JSelena Gomez opens up about living with her grandparents
Los Angeles, Dec 1 (IANS)
Singer-actress Selena Gomez has always shared a close relationship with her grandparents, she has revealed that she often eats her grandma’s leftovers. “If it’s a random Tuesday night, I’m definitely eating something my grandma made, probably (from) the night before,” the ‘Selena + Chef’ host said in an Instagram video.
Gomez also loves to cook with her grandparents, reports aceshowbiz.com.
new cooking skills. Selena is particularly eager to learn how to make sushi.
She said: “I live with my grandparents so we’re always in the kitchen and we’re always cooking. We always have leftovers so I’m pretty sure I won’t be ordering in, it’s got to be something from home.”
She said: “We haven’t even done that yet on our show and I would love to.”
The chart-topping star launched her ‘Selena + Chef’ series in 2020, and she remains keen to learn
Meanwhile, Selena revealed earlier this year that she leans on her ten-year-old sister for advice. The “Lose You to Love Me” hitmaker admitted that her sister Gracie helps her to maintain a healthy “perspective on life.”
Ozzy Osbourne reveals a tumor was found in his vertebrae while undergoing surgery
Los Angeles, Nov 27 (IANS)
Legendary heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne has been mostly quiet about his health conditions, though recently he went on to reveal that a tumor was found in one of his vertebrae while undergoing a fourth spinal surgery. But he isn’t quite through with his music just yet, as he still has some more performances left in him. In a recent interview, the English singer opened up about his health conditions, saying that whether he lives or dies he has at least one more show in him. Speaking to Rolling Stone UK, the Black Sabbath singer said: “It’s really knocked me about. The second surgery went drastically wrong and virtually left me crippled. “I thought I’d be up and running after the second and third, but with the last one, they put a f***** rod in my spine. They found a tumor in one of the vertebrae, so they had to dig all that out too. It’s pretty rough, man, and my balance is all f***** up.” www.mccq.org.au
The ‘Godfather’ of heavy metal first underwent a procedure, which was done to repair the damage caused by a fall in 2019. This incident dislodged metal rods he had put into his body after a previous quad bike crash in 2003, according to ‘The Hollywood Reporter’. In addition, ‘The Diary of a Madman’ singer back in 2020 revealed that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, with all his previous addictions taking a toll on him. Notorious for his hedonistic lifestyle which included hard drugs, booze, and massive smoking left the ‘Paranoid’ singer in a very bad shape, with many wondering how he’s alive at this point, something Ozzy himself has wondered for a while now. As he got a chance to introspect, the singer hit a spree of epiphanies. Nonetheless, ‘The Bark at the Moon’ singer doesn’t fear death anymore. “I don’t fear
dying, but I don’t want to have a long, painful and miserable existence,” he explained. He added, “I like the idea that if you have a terminal illness, you can go to a place in Switzerland and get it done quickly. I saw my father die of cancer.” The artiste continued: “But look, I said to Sharon (Osbourne) that I’d smoked a joint recently and she said, ‘What are you doing that for! It’ll kill you!’ I said, ‘How long do you want me to f***** live for? !’ At best, I’ve got ten years left and when you’re older, time picks up speed. Me and Sharon had our 41st wedding anniversary recently, and that’s just unbelievable to me!” One last thing that has infuriated the singer is that he hasn’t had a chance to say goodbye or thank you” to his fans since he announced earlier this year that he was retiring from touring due to some surgeries. “For whatever reason, that’s my goal to work for. To do those shows. If it’s at Ozzfest or somewhere, or even a f***** gig at the Roundhouse,” he said. “If I can’t continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, ‘Hi guys, thanks so much for my life.’ That’s what I’m working towards, and if I drop dead at the end of it, I’ll die a happy man,” he added. make progress in negotiations.
ENTERTAINMENT
Sebastian Stan plays Donald Trump, Maria Bakalova is Ivana Trump in ‘The Student’
Los Angeles, Nov 30 (IANS)
Actor Sebastian Stan is playing young Donald Trump in a movie titled ‘The Student’ from Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi. The cast also includes ‘Succession’ Emmy winner Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn and ‘Borat 2’ and ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ actor Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, reports Variety. According to the logline: “‘The Student’ is an exploration of power and ambition set in a world of corruption and deceit. It’s a mentor-protege story that charts the origins of an American dynasty. Filled with larger than life characters, it reveals the moral and human cost of a culture defined by winners and losers.” Gabriel Sherman, author of ‘The Loudest Voice in the Room: How the Brilliant, Bombastic Roger Ailes Built Fox News – and Divided a Country’, will write the film about Trump. As per Variety, his novel inspired the Showtime miniseries ‘The Loudest Voice’,
which starred Russell Crowe as Roger Ailes. ‘The Student’ is a co-production between Daniel Beckerman of Scythia Films, Jacob Jerek of Profile Pictures and Ruth Treacy of Taylored Films. Executive Producers are Grant Johnson, Gabriel Sherman and Amy Baer. Earlier, Stan received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for his portrayal of rocker Tommy Lee in Hulu’s biographical drama ‘Pam & Tommy’. He’s most well known for his Marvel Cinematic Universe role as the Winter Soldier. His most recent appearance as the hero came on the Disney+ series ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’, and he’s next due to star in ‘The Thunderbolts’ in 2025. Stan also played Robinhood co-founder Vlad Tenev in this fall’s GameStop stock movie ‘Dumb Money’, and his recent roles include ‘Ghosted’, ‘Sharper’, ‘Bupkis’, ‘Fresh’ and ‘The 355’. Abbasi’s most recent film ‘Holy Spider’ was selected as Denmark’s entry for best international feature film at this year’s Academy Awards.
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ENTERTAINMENT
DEC 2023 - Vol 1, Issue 12
Kanye’s wife Bianca accused of ‘disrespect- Tiffany Haddish may be slapped with drug, alcohol restrictions foling’ Middle Eastern culture Accusing her of “ignorance,” another naysayer wrote, “Dressing like that in Berlin is no big deal, but pushing your private parts into religious people’s faces is just inconsiderate and rude.”
lowing DUI arrest
One other pointed out, “This is not about being controlled but about respect for foreign culture.”
Los Angeles, Dec 1 (IANS)
Rapper Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori, who have been spending some time in Dubai after taking a break, sparked outrage with the way she dresses in the Middle Eastern country. For the recent outing, Bianca was seen wearing her signature tight see-through dress in brown. The Yeezy architectural designer also almost showed her underwear as her dress was too short. Further making her look bizarre, the 28-year-old
wore a massive light brown furry hat. She also had a large stuffed animal that she held close to her chest, reports aceshowbiz.com. Upon catching wind of her racy look, Internet users were quick to put Bianca on blast. “She is a mess … why they got her looking like that. I’m so embarrassed for her,” one critic said of the Australian native. “They are in Arabic and Muslim countries yet Bianca is showing half of her a** without any respect or consideration,” someone noted.
The last commenter was referring to a report claiming that Kanye controls the way Bianca dresses after they tied the knot in December 2022. “Kanye has a set of rules for Bianca, which includes never speak and wear what he wants her to wear,” an informant revealed in October. “She is also required to eat certain food items and to work out even though Kanye doesn’t work out.” It was also said that Bianca has “no mind of her own anymore.” The insider claimed that the rapper made her obey him because he convinced her that they have “royal” status.
Along with acting debut, Vedang Raina tries singing in ‘The Archies’
Los Angeles, Dec 1 (IANS)
Comedian-actress Tiffany Haddish may be prohibited from consuming alcohol and using drugs after she was found asleep in her car over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. According to reports, prosecutors in Georgia have asked a judge to modify the bond conditions the comedian received in her 2022 arrest. They asked that a provision be added that bars the star from drinking and using drugs following her second DUI arrest, with weekly testing for both. A judge has yet to rule on the motion, reports aceshowbiz. com. Mumbai, Dec 1 (IANS)
Debutant Vedang Raina tried his hands on singing as he lent his vocal prowess for a track ‘Everything Is Politics’ on the upcoming film ‘The Archies’. ‘The Archies’ also stars Suhana Khan, Vedang Raina, Khushi Kapoor, Agastya Nanda, Dot, Yuvraj Menda, and Mihir Ahuja. ‘The Archies’ does not just mark Vedang’s debut as an actor but as a singer too. www.mccq.org.au
The actor who plays Reggie Mantle in the film has lent his voice to the song ‘Everything Is Politics’.
doing playback for my own character in the film was a dream come true and I’m extremely excited for it.”
The song is a groovy, peppy number that literally gets you hooked. Everything Is Politics has gotten music from Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy, and is quite a mood lifter.
‘The Archies’ is an upcoming teen musical comedy film. It is scheduled for release on Netflix on 7 December. Set in 1960s India, Archie and the gang navigate romance, friendship and the future of Riverdale as developers threaten to destroy a beloved park.
Talking about the song, ‘Everything Is Politics’, Vedang said: “ I’ve always loved singing and music, so
Haddish was first arrested for DUI in January 2022. At the time, she was allegedly asleep behind the wheel after smoking marijuana. She posted bond in the case. A few days ago, on Friday morning, November 24, Beverly Hills officers received a call at 5:45 A.M. about a person “slumped over the wheel while the car was running,” according to TMZ. The vehicle was located in the
middle of the busy Beverly Drive, which is lined with stores including Pottery Barn and Sephora. She was arrested with no resistance. The arrest came hours after she performed a stand-up set at The Laugh Factory on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood for the club’s 43rd annual free Thanksgiving feast for the community. She joked about the arrest during another set at The Laugh Factory. Responding to an audience member who asked “what happened” last night, she said, “I prayed to God to send me a man with a job. A career. Preferably in a uniform. God answered my prayers.” Haddis later said that she needs to “get help.” She told Entertainment Tonight a few days after the incident: “I’m going to get some help so I can learn balance and boundaries.” Despite this, the 43-year-old praised the Beverly Hills Police Department for their handling of the situation. The actress also insisted that she remains in good spirits, in spite of her arrest.
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Buyers Like What They See at Brookwater.
HOLE 8 527m – PAR 5
HOLE 7 195m – PAR 3
HOLE 6
HOLE 5
395m – PAR 4
167m – PAR 3
HOLE 9 322m – PAR 4
HOLE 1 380m – PAR 4
HOLE 2 406m – PAR 4
HOLE 4 551m – PAR 5
HOLE 3 358m – PAR 4
Your 5 minute neighbourhood:
* Please be advised that the provided outline is intended solely for location reference purposes and is indicative only.
500,000
St Peters Lutheran College offers Prep to Year 12 Christian co-education.
Orion Springfield Central offering major retail shops, restaurants, a movie theatre and food court.
Just 35 minutes away from Brisbane CBD, the interest among buyers has been at a record level, according to Narendran Sinnathamby, the General Manager of Brookwater Residential. Brookwater’s current land release, The Dress Circle, is situated around the first nine holes of the championship golf course designed by Greg Norman. It is the only integrated golf community near Brisbane. “Discerning buyers are recognising that Brookwater is a premium lifestyle destination,’’Mr Sinnathamby said. “The Dress Circle, Brookwater is situated within Springfield City, one of Australia’s fastestgrowing regions. Springfield City sets the standard for world-class master-planned urban environments in the 21st century and has become a blueprint for nation-building,” he added. “The area boasts outstanding schools, and state-of-the-art health facilities, and is now home to the Brisbane Lions AFL Club. Everything you need is within reach.” Within the Springfield City area, there are 12 schools, 22 childcare facilities, and the University of Southern Queensland providing a remarkable array of options for both private and public amenities, making it an ideal choice for growing families. Springfield City is positioned as the gateway to the western corridor of Southeast Queensland. With an expansive area of 2,860 hectares, it is Australia’s largest master-planned city and the first of its kind since Canberra.
Estimated Residential Population
450,000
Health City Springfield Central – home to Mater Private Hospital Springfield, Aveo Springfield and Quest Apartment Hotel.
400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0
2021 Springfield
2026 2031 2036 2041 Greater Springfield Springfield Growth Corridor SOURCE: ECONISIS
- The wider Springfield Growth Corridor including Springfield and Greater Springfield is currently home to 145,300 people. - This is expected to grow rapidly to almost 200,000 people in 2026 and over 435,000 in 2041. - Represents an annual growth rate of 5.6% over the 20 years to 2041.
LARGE REGISTERED HOMESITES FROM $615,000
CALL US NOW AND VISIT THE SALES CENTRE:
07 3814 5177 www.mccq.org.au
3 Birchwood Crescent, Brookwater. Open daily 9am – 5pm
B R O O K WAT E R R E S I D E N T I A L .CO M . AU
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