Audrey Truschke, Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey; Picture Supplied by Aabhas Maldahiyar
History owes to none but to time and people of the time.
The biases make the worst historians. Ironically biases have been finding awards for ages. Nothing is different in the time of now. We have many eminent historians around us who seem to be sculptures sculpted out of biases coated in colonial hues: Mughals, British, and more.
One such Historian from the current time is Audrey Truschke, a recruit of Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey.
People may wonder that why she is being pointed as a biased crusader & a fake Historian.
The answer lies in her own works. If it has to be put in one line, “she spends time, research and efforts only to glorify everything which would affect glory to India.” It happens often that the words of professional academics are taken at face value and unfortunately her biases are shaping up into mainstream narrative.
Of all the most cynical it turns out when she begins to perform like a Darbari of Aurangzeb who himself won’t have loved the way Audrey has taken up the PR exercise for the Sufi Emperor posthumously. She always claims about the enormity of Aurangzeb and how he did more good to Hindus than doing atrocities on them.
Her one statement became quite famous that, “Aurangzeb protected more Hindu Temples than destroying them.” Even if this statement is to be considered true for a while, will any judiciary use the same logic to spare a murderer who has committed only one murder ever? Audrey would be surprised to know that not many from the Mughal Fan club would be able to digest what she states in respect to Aurangzeb.
The Mughal records state that Aurangzeb’s policy saw the demolition of Hindu Temples as the most important objective. Dara Shukoh had presented Keshava Rai Temple of Mathura with carved railings which the great Sufi Aurangzeb ordered to be removed on October 13, 1666. He had observed:
In the religion of the Musalmans it is improper even to look at a Temple’, and that it was unbecoming of a Muslim to act like Dara Shukoh
Umurat-i-Hazur Kishwar-Kashai/ October 13, 1666
Following this soon the Kalka Temple of Delhi was destroyed by Aurangzeb (Source: Siyah Waqa’i-Darbar, September 3, 1667, & Siyah Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla, 12 September 1667).
Siyah Waqa’i-Darbar, September 3, 1667Siyah Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla, September 12, 1667
Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber passed away in 1669. On April 9, 1969, Aurangzeb ordered the demolition of temples and gurukuls throughout the empire. He had also ordered for the complete banning of Puja Samskaras (Source: Maasir-i-‘Alamgiri)
General Order for the destruction of Temples “The Lord Cherisher of the Faith learnt that in the provinces of Thatta, Multan and especially at Benaras, the Brahmin misbelievers used to teach their false books in their established schools, and their admirers and students, both Hindu and Muslim, used to come from great distances to these misguided men to acquire their vile learning. His Majesty, eager to establish Islam, issued orders to the governors of all the provinces to demolish the schools and temples of the infidels, and, with the utmost urgency, put down the teaching and the public practice of the religion of these unbelievers.” (Maasir-i-‘Alamgiri, p. 81, Translation: J.N. Sarkar)
Soon after these orders, the great Temple of Keshava Rai in Mathura was demolished in January 1670) (Source: Maasir-i-‘Alamgiri, p. 95-96, Translation by J.N. Sarkar). A large Mosque was erected at this place. and in its place, a lofty mosque was erected. As per the author of Maasir-i-‘Alamgiri, the murtis were carried to Agra and buried under the steps of the mosque built by Begum Sahiba, so that they could be continually trodden upon by the Musalmans, and the name of the ancient sacred town Mathura was changed to Islamabad.
Below is a painting depicting that what must have happened:
The bigotry of the Sufi Aurangzeb did not stop there. He demolished the sacred Temple of Vishwanath at Varanasi (Source: Maasir-i-‘Alamgiri, p. 88) and of Somanatha.
Likewise, Aurangzeb kept demolishing Hindu Temples and the pieces of evidence flow from the Mughal writings themselves. He destroyed the great temples of Mewar, Marwar, including two hundred other Temples in the environs of Udaipur and many more. In Chittor he ordered the demolition of more than five dozen of Temples which included the finest works of Kumbha’s time and even earlier. Only from Marwar several cart-loads of Murtis were brought which were cast in the courtyard and under the steps of Jama Masjid (Source: (Maasir-i-‘Alamgiri, p. 175, Translation: J.N. Sarkar).
And look at what kind of comical statements the historian passes. It seems that their irks are hell-bent to make historians the most mistrusted professionals ever.
June 1681, Aurangzeb ordered the demolition of the highly Jagannath Temple in Puri (Source: Siyaha Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i- Mu‘alla, June 1, 1681). September 1682, The Bindu-Madhav Temple in Varanasi was demolished as per the Aurangzeb’s orders (Source: Siyaha Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla, September 13, 1682).
Interestingly, on September 1, 1681, his rebel son Akbar joined Chhatrapati Shivaji’s son, Shambhaji. This had not only created problems for Aurangzeb but he was badly furious. He was travelling to Deccan then. He ordered that all the temples on the way should be destroyed (Source: Siyaha Akhbarat-i-Darbar, September 21, 1681). Aurangzeb kept ordering the destruction of temples almost till the time he died. We find him ordering the destruction of Pandharpur Temple and sending butcher camp to slaughter the cows of Gowshala in the precinct (Source: Akhbarat 49-7).
Following the sayings of the Holy Qur’an, Aurangzeb reimposed Jizyah on the Hindus on April 2, 1679 (Source: Maasir-i-‘Alamgiri, p. 175, Translation: J.N. Sarkar). Interestingly he had exempted Muslims from paying Zakat ( Source: Siyaha Akhbart-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla, April 16, 1667). Below is the list of a few bans and rules brought by Sufi Emperor Aurangzeb:
Atishbazi thereby restricting Diwali (Source: Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla, April 9, 1667).
Replacement of Hindu officials by Muslims to enhance latter’s welfare & glory of Islam (Source: Siyaha Akhbarat Darbar Mu’alla, May 30, 1667 ).
Gathering of the Hindus at religious shrines (Source: Siyaha Waqai Darbar, September 26, 1667).
Travelling in Palkis, or riding elephants and Arab-Iraqi horses, as Hindus should not carry themselves with the same dignity as the Muslims (Source:).
He brought the rules to convert Hindus by persuasion, coercion or by offering Qanungo and to honor the converts in the open Court (Source: Akhbarat, November 15, 1680; June 5, 1681; Siyaha Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla, May 16, 1681; Siyaha Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla, June 17, 1681). Directions were that a Hindu male be given Rupees 4 and a Hindu female Rupees 2 on conversion (Source: Siyaha Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i- Mu‘alla, Julus, April 7, 1685). “Continue giving liberally”, Aurangzeb had ordered when he was told that the Faujdar of Bithur, Shaikh Abdul Momin, had converted more than a hundred Hindus and had given them cash and dresses of honor (Source: Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla, April 11, 1667).
But we have our Scholars like Audrey coming in defence of bigot Aurangzeb which is best expressed by the own writings of Mughals. Aurangzeb wasn’t shy to record these instances as they were moments of pride for him. His ultimate motto was the establishment of the Islamic State.
In the time of now, any defence of Aurangzeb is no different than fighting to validate the acts of Adolf Hitler. It only reflects upon the fact that Audrey has no sensitivity for Hindus or perhaps she has grown old only with hate injected. It is quite evident from the fact that what she is doing is only an act of showing the wrong history. Not something factual even a bit.
So what exactly is the intention of Audrey Truschke?
Anyone who claims to have researched Aurangzeb would know the complete details of Fatawa-e-Alamgiri. It had provisions for slavery (including sex slavery ) as mentioned under (source: Fatawa i-Alamgiri, Sheikh Nizam, al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, 6 vols):
The right of Muslims to purchase and own slaves
Muslim man’s right to have sex with slave girl he owns or owned by another Muslim (with master’s consent).
No inheritance rights for slaves.
The testimony of all slaves was inadmissible in a court of law.
Slaves require permission of the master before they can marry
An unmarried Muslim may marry a slave he owns but a Muslim married to a Muslim woman may not marry a slave
Conditions under which the slaves may be emancipated partially or fully
I wonder that how a man or woman or earth can ever be an advocate from misogynists and slavery supporting an emperor like Sufi Aurangzeb? In my opinion, it is the biggest low for Audrey.
Well, it is not only about romanticizing one of the biggest religious bigots ever but Audrey’s biases become way more evident when she gets into misquoting and passing wrong information about Hindu Shastras. While she cozies the character of Aurangzeb, she has never stopped to reflect wrongly how Mahabharata and Ramayana have been books of misogyny, unethical acts and more. She goes on to compare Nirbhaya’s situation with that of “Draupadi” and mentions that how perhaps India has not changed in ages?
She fails to understand the character of Draupadi and many other in Mahabharata, but it is hilarious how sex-slavery supporter Aurangzeb appeared like a hero to her. The wrongdoers in each case, whether it was Nirbahaya or Asifa were brutal marauders; no less than filthy Aurangzeb. It is disgusting that Rutgers University has to defend such a fake Hindu-hating scholar day and night.
While she demonizes every Hindu Shastras, she is quite vocal about “how Hinduism is good and Hindutva bad.” But by doing so does she not appear a hypocrite of the highest order? I mean, how can she demonize all Hindu Shastras and then claim that “Hinduism” is good? She even goes on to talk that how no manuscripts of Mahabharata are the same but would never tell you about decades of versions of the Holy Qur’an. Will she ever stand with Wasim Rizvi, who has called for the removal of hateful verses from the Qur’an? Will she call out the Maulvis who are passing fatwas to have him killed? Needless to say but Osama Bin Laden did cite from the Holy Book while declaring the Jihad against the United States of America. Why such biases? There have been multiple killings in the name of Muhammad, the Qur’an and Allah. All the top terrorist organisations recognized by international agencies do swear by Allah and Qur’an. But will she ever speak? Can she find us a single terrorist organisation that cites Bhagwad Gita or Mahabharata while assaulting people? Will she ever tell that “Muslims need to launch their own ‘Not in my name’ protests against cartoon beheadings?”
On the other hand, she always keeps misinforming people that Hindutva. According to Audrey, ” The Hindutva was born in the era of fascism when Europe witnessed the rise of Hitler and Mussolini.” How misinformed Associate Professor does Rutgers University recruits?
Interestingly, Hitler was three years old and Mussolini nine years old when the term Hindutva was coined by Chandranath Basu in 1892.
Her understanding of Hindutva is highly flawed and she pointlessly keeps vilifying Savarkar, Golwalkar etc. Perhaps she is not aware of the scenarios which were popping in the early twentieth century in India. She needs to be told how Hindu Genocide was planned during the Mopllah riots, how an Islamic Invasion over India was planned during the Khilafat Movement and why the idea of “Hindutva” evolved a bit differently. It is indeed a disgusting situation to see someone teaching the oppressed ones “how not to call out oppression and keep turning more victims.”
It was a couple of years back when I for the first time countered her nasty views about Hindutva, but I see no growth in merit from her side. I did corroborate the thorough understanding of “Hindu, Hinduism and Hindutva” in the essay Hindu Accepts, Hindutva Resists.
It is high time that the west and its scholars stay away from summonsing Indians. While white supremacist, Islamic State sympathisers set a hawkeye to jeopardize Indian interests every possible way we have supplied vaccines to a large chunk of the globe. We, the hunted ones, are out there to write our tales and hunters must vanish now.
Author: Aabhas Maldahiyar A self-professed Ex-Marxist, a practising architect and author of two fiction books— ‘Restart-An Architect’s Journey to the Parliament House’ and ‘Crossing the Line’ inspired by Marxist ideology. His latest book #ModiAgain buy at https://garudabooks.com/modi-again-1copy This article was first published on Kreately. We have republished it with her kind permission.
Disclaimer:Aabhas Maldahiyar is solely responsible for the views expressed in this article. He carries the responsibility for citing and/or licensing images utilised within the text. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by him, and neither The Australia Today News nor its partners assume any responsibility for them.
Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews; Picture Source: The Australia Today
Due to the COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours – suspected to be the highly infectious Delta variant – Victoria will enter a state-wide lockdown for seven days from 8:00 pm tonight, Thursday 5 August.
This means from 8:00 pm tonight, there are only five reasons to leave home:
1- Getting the food and the supplies you need,
2- Exercising for up to two hours,
3- Care or caregiving,
4- Authorised work or education if you can’t do it from home, or
5- To get vaccinated at the nearest possible location.
Premier Daniel Andrews said, “No Victorian wants to be in this position. We know that the Delta variant moves faster than anything our public health experts have seen before – and we know what we need to do to drive it down once again.”
Shopping and exercise must be done within 5km of your home or the nearest location.
Face masks will remain mandatory indoors (not at home) and outdoors unless an exception applies – this includes all workplaces and secondary schools.
Private gatherings are not permitted except for an intimate partner or nominated person visits. Public gatherings are not permitted. Exercise is limited to two people.
Childcare and Early Childhood Care will remain open.
Schools will close, with primary and secondary school students returning to remote learning – except for vulnerable children, and the children of authorised workers who can learn on-site.
Minister for Health Martin Foley stressed, “Given these new cases we’ve seen over the last 24 hours, we need to put these restrictions in place and follow the rules to drive down the spread of the virus.”
Where a parent or carer indicates that a student with a disability cannot learn from home due to vulnerability or family stress, the school must provide on-site learning for that student. This will apply to students enrolled in specialist schools and students with a disability enrolled in mainstream schools.
Higher education students will also return to remote learning, except for learning programs allowed on the Authorised Premises and Authorised Workers (APAW) List.
List of authorised premises and authorised workers.
With the Wangaratta wastewater detection and the potential that regional Victorians have been exposed to COVID-19 linked to the current outbreak, restrictions will apply state-wide to keep regional Victoria safe.
There are no changes to the current arrangements for border communities.
Indian men's hockey team clinch bronze, win medal after 41 years; Picture Source: Hockey India
It took 41 years, but the dream of every Indian was finally realised on Thursday as the men’s hockey team beat Germany 5-4 to win the bronze medal here at the Oi Hockey Stadium — North Pitch.
The Men in Blue showed absolute resilience, strength, and winning spirit to register a remarkable comeback win against a strong German team. The German team got off the block very quickly in the first quarter after the Indian defence was caught napping.
Indian men’s hockey team clinch bronze, win medal after 41 years; Picture Source: Hockey India
Timur Oruz scored past Sreejesh from the scramble in the D. The European team continued with their relentless pressure and got series of penalty corners which the Indian defence withheld brilliantly during the dying moments of the first fifteen minutes.
Graham Reid’s men responded well in the second quarter as the team scored a brilliant field goal from the counterattack. Nilakanta found Simranjeet with a long ball into the D and he finished the move brilliantly on the turn.
Germany soon regained their lead from the goal by Wellen on the counter. After that, the floodgates of goals opened for both teams as Furk capitalised on the error of Surender to give Germany a 3-1 lead in the game.
Indian men’s hockey team clinch bronze, win medal after 41 years; Picture Source: Hockey India
India again came back in the game as Hardik Singh pounced on Harmanpreet’s drag-flick to peg the Germans one back.
In the dying moments of the first half, Harmanpreet Singh again came clutch for India with his superb drag-flick to level the match 3-3.
Indian men’s hockey team clinch bronze, win medal after 41 years; Picture Source: Hockey India
The second half started with a bang for the Men in Blue as Rupinder Pal Singh converted a penalty stroke and in the preceding phase, Germany lost their referral too.
For the fifth goal for India, Gurjant beautifully outran the German defender on the right flank to find Simranjeet in the center as he scored his second of the match.
In the fourth quarter of the match, Windfeder converted the PC as he smashed the ball through the legs of Sreejesh and reduced the lead of India by one goal. But Indian defenders made sure to give no chance to the German team to create any upset as they saw the match through with that one-goal lead.
Indian men’s hockey team clinch bronze, win medal after 41 years; Picture Source: Hockey India
The Indian men’s hockey team have now won three bronze medals, one silver medal and eight gold medals in the history of the Olympics. Overall, India has now won four medals at Tokyo Olympics
Image source: Amit Miglani - MIG Real Estae website.
Melbourne-based 43-year old Indian origin Real Estate Agent Amit Miglani has narrowly avoided jail time for fraud.
Amit Miglani who studied marketing in Australia, an MBA and a masters degree in information technology, gained permanent residency and became a real estate agent.
It was revealed in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that Amit Miglani took nearly $100,000 out of his agency’s trust account and used it on luxury cars and private school fees.
He has pleaded guilty through his lawyer, Theo Alexander, to causing a deficiency of trust money of $55,500 and fraudulently converting to his own use $42,648.98 from the trust account.
Between 14 November 2017 and 26 July 2018, he withdrew money from SNM’s trust account, causing a deficiency of $55,000.
Between 13 November 2017 and 19 July 2018, he fraudulently converted $42,649 of trust money to his own use.
Image source: Amit Miglani – MIG Real Estate.
It is an offence under the Estate Agents Act 1980 to fraudulently convert to one’s own use any money held on behalf of another for any transaction in one’s capacity as an estate agent.
The maximum penalty is 10 years in jail or 500 penalty units ($82,610)
However, Amit Miglani who was the Officer in Effective Control of the now defunct MIG Real Estate was sentenced to a community corrections order with conviction for 18 months.
This requires 300 hours of unpaid community work.
Magistrate Tara Hartnett noted in her order that she would have sent Miglani to jail.
However, she added that since he pleaded guilty which entitled him to a lower penalty.
“This is serious offending. It was not offending motivated by need. You offended because you could. Your conduct is a gross departure from your obligations as officer in effective control [of the real estate agency].”
It was reported that Amit Miglani’s lawyer told the court the former real estate agent had come from “fairly humble beginnings” to Australia.
However, this was debunked by the prosecutor for Consumer Affairs, James Baker, who clarified in the court that Amit Miglani came to Australia on a student visa as a full-fee-paying student, funded by his parents.
Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria, Nicole Rich, said:
“The outcome served as a strong reminder that money in an agent’s trust account belongs to other people, not the agent, and Consumer Affairs Victoria will take action against agents who misuse client funds.”
SNM Properties’ corporate estate agent’s licence and Amit Miglani’s individual licence have both been cancelled.
The court has noted that if Amit Miglani breaches the order in the next 18 months by offending further or not completing the work, he can be re-sentenced.
Victorians celebrating zero COVID 19 case day were shocked to receive news of a new case in Melbourne’s Western suburb.
The Victorian health department confirmed the positive case is a teacher at Al-Taqwa College in Melbourne’s west.
The Department of Health on Wednesday afternoon said it was investigating a confirmed case and would provide more information shortly.
The urgent testing of the household contacts of the positive case is being organised, however, contact tracers are still tracking how the person caught the virus.
Al-Taqwa College in Truganina will close and all staff and students are being advised to isolate and get tested.
A new tier 2 exposure site is added to the list this afternoon — the first site added since July 31.
Suburb
Site
Exposure period
Notes
Date added
Health advice
Yarraville
Coles (Yarraville)Williamstown Road and High StreetYarraville VIC 3103
29/07/2021 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Case attended venue
04/08/2021 3:38pm
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
People who have visited this exposure site during that time period are advised to get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result.
In the morning Premier Daniel Andrews took to social media to express his happiness at Zero locally acquired case number for Victoria in more than three weeks.
COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said it was cause for quiet celebration and satisfaction.
“It’s a symbolic marking of a point where there are no more COVID cases,” he told reporters.
“It means we’re on track with the strategy that we set three or four weeks ago.”
Nine people with COVID-19 remain in Victorian hospitals, including two in intensive care who are both on ventilators.
Most of the more than 40,000 primary and secondary close contacts who were ordered to quarantine during the outbreak have been released. Fewer than 3,000 people remain in isolation.
The number of exposure sites visited by a positive case in the past 14 days has dropped from a peak of about 400 to about 40 today.
The state is now in its second week out of lockdown.
The current restrictions, which include a ban on home visits and a mask mandate, are set to stay in place until 11:59 pm next Tuesday 10 August 2021.
Indian Boxer Lovlina Borgohain; Picture Source: Twitter @TeamIndia
Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain took the bronze medal after she lost the women’s welterweight (64-69kg) semi-final bout to Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli in the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday.
Busenaz Surmeneli defeated Borgohain by a unanimous decision of 5-0. All five judges gave decisions in the favour of Turkish pugilist as she stamped her dominance.
Indian Boxer Lovlina Borgohain; Picture Source: Twitter @TeamIndia
Lovlina started round one with a good strategy as she didn’t let the Turkish boxer take charge. But soon, Busenaz showed her class and demolished the defence of the Indian as judges ruled the round in her favour.
The second round started just where the first one left as Surmeneli dominated all the way through it. And to make it worse for Borgohain, she sustained a penalty in that round.
The last round was more ruthless and clinical from Busenaz as she brutally buried any chances the 23-year-old Indian had of making a comeback.
The top-seed from Turkey will now face either USA’s Oshae Jones or China’s Hong Gu in the final.
Earlier on Friday, Borgohain defeated Nien-Chin Chen by a split decision of 4-1.
Five judges gave split decisions in the first round but following two rounds, all judges anonymously stamped Lovlina’s dominance as she reached the semis.
Australia Vs Bangladesh T20I; Picture Source: Twitter @Cricket Australia
A spirited bowling performance helped Bangladesh stun Australia in the first T20I of the five-match series here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday.
Bangladesh defeated Australia by 23 runs in the first T20I and with this win, the hosts have taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
The next match will be played at the same venue on Wednesday. Chasing 132, Australia got off to the worst start possible as the side lost Alex Carey (0) on the very first ball of the innings as he was clean bowled by Alex Carey.
Soon after, Josh Philippe (9) and Moises Henriques (1) were also dismissed as Australia was reduced to 11/3 in the third over. Skipper Matthew Wade (13) struggled at the crease and his vigil finally came to an end in the 10th over as he was dismissed by Nasum Ahmed, and Australia was reduced to 49/4, still, 83 runs away from the target.
Australia Vs Bangladesh T20I; Picture Source: Twitter @Cricket Australia
Wickets kept falling at the other end, and it all boiled down to Mitchell Marsh to take Australia over the line.
However, Marsh (45) perished in the 16th over and in the end, Australia stumbled to a 23-run loss in the first T20I. Nasum Ahmed was the star for Bangladesh as he scalped four wickets.
Australia Vs Bangladesh T20I; Picture Source: Twitter @Cricket Australia
Earlier, Shakib Al Hasan (36) played an anchor role as Bangladesh posted a total of in the allotted twenty overs. Sent into bat first, Bangladesh got off to a bad start as the side lost both its openers inside the powerplay. Soumya Sarkar (2) and Mohammad Naim (30) both failed to stay at the crease for a long haul.
Mahmudullah (20) and Nurul Hasan (3) also departed cheaply and it all boiled down to Shakib to guide Bangladesh to a defendable total. However, in the 17th over, Josh Hazlewood got the prized scalp of Shakib and Bangladesh was reduced to 104/5.
Australia Vs Bangladesh T20I; Picture Source: Twitter @Cricket Australia
In the final three overs, Bangladesh managed to add 27 more runs, taking the total past the 130-run mark. For Australia, Hazlewood was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with three wickets.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh 131/7 (Shakib Al Hasan 36, Mohammad Naim 30, Josh Hazlewood 3-24); Australia 108 all out (Mitchell Marsh 45, Mitchell Starc 14, Nasum Ahmed 4-19).
Manpreet Singh-led Indian men’s hockey team suffered a defeat at the hands of Belgium in the first semi-final of the ongoing Tokyo Olympics here at Oi Hockey Stadium North Pitch on Tuesday.
Belgium defeated India 5-2 in the semi-final and they will now face the winner of the second semi-final between Australia and Germany in the gold medal match on Thursday.
On the other hand, India will lock horns in the bronze medal match on Thursday with the loser of the game Australia and Germany. The Indian boys started well and looked to keep up the good work, but lost the tempo slightly in the last quarter and that is where the boys from Belgium capitalised.
In fact, the last goal was a case of the Belgium players taking advantage as India withdrew goalie Sreejesh and brought in a field player. Loick Luypaert gave Belgium an early lead in the match as he registered a goal in the starting minutes of the first quarter and as a result, India was put on the back foot straight away.
However, India struck back as Harmanpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh scored goals in quick succession, and as a result, India gained a 2-1 lead in the first quarter.
Wins and losses are a part of life. Our Men’s Hockey Team at #Tokyo2020 gave their best and that is what counts. Wishing the Team the very best for the next match and their future endeavours. India is proud of our players.
In the second quarter, Belgium got the equaliser as Alexander Hendrickx successfully converted a penalty corner, and it brought the scoreline level to 2-2. No more goals were scored in the second quarter, and the scoreline remained level.
The deadlock was not broken in the third quarter as well, and as a result, heading into the last 15 minutes of the game, both India and Belgium were highly tensed.
In the fourth quarter, it was Belgium who struck first as Hendrickx scored his second goal of the match, giving Belgium a 3-2 lead with more than 11 minutes still left to play.
A few minutes later, Hendrickx got his hat-trick as he converted from a penalty and hence, Belgium gained a 4-2 lead. In the end, Belgium managed to hang on and the side registered a victory, progressing ahead to the finals, their second successive final appearance.
Earlier, India had defeated Great Britain 3-1 in the quarterfinals on Sunday to enter the last four stage.
Rani Rampal India's Women Hockey team Captain; Picture Source: Twitter @HockeyIndia
“I wanted an escape from my life; from the electricity shortages to the mosquitoes buzzing in our ear when we slept, from barely having two square meals to seeing our home getting flooded when it rained.
My parents tried their best, but there was only so much they could do–Papa was a cart puller and Maa worked as a maid.
There was a hockey academy near my home, so I’d spend hours watching players practise–I really wanted to play. Papa would earn Rs.80 a day and couldn’t afford to buy me a stick.
Every day, I’d ask the coach to teach me too. He’d reject me because I was malnourished.
He’d say, ‘You aren’t strong enough to pull through a practice session.’
Rani Rampal India’s Women Hockey team Captain; Picture Source: Twitter @HockeyIndia
So, I found a broken hockey stick on the field and began practising with that– I didn’t have training clothes, so I was running around in a salwar kameez.
But I was determined to prove myself. I begged the coach for a chance– Maine bahut mushkil se convince Kiya unko finally!
But when I told my family, they said, ‘Ladkiya Ghar ka kaam hi karti hai,’ and ‘Hum tumhe skirt pehen Kar khelne Nahi denge.’
I’d plead with them saying, ‘Please mujhe Jaane do (Please let me go). If I fail, I’ll do whatever you want.’ My family reluctantly gave in.
Training would start early in the morning. We didn’t even have a clock, so mom would stay up and look at the sky to check if it was the right time to wake me.
At the academy, each player needed to bring 500 ml of milk. My family could only afford milk worth 200 ml; without telling anyone, I’d mix the milk with water and drink it because I wanted to play.
My coach supported me through thick and thin; he’d buy me hockey kits and shoes. He even allowed me to live with his family and took care of my dietary needs. I’d train hard and wouldn’t miss a single day of practice.
I remember earning my first salary; I won Rs.500 after winning a tournament and gave the money to Papa. He hadn’t ever held so much money in his hands before. I promised my family, ‘One day, we’re going to have our own home’; I did everything in my power to work towards that.
After representing my state and playing in several championships, I finally got a national call up at the age of 15! Still, my relatives would only ask me when I was planning on getting married. But Papa told me, ‘Play until your heart’s content.’ With my family’s support, I focused on doing my best for India and eventually, I became captain of the Indian hockey team!
Soon after, while I was at home, a friend papa used to work with visited us. He brought along his granddaughter and told me, ‘She’s inspired by you and wants to become a hockey player!’ I was so happy; I just started crying.
And then in 2017, I finally fulfilled the promise I made to my family and bought them home.
We cried together and held each other tightly! And I’m not done yet; this year, I’m determined to repay them and Coach with something they’ve always dreamed of– a gold medal from Tokyo.”
Queensland's Deputy Premier Steven Miles; Picture Source: Twitter @QueenslandHealth
Queensland’s snap lockdown will be extended until 4 pm on August 8 after 13 locally acquired COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday.
“It’s starting to become clear that the initial 3-day lockdown will be insufficient,”
Queensland’s Deputy Premier Steven Miles stated.
The new cases are all linked to an Indooroopilly high school student who tested positive on Friday, bringing the cluster to 31 cases.
What you need to know:–
Local government areas of Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim will remain in lockdown until at least August 8
Reasons to leave home include for essential goods, essential work, exercise, healthcare, to care for someone, and get vaccinated.
No visitors to homes.
10 km travel restriction in place.
Funerals and weddings limited to 10 people – Schools will be shut on Monday and Tuesday.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk tweeted, Anyone who has been in an impacted local government area since 1 am Saturday 31 July must observe the same lockdown conditions wherever you are in Queensland.
These measures are critical to stopping the spread of COVID-19 in the Queensland community.
Lockdown support for Queensland businesses
Queensland Government will provide $5,000 payments to small and medium businesses across the state affected by the current COVID-19 lockdown and lockdowns in other states.
Treasurer and Minister for Investment Cameron Dick said the $260 million 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grant program would help small businesses through the current three-day lockdown.
“We know Queensland’s health response to COVID-19 has put us in the best possible position to recover from the pandemic, with nation-leading economic, jobs and retail sales growth,”
the Treasurer said.
“That’s why we were the first jurisdiction to declare a public health emergency and the first jurisdiction to announce business support measures for affected businesses, including tourism businesses,’ he added
2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grants of $5,000 will be available to eligible small and medium businesses across all industries across the state.
The state government will also be providing support payments to eligible impacted large businesses in the hospitality and tourism sector in the 11 local government areas currently locked down.
This $5,000 payment is higher than most other states, recognising the short interval between lockdowns in South East Queensland, and the unique circumstances faced by regional economies that are impacted by multiple border closures.
The Federal Government’s declaration of a hotspot in the 11 local government areas has enabled individuals living in these LGA’s to receive support payments.
Queensland Treasurer urged all councils in the 11 affected local government areas, and across other impacted parts of Queensland, to implement their own assistance measures for affected businesses.
”This could include Councils contributing to supporting business cash flows and viability through the waiving of rates, fees and charges paid by small businesses, or by providing a co-contribution towards the Queensland Government’s business support grant program,” he said.
Tokyo Olympics: Indian women's hockey team make history, beat Australia 1-0; Picture Source: Twitter @HockeyIndia
The Indian women’s hockey team created history on Monday here at Oi Hockey Stadium — North Pitch — as they qualified for the semi-finals of the Olympics for the very first time after defeating Australia 1-0.
In what comes as a historic day and possibly the greatest moment for women’s hockey in India, Gurjit Kaur scored the lone goal in the match during the first half through a penalty corner in a very tightly contested match.
The Indian players looked to give it their all as they ensured Gurjit’s effort didn’t go in vain.
The Australians threw at it all they had, but the Indian women refused to buckle even though the Aussies kept piling the pressure with each passing minute.
The first quarter started at a great pace as both teams put their foot on the accelerator and the forwards from both teams came very close to finding the back of the net. But none succeeded in scoring after the first fifteen minutes.
After saving a penalty corner on another end, India soon got the second PC of the match in the second quarter. India’s star drag-flicker Gurjit made sure that she made the opportunity count as she gave the Women in Blue a crucial lead against the mighty Aussies.
Indians went for a direct PC and after hitting the legs, the ball hit a stick and found a way into the goal. Notably, Australia had conceded just one goal in the tournament so far.
In the second half, Hockeyroos as expected came in waves as they looked for the goal. But India goalie Savita and the defence stood firm. The Indian team made sure they did not give any space to the Aussies as chances became rarer and rarer for their forwards as the game progressed.
India again kept Australia at bay with some smart defence in the last quarter as they made sure they didn’t let Hockeyroos spoil the dream of making it to the semi-final.
Tokyo Olympics: Indian women’s hockey team make history, beat Australia 1-0; Picture Source: Twitter @HockeyIndia
Earlier on Sunday, the Indian men’s hockey team reached the last four of the Olympics for the first time in 41 years as the team defeated Great Britain 3-1.
The last four berths had eluded the Indian men’s hockey team since the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games where the team led by V Baskaran won the eighth Gold medal for India.
Australian investors closed the week marginally lower after technology and energy stocks declined. Origin energy dropped as much as 7% on Friday alone after warning of a steep fall in earnings over the next two financial years.
However, the index gained more than 1% in July, thus recording its 10th straight monthly advance, a winning streak not seen since 2007. Even a continuous rise in COVID cases in Australia did little to dent steady gains in Australian share as investors were buoyed by strong earnings in the US. The monthly gains exhibit a good track record for the Australian market.
The tech and energy stocks however soured the mood on Friday with Afterpay and Origin leading the charge. Origin Energy saw its worst in over a year after it flagged a $2.2 billion hit due to the rapid influx of renewables.
Even though Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned of another recession’s risk in Australia, NSW does not get on top of the latest outbreak. This lead to a muddied week for Australian stocks, however a blowout quarter in the US compared to a year ago helped control the losses as traders continued to find positives in the market.
A tighter lockdown in Sydney due to an increase in cases and relentless rise in infections in Australia’s most populous state will however be the focus as Australia enters its earnings season. It will be interesting to see if the COVID lockdowns will overshadow the recent profit surge rally.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
With Australia about to enter the end of the financial year reporting period, the focus in local markets will mainly be on lockdowns across the nation and rising COVID19 cases in NSW. The situation in NSW is setting Australia for a prolonged lockdown which is expected to move the Australian economy into negative growth in the coming quarter. With economists warning Australia can enter its second recession in as many years, the lockdown numbers will impact the mood in Australia.
A bumper dividend and earnings season however is expected to keep Australian markets continue with their gains. NAB has given investors enough reasons to believe bumper dividends are in store next month after it chose to buy back 2.5 billion dollars in shares. A similar move was also announced by ANZ earlier in July. According to leading banking analyst Brett Le Mesurier there may be a $30 billion bank buyback bonanza in store for investors.
Gold prices continued to rise last week in hopes that bullion would be a good hedge against inflation. US Federal Reserve has continued to buy bonds in large volumes for an economy overcoming pandemic troubles. Australian Reserve Bank has done similarly.
As such, there is a risk in the market when all this stimulus will be taken away? It might not happen anytime soon given the pandemic troubles that remain, however it does make gold an important asset to cover the risk of inflation.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
Gold hit a two-week peak on Thursday after US Fed reassured that a rate hike in the US was not on the cards for the time being. The rally was dented a bit by some profit-taking on Friday, however, lower government bond yields continue to decrease the opportunity cost of holding gold, which pays no dividend, hence making it an attractive investment.
Oil prices kept their march higher as investors continue to bet that vaccinations would alleviate the impact of a resurgence of COVID infections across the globe and keep oil demand growing faster than supply.
An increase in daily gasoline consumption in India exceeding pre-pandemic levels in July also boosted oil prices. Rising fuel sales in India, the world’s second-biggest consumer and importer of oil is a positive development for global oil markets.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
Even though the Industrial oil consumption was below the consumption around the same period in 2019 in India, an easing of restrictions by some states saw motorists flocking to tourist destinations and markets to boost oil consumption. This also resulted in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warning against overcrowding.
The Australian dollar declined for the fifth week in a row against the US Dollar as rising Coronavirus cases continue to weaken the Australian economy.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
Even though the US Dollar remained weak against other currencies following the Fed’s announcement Australian Dollar could not benefit due to the precarious economic situation caused by growing Delta strain cases in Australia.
The year 2020 was not a particularly bad year for the Australian economy as compared to the rest of the world as Australia closed its borders quickly and avoided the pandemic. Nevertheless, the virus has managed to enter the country again and currently the daily cases of COVID exceed 200 in NSW.
A low immunisation of Australian people means that the regional blockades need to continue, which seriously affects the economy and, in turn, the Australian dollar’s price.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
It is no surprise as such that the Australian Dollar is in a downtrend. Against the Greenback the price level develops below the 20- day moving average while the technical indicators remain at negative levels.
With both the weekly and monthly moving averages maintaining their strong bearish momentum the prices may continue to decline further. The Australian dollar is expected to close near 0.7335 next week with traders aiming at support levels around 0.7290 and 0.7220.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
In comparison to Indian currency, the Australian Dollar rose 30% since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, which was welcome news for Indian ex-pat workers in Australia. By April 2021 Australian Dollar was above INR 58.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
However, since the start of the Delta outbreak in Australia the Rupee has steadily recovered against the Australian Dollar. AUD/INR is now well below its 90-day average below 55 Rupee to the Dollar.
The Indian Rupee, however, continue to remain under pressure from the US Dollar amid COVID 19 woes in India, which could be cited as the key catalyst. In a wake-up call for the policymakers, India continues to record more than 40,000 daily cases and 500 plus virus-related deaths.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
In the world of Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin is gearing up for a comeback which according to analysts could lead to a repeat of the classic bull run it showcased in 2013 and 2017.
Bitcoin has been trying to repair the rout led by China’s mining ban in mid-May. The last week gains in Cryptocurrencies, however, were stronger than most anticipated.
Last week BTC prices gained a total of 23% at the time of writing this article. It was a reaction similar to 2013 when following a troubling three months of news and price action, Bitcoin rebounded to record 5 green monthly green candles in a row to rise 10x times during the second half of 2013.
Investor behaviour further mimics the change in sentiment. Strong holders with little or no history of selling their BTC are back in control at levels never seen before and absent since Bitcoin’s current all-time high of USD 54,500 in April.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
The best games last week however were reserved for Ethereum, with traders now eyeing $3,000 per Ether token.
Having said that many traders are feeling increasingly nervous due to the Bipartisan Legislative Bill that is currently making its way through the US Legislature and includes a provision to raise $28 Billion in taxes from crypto investors, a move which many believe could kill the crypto market.
In agricultural products weather corn and soybean slipped in prices, pressured by extended forecasts announcing cooler weather in August. Even though the conditions in the US remain hot and dry an indication of a change in the next 11 to 14 days improved the likelihood of increased supply.
In regards to wheat, dry weather has continued to impact Russia, World’s largest wheat exporter. However, a reduction in wheat supply still could not boost the wheat price as livestock producers considered ration changes from wheat to corn.
Author: Ateev Dang is a trader and trading coach by profession. He runs Glow trades Pty Ltd where he teaches anyone interested in starting on their trading journey on how to trade. He can be contacted at adang@glowtrades.com.au.
Disclaimer:
The writers’ opinions in the above article are their own and do not constitute any financial advice whatsoever. Nothing published by The Australia Today constitutes an investment recommendation, nor should any data or content publication be relied upon for any investment activities.
We strongly recommend that you perform your own independent research and/or speak with a financial advisor or qualified investment professional before making any financial decisions.
'Lata' a short film by Alisha Tejpal; Picture Source: Supplied
Every year month of August brings lots of joy to Melbourne’s Bollywood fans and it’s not a secret why it happens. Indian Film Festival of Melbourne popularly knows as IFFM is the heart and soul of cities yearly calendar. This year despite lockdowns and restrictions they are back with the same zeal and more focused list of films on topics that we often shy away to talk about.
Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange told The Australia Today, “I am so proud of the theme and the multilingual movie lineup which we have been able to curate for our audience this year.”
“As we were exploring the subject of Modern Slavery, we realised how deeply rooted it is in our daily lives, and how blissfully unaware we are. Most times we don’t even realise the role we play in it, but the system makes us a part of it.”
Most of us will say, What? ‘Modern Slavery’ as film festival subject. It’s so bizarre, dude slavery ended decades ago, why are we talking about it now?
Oh, let us explain the definition of Modern Slavery, then maybe you can see the victims right here in Australia.
Modern Slavery offences include Human trafficking, Slavery, Servitude, forced labour, Deceptive recruiting, Debt bondage, and forced marriage. It also includes the worst forms of child labour.
Ms Lange says, “This was one of the key reasons we thought it is time to address this issue, and what better way than the platform of ‘Cinema.”
“Lata” a short film by Alisha Tejpal is set to screen its Australian Premiere in cinema at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2021.
‘Lata’ a short film by Alisha Tejpal; Picture Source: Supplied
The storyline will remind you that we all have seen Lata sometime in our life. A 22-year-old domestic worker (That Kaamwali bai, Jhadu Katka wali Mausi or Domestic Help as more hip people like us want to call her) navigates her way through an upper-class home in South Mumbai.
The film leaves you with profound questions of her existence often unnoticed by the people she works for. She is not alone in this journey others like her also exist, a milieu of drivers, delivery men, other maids and watchmen that support and maintain the apartment buildings and the people who call it home.
No, We will not tell you the whole story. From 12 August 2021 login to IFFM’s website for free or go to Cinema to navigate with Lata the architectural blueprint of her life in which space divides and restricts access.
And before we forget, watch out for local filmmakers because IFFM2021 is also running a short film competition with the central theme of Modern Slavery.
India’s award-winning filmmaker Onir and Bollywood actor Richa Chadha will be the esteemed judges for this year’s short film competition.
Bollywood actor Richa Chadha
Onir told an Indian newspaper, “I am rather looking at the list of beautiful stories, empowering one of the filmmakers whose story would make an impact.”
Festival’s subject Modern Slavery and Equality is very close to his heart as he advocates equality for those left behind in society.
“It’s a problem of the world, not just one country. The humiliation, prosecution, exploitation and oppression we suffer are often derivatives of some or the other kind of inequality, namely gender, caste or sexual preferences. And talking about it through any medium is the first step towards change,”
Onir says.
Award-winning filmmaker Onir
Australia’s Federal Assistant Minister for Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood understands the critical role played by the community in working together to combat modern slavery.
“Events like The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne provide a valuable forum to raise awareness about vulnerable groups and the human experience of modern slavery practices,”
Assistant Minister Wood said.
“Most movies on the program list for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2021 decode the various facets of modern slavery showcased in different scenarios, creating consciousness and awareness,” added Mitu Bhowmick Lange.
“Another effective strategy to prevent and address modern slavery is community partnerships with civil society, non-government organisations (NGOs), business and industry, academics and unions,” Assistant Minister Wood said.
Federal Assistant Minister for Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood
In Australia, modern slavery describes all human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like offences in Divisions 270 and 271 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) (Criminal Code).
If you have immediate concerns for your safety or the safety of another person please dial Triple Zero (000). If you suspect something is wrong, you can contact the Australian Federal Police on 131 237 or go to the AFP website.”
The Australian government is committed to addressing the full cycle of modern slavery, including by supporting, protecting and empowering victims and survivors of this crime.
More information about the Australian Government’s efforts to combat human trafficking and slavery is available online: Modern slavery (homeaffairs.gov.au)
Each nation is cheering for sportsmen/women of their nation in the Tokyo Olympics and expecting them to bring glory and pride to their respective nation.
The terms of nation, nationalism and patriotism, look similar for many, but they have differences and a great sense of debate in the academic world.
Nationalism and patriotism have a similar kind of logic and motivation, where nationalism reflects loyalty and love towards a nation as a positive feeling where competition is nature (sense of better than the rest), whereas patriotism is associated with love for the country and pride of it for what it does, but not necessarily competitive.
In simple terms, patriotism is a love of country, while nationalism is a belief that one’s country is superior to all others. Some believe nationalism is a kind of excessive, aggressive patriotism. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the concepts of nation and nationalism, that are discussed in this article.
Nationalism: Primordialism and Modernization
Different paradigms of nationalism exist, beginning from primordialism scholars believe that nationality is an inherent character of people that existed from the beginning based on irrational attachments like blood, language, region, religion, race etc., thus ethnic identity is deeply rooted in the historical experience of humans.
They believe nation as ‘forever there’ entitles that have been existed for many centuries, and especially ‘nations come before nationalism’; another theory is socio-biological that believes that nationalism is the outcome of the extension of kin selection from common descent that includes both elements of rational and irrational concepts.
'Ek India Team India' – Celebrating 100 years of our athletes at the Olympic Games. We are delighted to present the new identity of the Indian Olympic Association and #TeamIndia
Modernization theories relate nationalism with modernism, democracy, industrialisation, urbanization and capitalism, that nations are not the fundamentally natural or biological inclination. Nationalism emerged as a modern phenomenon as a consequence of the shift from traditional to modern society.
Nation and Nationalism
Ernest Gellner (1925-1995)’s work Nation and Nationalism (1983) stated “Nationalism is primarily a political principle, which holds that the political and the national unit should be congruent. Nationalism as a sentiment, or as a movement, can best be defined in terms of this principle.
Nationalist sentiment is the feeling of anger aroused by the violation of the principle or the feeling of satisfaction aroused by its fulfilment. A nationalist movement is one actuated by a sentiment of this kind” (Gellner, 1983). For him the nation general consist of the same ‘culture’ and ‘will’. He believes that ‘nations are made by nationalism’ (Gellner, 1983).
For him, nationalism is a product of Modernity, as this concept is continuously produced and re-established, and it creates a sense of ‘us’ belonging to a certain nation. This belief that modern nationalism is the result of western industrialisation in the 19th century, as human history can be believed to go through hunting history, agrarian and lastly industrial age.
He believed nationalism is imposed by high culture and society to replace low, local cultures, and society, as before industrialism consisted of mostly peasant farmers. Thus the peasants or farmers had no opportunity for economic mobility or social advancement and lack of standardised education.
Thus before industrialisation, there existed tight water compartments of communities and between classes. He believes nationalism is a product of a function of new material or economic forces. This industrial economy is bound to grow and dismantle the stability of the old order. This old high culture and multiple local folk culture was replaced by a shared high culture.
Modern science and technology helped this new economy to replace the old order with new social order and that was based on culture. It also witnessed large scale mobility in terms of occupation and spatial, as people were moved from their own favourable settings to unfamiliar situations.
His idea states nation and nationalism are not natural because they are not a constant part of the human experience but arose only through a shift towards industrialisation. It led to the coming up of the industrial economy. Under industrialisation, society breaks the barriers between communities due to education that led to economic and social mobility.
Industrialisation does not spread equally among the communities within the state, where some are left behind in comparison to those who were in industrial society. The assimilation between these individuals may not take place due to differences in the language, culture or ethnicity, thus nationalism will develop as the excluded ethnicity will seek political sovereignty.
This new economy becomes large and is only managed by the state that needs the support and allegiance of the people. This state-society partnership can only work when the members belong to the same culture.
Therefore, nationalism strives for one culture or ethnicity under one state. An egalitarianism was established in this new modern economy that had eradicated the old traditional hierarchies and old community isolation. Thus, nationalism becomes a mandatory mechanism in the process of modernization.
That implies nationalism is not a feeling expressed by the pre-existing nations, but it creates nations where none previously existed. It is nationalism that gives rise to a nation, where nationalism tries to use historical-cultural wealth and transforms them.
Thus the revival of culture is claimed under the process of nationalism, but in fact, nationalism is a theory of political legitimacy, and it tries to assume legitimacy and claims authority over a territory. ‘Nationalism is an ideology suffers from pervasive false consciousness’ (Gellner, 1983), national identity is essential in modern industrial society.
Critics
The theory of nationalism of Gellner fall short of implications concerning India and other colonies, primarily it did not explain the nationalist experience of colonial societies of Africa and Asia. Thus, blamed to be made on the basis of western European experiences. Scholars believed that nationalism did not emerge in industrialised European societies but in the colonial societies due to the capitalist transformation of the world and unequal development that happened due to capitalism.
As capitalism is believed to create a system of imperialism and colonialism that was challenged through a form of resistance by the colonised world through a national struggle.
Conclusion
Sense of competition exists between every nation and nationalism in every sphere; the Olympics is not an exception. The concepts of nation and nationalism are Primordialism and Modernization construction. But competition is present in every scenario, in some prospects, it can be healthy, while in others, it can be competitive.
Author: Dr Sakul Kundra, A.HOD Department of Social Science, College of Humanities and Education, Fiji National University.
An Indian temporary resident has died at his workplace in Auckland, New Zealand.
31-year-old Siddharth Dasson, originally from Batala in Punjab, has left behind his wife, Shreejana Kadel, and nine-month-old kid, Zayden.
Image Source: Shreejana Kadel – Facebook.
According to Shreejana’s post, her husband died of “subarachnoid haemorrhage” while at work in the BP gas station in Weymouth.
Shreejana is still in utter disbelief and shock from the news. In a Facebook post, she said:
“I still have not come to terms with it fully but I keep getting reminded of the fact which I also understand cannot be changed. My whole foundation has been turned upside down, uprooted.
I find myself unable to comprehend this truth. And when the cold truth about none of my family members being able to come to my aid due to the lockdown makes me sink even further.”
Sidharth’s wife is from Nepal and they got married in 2013.
They had first met in Brisbane, Australia, in 2009 where both of them were pursuing international education.
In Australia, Siddharth studied hospitality to become a chef and Shreejana studied hairdressing.
“I am very close to Sidharth’s mum and dad, and they have left it on me to decide on how best to manage the funeral [or repatriation]. Papa is retired from insurance firm and his brother works in an insurance firm in Punjab.”
Siddharth also worked at QUEST Highbrook as a duty manager apart from his job in BP Weymouth as a customer service representative.
Image source: Shreejana Kadel – Facebook.
The couple had recently applied for Essential Skills Work Visa in New Zealand and were confident of a favourable outcome.
However, given the unexpected and unfortunate tragedy, Shreejana has requested the community to help her:
“At this time, I would like to make an appeal to everyone that might be in a position to help me and my child in any way they can. Thank you for your consideration.”
Image source: Dinesh Khadka.
Dinesh Khadka of Nepal Society of New Zealand told the Indian Weekender that a help page has been created for Siddharth’s family.
“We are requesting our communities to continue to shower love, kindness and compassion to support Shreena and her infant child in this distressful time.”
He added that the page has already started getting support from the Nepalese and Indian communities of New Zealand.
Shreejana plans to stay in New Zealand, a place that her husband loved and dreamt of creating a future for his family.
Mary Kom, Indian Boxer; Picture Source: Twitter @MCMaryKom
Boxing legend Mary Kom has revealed she was surprised after being asked to change her jersey by the organisers just a minute before her bout against Colombia’s Ingrit Valencia at Kokugikan Arena on Thursday.
“Surprising..can anyone explain what will be a ring dress. I was asked to change my ring dress just a minute before my pre qtr bout can anyone explain. @PMOIndia @ianuragthakur @KirenRijiju @iocmedia @Olympics,”
Mary Kom tweeted.
Mary was asked to change her jersey right before the bout. The jersey said ‘Mary Kom’ but the organisers said only the first name is to be there and she was given a blank jersey.
In the bout, Mary Kom faced a shocking defeat — split decision — at the hands of Colombia’s Ingrit Valencia to bow out from the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. Valencia won the match 3-2.
Mary Kom, Indian Boxer; Picture Source: Twitter @MCMaryKom
Colombia’s pugilist advanced to the quarter-finals of the showpiece event after defeating Mary Kom in the women’s flyweight (48-51kg) category event.
However, Mary Kom thought she had won since the ace boxer had clinched two rounds after going down in the first essay.
“I thought I have won but after some time I saw Kiren Rijiju’s tweet, I was shocked and upset at the same time (to know that I have lost the match),” Mary Kom told reporters two hours after the bout.
Indian International Students in Australia; Picture Source: Twitter @CGIPerth
Covid-19-related travel restrictions have been eased for Indian international students by many countries.
At this stage, these include the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Georgia, and the Netherlands.
Image source: Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan – Wikipedia.
India’s Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan informed the parliament that some more countries are expected to open up when the situation improves.
Muraleedharan added that MEA has been working with many countries to help ease travel restrictions for Indians enrolled in their universities.
The minister was replying to questions in the Rajya Sabha on Indians studying abroad and the impact of the Covid-19-related restrictions on them.
He said:
“Our missions abroad have been actively taking up these issues with the respective governments and have been impressing upon those governments to ease the travel restrictions. Also the issue of travel restrictions has been taken up at the ministerial level with several countries.”
Australian Federal government has not changed its India travel advice despite COVID19 cases being subsided to one-tenth of its peak in May 2021.
This travel advice is current as of today 30th July 2021
However, there are some exemptions for people who are in one of the following categories.
providing critical or specialist medical services, including air ambulance, medical evacuations and delivering critical medical supplies
a foreign national with critical skills or working in a critical sector in Australia
Federal Government Ministers had multiple meetings with community leaders and organisations. Several people who have attended these meetings have told The Australia Today that travel restrictions are not going away until this year ends.
One of the Indian community leaders (Name withheld on request) present in meetings said, “Minister made it very clear he doesn’t see travel ban lifted till Christmas.”
On the other side next year the Indian government will launch a “Global Indian Students Portal (GISP)” for Indian students who want to go abroad for studies.
This portal will have information on courses, foreign universities, nodal officers and accreditation requirements.
Minister Muraleedharan added that the Sucha portal will help students and parents make informed decisions.
As per MEA’s data, a total of 1,133,749 Indians study in 99 countries around the world.
Among the countries with large numbers of Indian students are United Arab Emirates (219,000), Canada (215,720), the US (211,930), Australia (92,383), Saudi Arabia (80,800), the UK (55,465), Oman (43,600), New Zealand (30,000), China (23,000), Germany (20,810), Russia (16,500), the Philippines (15,000), and Kyrgyzstan and France (10,000 each).
For the 2021 intake, apart from the traditional destinations, countries such as Sweden and Israel have also seen a rise in the number of applications from Indian students.
These countries are working with the relevant government ministries to make available the post-study visa option for Indian students.
Rithish Kirushnaneethan, a four-year-old Melbourne boy, died in the Dandenong blaze despite his mother and a family friend desperately attempting to save him.
Riteish’s distraught father who returned to the scene told Nine News:
“I miss him.”
Image source: Nine News.
It is reported that Rithish’s mother was cooking in the kitchen when she walked into her lounge room to find it ablaze just before 10 pm.
The mother-of-three rushed to rescue her children from the burning blaze, alongside a family friend who was boarding at their home.
Image source: Commander Peter Koger – Victoria Police.
Victoria Police’s Dandenong Local Area Commander Peter Koger told media:
“Could you imagine it, it’s your worst nightmare. Unfortunately, they’ve had to try and get the three children out of the house. They’ve managed to get an eight-year-old male and a three-year-old female out of the house.’
“They have gone to try and get the four-year-old out of the house and unfortunately, the flames were too great at that stage and they weren’t able to get the four-year-old out.”
Two children, aged nine and three, were rescued. While Rithish who had been asleep inside his bedroom at the time perished in the fire.
The family friend tried to save Rithish but the blaze was too strong and he was himself injured with serious burns during this process.
Commander Koger said:
“He managed to save the first child, and then he’s tried to go back in and he’s suffered significant injuries as a result, so he’s really tried really hard.”
Commander Koger added:
“The mother has also tried hard by breaking the glass once she was outside so she’s got lacerations on her hands but unfortunately by that stage, the house was engulfed.”
Image source: 7News.
The mother and her two children were taken to Dandenong Public Hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation.
The father of the three children was out running errands at the time. He came home to find police and fire crews outside his gutted Dandenong home.
Commander Koger said a gas heater in the lounge room likely sparked the blaze, which had been deemed non-suspicious.
“I just ask the community to be really diligent about their heaters, especially in the colder months of winter. We’re a bit worried about the number of fires, particularly these non-suspicious type fires that have been started by gas heaters and articles of clothing that have been close to the heater or close to the flames.”
Image source: Nine News.
Barathan Vidhyapathy,a friend of the Tamil refugee family, has organised a GoFundMe to bear the cost of Rithish’s funeral.
The family first arrived in Australia in 2012 and were first detained in Christmas Island and then Adelaide. They have been on a bridging visa for 9 years.
The family was most recently in Perth until arriving in Melbourne just a month ago.
The page notes:
“Their entire savings and belongings are gone, as well as their loss of their dear son Rithish. They barely escaped with the clothes on their back. We are fundraising for Rithish’s funeral expenses, as well as immediate accommodation, furniture, clothing, and food for the family. All proceeds go directly to the family.”
Image source: Gujarati family group portrait, purchased 2009 by the National Gallery of Australia / National Gallery of Australia.
The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) has decided to return 13 artworks it purchased from dealer Subhash Kapoor.
It is reported that the NGA spent $10.7 million on 22 works from Mr Kapoor’s “Art of the Past” gallery over several years.
Image source: Arch for a Jain shrine and Seated Jina from the Mount Abu region in Rajasthan, India from the 11th-12th century – National Gallery of Australia.
This includes 11th century Chola bronze sculpture, Shiva Nataraja, which the NGA purchased for more than $5 million in 2008.
The NGA has decided that many of these items were likely looted or stolen in India.
Image source: NGA director Nick Mitzevich – NGA
NGA director Nick Mitzevich told ABC that the gallery believed six of the artworks were likely stolen or illegally removed from India.
“We have strengthened our processes and have zero tolerance now for any inconsistencies in the provenance of a work of art.”
Image source: Subhash Kapoor – Wikipedia.
Subhash Kapoor is awaiting trial in India after being accused of running a global smuggling ring for looted or stolen artefacts.
NGA will repatriate six sculptures, six photographs, a painted scroll and a processional standard.
Image source: ‘Manorath’ portrait of donor and priests before Shri Nathji, purchased in 2009 / National Gallery of Australia
Thirteen of those items were purchased from Mr Kapoor while another was acquired from a separate dealer.
Image source: Untitled portrait from Udaipur in Rajasthan, India. Purchased in 2009 – National Gallery of Australia.
NGA director Nick Mitzevich added:
“This is another step towards us building an ethical approach to managing our collections.”
Image source: PM Tony Abbott and PM Narendra Modi – Wikipedia.
This is the fourth time the NGA has handed the Indian government antiquities it bought from Subhash Kapoor.
In 2014, Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott handed the Dancing Shiva to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to New Delhi.
The NGA’s announcement has been welcomed by India’s government.
Image source: Manpreet Vohra, India’s High Commissioner to Australia – Twitter.
Manpreet Vohra, India’s High Commissioner to Australia, praised the decision:
“These are outstanding pieces. Their return will be extremely well received by the government and people of India.”
After the 2021 repatriation of artefacts, NGA will only hold three of the 22 works it has purchased from Subhash Kapoor.
The recent controversy over the fine imposed on the Norwegian women’s beach handball team has brought a peculiar situation to the modern world — what I call the result of the destruction of ancient cultures such as the Hindu and the pagan.
The code requires that the beach handball women’s team wears bikini bottoms showing most of the buttocks. Here is a picture of what the Norwegian women’s team wore in 2017, which was as per regulations.
Photo: PA Images
This year at the Euro 2021, the ladies of the Norway team decided to wear what they felt comfortable in — but the authorities were not pleased; they imposed a 150 Euro fine on each player. Even before this incident, in April 2021, Sarah Voss had worn a full-body suit at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in order to defy convention.
The German federation (DTB) had said its gymnasts were taking a stand against “sexualisation in gymnastics”, which they felt was also important to prevent sexual abuse.
The Norwegian Women’s Beach Handball Team at the Tokyo Olympics 2021 (Photo: Instagram)
Until now, I had no idea that the revealing all-butt costumes worn by women players on the beach had actually been mandated by the sports authorities! I thought the women chose to highlight their curves and selected this style of uniform amongst other choices. But I wondered how it could be comfortable.
The others I spoke to thought the same. Meanwhile, the comments of the men on social media posts were on the lines of;
“Man, who will watch beach handball if women stop wearing bikini bottoms?”
It becomes evident that these tournaments were drawing male audiences for reasons not related to the sport. Perhaps that is why the authorities decided to capitalise on the titillation factor and ruled that costumes were to strictly reveal the whole butt and not a part of it?
Meanwhile, if you are wondering what the men wear for beach handball, here you go. Yes, I know some of you will definitely say they need to wear Speedos to bring gender balance, and you are entitled to your views.
So that brings me to the real subject — the clothes worn by women (and men) in Ancient India. For thousands of years, the attire worn by women and men in India had similar designs — a lower garment (antariya), an upper garment (uttariya) and a kayabandh (cloth tied around the waist).
All these were single pieces and unstitched. The breasts were exposed for both men and women but women often chose to tie the uttariya tightly around their breasts (perhaps the ones with bigger breasts) while others threw it loosely over their chests. There was absolutely no shame associated with displaying one’s breasts or cleavage.
Dressing styles in Ancient India (Photos: Swarajya Magazine article ‘Fashions of the Past: Haute Couture and more from Ancient India’)
This is why mothers breastfed their babies without worrying about being judged. The loose and flexible styles of dressing were suited to the warm and wet climates of India. In colder weather, heavier fabrics were used.
Cover picture of a book in the Amar Chitra Katha series on Ancient Indian plays
Men often put their antariya around their necks or even tied it across their chest; a style that was followed amongst the ancient Greeks too. All over India, hundreds of temples show this style of dressing; not to forget the descriptions in texts. Both women and men wore plenty of jewellery to accessorise their clothes.
Sculpture in the temple at Lepakshi in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
Both women and men, however, covered the pubic area quite carefully even if the clothes were worn loosely. It was important to protect the openings that led to important organs of the body. However, tight undergarments were a no-no. The recent studies indicating that tight pants lead to lower sperm counts validate the knowledge of ancient times. Some of the finely woven fabrics used in ancient India were quite transparent but that does not seem to have been an issue until the Muslim period of history.
Sumedha Verma Ojha speaks about the attires in Ancient India
At a later period in history, the antariya and uttariya garments got combined into one piece of cloth called the saree. Every kind of skill and creativity was poured into the sarees to produce outstanding works of art that could suit any occasion — formal or informal, festive or routine. The textile industry put India amongst the topmost economies of the world — it was home to the fine skills of weaving, dyeing, embroidery, printing, and innumerable other secondary and tertiary skills.
Unfortunately, the entry of invaders, colonisers and proselytizers into India struck a hard blow to Hindu women’s freedom of dressing.
No longer could women be unselfconscious about their breasts like before. From the 11th century onwards, hordes of Islamic invaders began to capture Indian territory and destroy its famous temples and universities.
The women suffered the worst excesses with kidnappings, rapes, conversions and open sales in slave markets. Practices such as Jauhar-Shaka became common, where women jumped into the fire rather than allow themselves to be raped and sold by barbarians. Society was in turmoil.
Women were the easiest targets to inflict humiliation on entire communities. The natural tendency in such situations is for male members in families to cast a protective net around the females. Women’s clothing became more conservative. Covering the head became more common especially in northern India.
The Islamic era was followed by European colonization, the influx of Victorian ideas and Christian proselytization which led to an even greater stifling of the original open dressing styles of Hindus. Without any regard to the climate, full-sleeved blouses and voluminous petticoats were introduced, which Indian women wore along with their sarees. The poor men wore collared shirts, trousers, and even ties.
Excerpt from ‘Chandrahasa’ from Amar Chitra Katha, an illustrated book series.
After Independence, the movie industry began to exert great influence on dressing styles. Today, there is a mish-mash of dressing styles, but the ubiquitous T-shirt- jeans have become the refuge of sedentary Indians.
In the past few decades, Indian women are experimenting with different kinds of saree blouses — sleeveless, strapless, and noodle straps. Very few have tried to emulate their ancestors by doing away with blouses and petticoats.
However, we have also entered the era of beautifully embellished designer blouses that showcase the talents of indigenous artisans. The Indian men continue to stick to trousers and shorts as if their lives depend on them. The antariya or dhoti is fast disappearing.
But the point remains — the modern world is a far cry from Ancient India where the rules for covering breasts and butts were not too different for men and women. The assault on ancient civilizations has not helped us in becoming more modern; in many ways, it has made us more regressive.
Author: Sahana Singh is an author and commentator who writes on various issues, including water management, environment, and Indian history. Her book “The Educational Heritage of Ancient India – How an Ecosystem of Learning was Laid to Waste” has been appreciated for awakening Indians to the role played by India in spreading knowledge around the world. Her second book on the same subject is awaiting publication. She is passionate about travelling and connecting the dots across different societies, civilizations and disciplines. This article was first published on Medium. We have republished it with her kind permission.
Disclaimer: Sahana Singh is solely responsible for the views expressed in this report. She carries the responsibility for citing and/or licensing images utilised within the text. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the Sahana Singh, and neither The Australia Today News nor its partners assume any responsibility for them.
A new jointly funded package from the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments will give Victorian small and medium businesses the extra support and confidence they need to recover from the recent lockdown.
The new Victorian Business Support Package will deliver an additional $400 million in support to thousands of businesses, with funding to be split 50/50 between the Commonwealth and Victorian Government.
The package includes a new $85 million Small Business COVID Hardship Fund and $156 million Business Continuity Fund, as well as delivering support for commercial tenants and landlords.
Daniel Andrews and PM Scott Morrison; Picture Source: The Australia Today
It will also build on Victorian Government support for licenced hospitality and alpine venues, with $70 million for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 and $9.8 million for Alpine Business Support.
The programs will be administered by the Victorian Government.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Victorian businesses had borne the brunt of the heavy cost of lockdowns that kept the state and Australia safe.
“Together we can and we will recover from this, “We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again,”
Prime Minister Morrison said.
“We will continue to do what is necessary to support Victorian businesses as we face the evolving challenges of COVID-19.”
Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews said, “This package is all about jobs – protecting and growing jobs to support Victoria’s economic recovery.”
“With this funding, we’ll continue driving jobs and economic recovery here in Victoria, and for the nation.”
Five key elements make up the support package to help businesses deal with ongoing public health restrictions.
Business continuity fund
A $156 million Business Continuity Fund will be established to deliver $5,000 grants to up to around 30,000 businesses that remain impacted by capacity limits placed on businesses by necessary public health restrictions.
Twenty-four eligible sectors are covered by the fund including gyms, cafes, restaurants, catering services and hairdressers.
Recognising businesses located in the CBD will continue to be impacted due to restrictions on the number of staff allowed in office buildings, they will be eligible to receive an additional $2,000 recognising reduced foot traffic due to office density limits.
All recipients must have received or been eligible for the previous Business Cost Assistance Program.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Morrison Government supported Victorians during the crisis and will continue to support them to the end of this crisis.
“Having battled five lockdowns Victorian businesses have been amongst the hardest hit in the nation,”
the Treasurer said.
“No amount of support can make up for what business owners have experienced over the last year and a half, but this latest package will support them as they reopen after this latest lockdown.”
The Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said, “We’re supporting Victorian businesses each step of the way as we continue to fight this pandemic.”
“We know small businesses have been doing it tough and this new fund will give them the support they need to recover.”
Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021
The Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund will receive a $70 million boost, with grants of up to $20,000 to be made available to support licensed venues as their operations continue to be impacted by current restrictions.
These grants recognise that larger venues depend more on dine-in and have higher operating costs, so need more support than smaller operations.
Again an additional $2,000 will also be made available to the business if it is located within the CBD.
To receive this funding, venues will need to have received or been eligible for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021.
Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme and Landlord Hardship Fund
The package, to be fully funded by the Victorian Government, will deliver $80 million to provide support to landlords that provide rent relief to their tenants.
The Commercial Tenancies Relief Scheme will be reinstated to provide much-needed rent relief to small to medium commercial tenants and their landlords with more details on the rollout to be provided by the Victorian Government soon.
Small Business COVID Hardship Fund
A new $85 million fund will be established to support small businesses that have not been eligible under existing business support funds.
Small businesses with a payroll of up to $10 million who have experienced a 70 per cent or greater reduction in revenue will be eligible for grants of up to $5,000.
Alpine Business Support Program
Alpine Business Support will receive a further $9.8 million to deliver grants of between $5,000 and $20,000 to 430 Alpine based businesses in recognition of restricted inter and intra-state travel during the peak winter season.
The funding also includes an additional $5 million support to alpine resort operators and management boards.
The Commonwealth and Victorian Governments continue to work together to support Victorians through this challenging time.
UNSW Sydney President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs and the Director of the Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE), Shri Sanjeev Kumar, have signed an agreement at a virtual ceremony to establish the Centre for Advanced Transportation Technology and Systems (CATTS).
Image source: Shri Nitin Gadkari – Wikipedia.
The ceremony was attended by Hon. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon. Minister of State for Road, Transport, Highways and Civil Aviation Shri V. K. Singh and other dignitaries from the Government of India.
This agreement is for a project for capacity building, technology transfer and the creation of an environment to establish a centre of excellence.
Image source: Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs – UNSW.
“I hope, this only marks the beginning of a long and rewarding collaborative relationship between our two institutions – an extension of the long and enduring friendship between India and Australia.”
The scope of this project involves research and development for a national economic and a local transport model to help inform decision-making to reduce congestion and investment to improve accessibility.
Image source: Wikipedia.
The project also involves a substantial educational element to train future engineers in India employed by the government.
Image source: Prof. Dixit – UNSW.
Professor Vinayak Dixit at UNSW Engineering will lead the UNSW project team. He has in the past worked closely with the Government of India.
Prof. Dixit says:
“The Centre will be a collaboration between industry, international and Indian academics and the Government of India to help fast track new technologies, new models and new simulations into the field, to facilitate field trials.”
Shri Nitin Gadkari acknowledged Prof. Dixit’s leadership on the project and highlighted the need to swiftly deliver on the project towards India’s aspirations.
Representative picture of Pharmacist; Picture Source: @CANVA
The Federal Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services Alex Hawke has announced that pharmacists will be included on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL).
This list outlines the priority visa processing for a number of occupations. The decision to fast track the visas for the pharmacists is taken to support the Australian COVID19 vaccine rollout.
“Priority visa processing will be given to those occupations on the PMSOL,”
Minister Hawke said
Earlier, the Federal government announced that all Australian pharmacies are invited to do their part in the vaccine rollout.
Representative picture of Pharmacist; Picture Source: @CANVA
“With thousands of community pharmacies across Australia being invited to join the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, it’s all hands to the pump as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues,”
Minister Hawke said.
The new occupations added to the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (including ANZSCO codes) are as following :
Hospital Pharmacist (251511)
Retail Pharmacist (251513)
Industrial Pharmacist (251512)
Wade Ramsay is a pharmacist and runs his own pharmacy in regional victoria.
He told The Australia Today, “Retaining talent in regional areas is very hard, I have been struggling to fill permanent positions at two of my pharmacies.”
“It is a great decision for the industry and Australia.”
Representative picture of Pharmacist; Picture Source: @CANVA
However, Mr Ramsay doesn’t forget to mention that regional areas should be given priority when decisions are made.
Mr Hawke added, “The Morrison Government will support pharmacies across Australia, including through skilled migration, as the supply of COVID-19 vaccine doses increases over the coming weeks.”
Seema Chauhan is a Gold Coast-based Registered migration agent with Abode Australia Migration. She told The Australia Today, “Federal government seems to be very serious to fast-track the vaccination program and for that, they need skilled pharmacists.”
“I believe if your paperwork is in good shape, you could be in Australia within months,”
said Ms Chauhan
This addition of three occupations brings the PMSOL to 44 in total.
Existing skilled migration occupation lists remain active, and all skilled migrants are subject to quarantine arrangements at their own expense.
South Australia Premier Steven Marshall; Picture Source: Twitter @SAHealth
South Australians will wake up on Wednesday morning with no lockdown affecting their daily life as there has been no new COVID-19 case reported today.
State Premier Steven Marshall was relieved while announcing the lockdown ending at 12.01 am Wednesday morning.
So a massive thank you to everybody. We acknowledge how tough this week has been,”
said Premier Marshall
“We don’t put these restrictions in place lightly, but if we didn’t we would be in a very different situation. The Stay at Home orders for South Australia will be lifted from 12:01 am on Wednesday 28 July 2021.”
A man in his 80s and a woman in her 80s remain in the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a stable condition.
While some restrictions will ease across the state from tomorrow, those who have visited an exposure site or have been directed by SA Health to quarantine will need to stay in quarantine for the required period.
Stay at Home orders will be rescinded at 12:01 am tomorrow, Wednesday 28 July 2021.
Level 3 Activity restrictions will be in place for businesses and individuals:
1/4 density (1 person per 4 square metres)
No communal consumption facilities
Seated food and beverage consumption only
CMP: events of more than 1 000 people and outdoors only
Shisha ban
Masks for high risk settings
Masks for personal care services
Masks for health care services
Masks for passenger transport services
Masks for indoor fitness facilities (except while exercising)
Restrictions on dancing and singing
Sports spectator restrictions
The following additional restrictions will also be in place:
Private activity cap: 10 (including residents of residential premises)
Private activity cap: 50 (only for Weddings and Funerals outside residential premises)
Masks for shared indoor public places
1/8 density (indoor fitness facilities)
No team, club or competitive sport except training
All exposure locations and associated advice on quarantine and testing requirements relating to the Modbury Cluster can be found at: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/COVIDcontacttracing.
Victoria will come out of the lockdown from 11.59 pm tonight (Tuesday 27 July). However, you still need to wear a mask indoor and outdoor for the next two weeks and no home visitors are allowed yet.
Victorians will be able to leave their homes for any reason. Restaurants and cafes can also reopen for seated service. Retail and beauty and personal care will open in line with density limits, as will entertainment venues and community facilities.
Premier Daniel Andrews said, “To every Victorian who checked in with our QR system, who got tested and quarantined, and stayed home to slow the spread of this virus, thank you – it’s because of you we’ve able to get on top of this Delta outbreak and open up our state”
The Authorised Worker List will no longer apply, meaning businesses and venues can reopen with capacity and density limits of 1 person per 4sqm.
“Victoria will return to the rule that ‘if you can work from home, you should work from home’ but office workers will be able to return up to 25 per cent or up to 10 people, whichever is greater.”
Highlights:
1- School kids can get back to the classroom with schools reopening for onsite learning to all students from tomorrow.
2- Public gatherings will be allowed with up to 10 people, with infants under 12 months not included in the cap.
3- Gatherings in the home are still not permitted. People will only be able to book accommodation with their household, intimate partner or single bubble person.
4- People will be free to visit ski fields again, but due to the higher risk in these settings entry to Victoria’s alpine resorts will require a COVID test and receipt of a negative result within 72 hours prior to visiting. Children under 12 years of age are not required to be tested.
5- Live music venues, dance classes and physical recreation facilities, including gyms, will all open with density requirements of 1 person per 4sqm.
6- A maximum of 50 people will be permitted at weddings. Funerals will also have a cap of 50 mourners, plus those conducting the funeral. Infants under 12 months are not included in the cap for either.
Masks will continue to be required everywhere indoors and outdoors (except private residences) unless an exception applies.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced, “Changes will also be made to tighten our cross-border bubble with NSW.”
“The City of Wagga Wagga, Hay Shire Council, Lockhart Shire Council and Murrumbidgee Council will no longer be included in the cross border bubble.”
These local government areas will be included under the Extreme Risk Zone from 11:59 pm tonight, in line with the rest of NSW and residents will need a Specified Worker Permit, transit permit, or an exemption to enter Victoria. For more information on the latest
Ending the lockdown announcement came as Victoria reported 10 new local COVID-19 cases.
Health Minister Martin Foley said, “All the new locally acquired cases announced on Tuesday have been linked to Victoria’s current outbreaks and were in isolation for their entire infectious period.”
BS Yediyurappa, CM Karnataka: Picture Source: @PIB
Ending months of speculation, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday announced his decision of stepping down from the position.
His announcement came at a special event organised to present the government’s report card on the occasion of the completion of two years of the BJP-led state government in the current term, at Vidhana Soudha.
“I have decided to resign. I will meet the Governor after lunch,”
said Yediyurappa today.
Meanwhile, the names of several leaders have been doing the rounds for the key post. The Panchamasali Lingayat community has been demanding the chief ministerial post for several months.
BJP leaders from the community including Basangouda Ramangouda Patil Yatnal, Arvind Bellad and Murugesh Nirani are believed to be the front runners in the race. Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s name is also being mentioned.
BS Yediyurappa, CM Karnataka: Picture Source: @PIB
Former union minister DV Sadananda Gowda and BJP general secretary CT Ravi could also be the next chief minister if the party high command gives priority to the Gowda community.
Also, R Ashok and CN Ashwathnarayan are the other popular figures from the community. Several conventions and meetings are being held in Bengaluru and other places of Karnataka in different mutts to ensure Yediyurappa stays as the chief minister.
On Sunday, seers of different Lingayat mutts held a convention in Bengaluru’s Palace Grounds and extended their support to Yediyurappa.
Earlier, on Thursday, speaking to media persons, Chief Minister Yediyurappa made it clear that the final decision will be taken by the BJP high command.
“I will obey the suggestions given by them and I am no way concerned about the next chief minister, whether he comes from the Dalit community or any other community. I will accept the decision.”
Last month, some BJP MLA’s had demanded that Yediyurappa must step down as chief minister. State Tourism Minister CP Yogeeshwara in a statement had said that instead of the Chief Minister, his son has been ruling and controlling the Ministries of Karnataka.
Kabul Streets, Afghanistan; Picture Source: @CANVA
In 1911 when the British shifted India’s capital from Kolkata to Delhi, the new capital had a lot of snakes. The British government offered a scheme to the people. Whoever submits a dead snake gets some money. In no time people started rearing snakes in their backyard, kill them and started making money. The British government got exactly what it asked for – dead snakes.
Once the government realised the mistake, it stopped the scheme. Due to lack of any incentive, the people released all the snakes they were reared on the streets in the open. The problem of snakes at the end multiplied several times than before.
Kabul Streets, Afghanistan; Picture Source: @CANVA
War on Terror
The war on terror was a complete sham. Pakistan kept on earning blank cheques from the west and the financial institutions worldwide by producing more terrorists from their madrassas. There was no real war on terror going on until US forces were in Afghanistan.
Pushing the USSR out of Afghanistan and pin-pricking India continuously with terror attacks for decades were the two main objectives of anti-India countries which sponsored Pakistan. Balakot strikes by India ended the utility of Pakistani nuisance completely. Now it made no sense for any countries to fund the terror state.
Kabul Streets, Afghanistan; Picture Source: @CANVA
The real war has begun now as the rogue state has released the snakes on Afghanistan as the free money for catching terrorists stopped. The US withdrew its forces from Afghanistan to actually kick-start the war we are seeing.
This time around it seems the expenditure of Jihad will dry Pakistani cash to rock bottom. The US is waiting in the periphery to enter and interfere at the time and place of its choosing. A step back can turn into a big comeback in no time if the US chooses to. Withdrawal of US forces also means that it didn’t want any casualties for the time being.
Kabul Streets, Afghanistan; Picture Source: @CANVA
Coming back to the snakes’ story –
Was the prize money offered for catching the terrorists actually for grooming new madrassa graduates for terror?
Hillary Clinton once said, “You can’t keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours”.
The ongoing war in Afghanistan will eventually test Hillary Clinton’s assertion about the behaviour of snakes.
Author: Ankit Shah, A South-Asia Security & Foreign Policy Analyst, PhD scholar & Past Academic & Research Associate of IIM Ahmedabad. He also runs “The BHAARAT KSHETRA” YouTube Channel. Tweets @ankitatIIMA.
Australian investors continued to ignore lockdown concerns as Australian shares closed the last week at a record high on healthcare and tech stocks boost.
Healthcare stocks continued to rally all through the week with another strong performance from CSL, helped by a firmer US Dollar. Australian Tech stocks followed suit with buy now pay later juggernaut Afterpay and Nuix Ltd leading the charge.
A strong US earnings season has helped the stock market across the globe to rally and Australia is no different, however, the gain in the Australian equity market was capped by worries about rising cases of Delta variant of Coronavirus.
Market-Mantra-Stocks; Picture Source: @CANVA
A tighter lockdown in Sydney due to an increase in cases and a relentless rise in infections in Australia’s most populous state casts serious doubt on whether the economic outperformance of Australia can continue.
With Australia about to enter the end of the financial year reporting period, the focus in local markets will mainly be on lockdowns across the nation and rising COVID19 cases in NSW. The situation in NSW is setting Australia for a prolonged lockdown which is expected to move the Australian economy into negative growth in the coming quarters. With economists warning Australia can enter its second recession in as many years, the lockdown numbers will impact the mood in Australia.
Last week also saw bearish sentiment rise above the historical average for the first time in 24 weeks, while bullish sentiment declined to a 10 month low. Bearish sentiment indicates an expectation that stock prices will over the next six months, whereas bullish sentiment provides information on optimism regarding rising in share markets over the next six months.
Market-Mantra-Nasdaq; Picture Source: @CANVA
About 25% of the traders who responded cited the Coronavirus pandemic as the factor that was most influencing in their six-month outlook for stocks.
A strong earnings season in the US meant that risk was back on the table. With risk appetite running wild last week traders moved away from safe assets such as gold, resulting in gold recording its first weekly loss in five weeks.
The yellow metal is expected to continue to trade around the US $1800 mark till Wednesday when US Federal Reserve policy is announced.
The dip in gold prices was not surprising given an increase in risk appetite. Having said that with bearish sentiment running low and long-dated Treasury bond yields running low is a bullish sign for the yellow metal.
Australian Gold; Picture Source: @CANVA
Economic data, Fed policy expectations and news around current COVID strains though is expected to dominate the news in the coming weeks and as such may add to choppiness in both equities and gold.
Oil prices closed the week higher after a strong recovery from Monday’s steep slide. The price of oil tumbled by about 7% on Monday on concerns about the impact on the World economy and demand for oil with rising COVID19 cases in the US, Europe, Japan and Australia.
However as strong economic reports started to come from the US, oil traders realised some of the fears were exaggerated thus resulting in a recovery in oil prices. Even with OPEC+ nations agreeing to increase the supply of all, the latest economic growth numbers worldwide suggest the demand growth in oil is expected to outpace supply. As such we believe any dips in oil due to action by OPEC+ nations will be an opportunity for traders to buy and Brent oil should hit $100 per barrel next year with Crude oil tagging along the ride.
The Australian dollar continued to decline against the US dollar and the outlook for local currency looks darker as service sector contracts reduced for July.
Market-Mantra- Australian Dollar; Picture Source: @CANVA
There have been some downbeat economic data from Australia with manufacturing growth slowed according to PMI data, a plunge in business activity due to extended lockdowns in NSW and sharp services contraction.
Until recently, the Australian economic recovery was firing on all cylinders, a new wave of COVID 19 Delta variant however put brakes on all economic recovery. As per Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, the lockdown is costing the economy nearly $300 million per day and will likely impact the local currency going forward.
Having said that, looking at the technical outlook an uptick in the RSI hints that the downward slide in the Australian dollar may have been exhausted in the short term. This view will be validated if the MACD line crossing above the oscillator’s signal line, which looks likely to happen.
A break above USD 0.7413 can amplify the move upwards, however, with the long term trends remaining down there is a strong chance that traders will be looking for sell opportunities in rallies.
Market-Mantra- Indian Rupee; Picture Source: @CANVA
In regards to the Indian rupee, the Indian currency rallied early in the week as oil prices tumbled. However, as oil prices began to rise again the rupee started to tumble again against most currencies. With India being the second highest importer of oil, any rise in oil prices hurt Indian currency. Last year worked to contain USD/INR within the 72-75 range. Rising inflation and continuously increasing oil prices though are adding to growing problems for RBI.
Usually, a rise in oil prices and equity markets tend to make other risk currencies move higher, however, it seems currency traders are not losing sight of the overriding trend fuelled by stimulus packages and looking to diversify.
This can be seen across all financial markets, with the US, German and Australian equities trading at record peaks. China consolidating from their peaks.
Oil rebounding after a 7% fall on Monday, palm oil rocketing towards record highs and LNG surging.
oil price going up; Picture Source: @Canva
A rise in COVID19 cases though has resulted in traders selling risky currencies, shorting Asian currencies, slashing bullish bets on the Canadian Dollar, and shorting commodity-based currencies such as the Australian dollar and Mexican Peso.
The Turkish Lira is remarkably stable and the Russian Ruble and Chinese Yuan doing well especially against funding currencies such as Euro and Japanese yen.
All these factors indicate that the traders are diversifying their portfolios and keeping a close eye on pandemic crises and using periods of doubt by high-yield currencies to take advantage of quiet periods when there is a drop in volatility.
In the world of Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin rallied strongly after Elon Mus said Tesla is most likely to start accepting it as payment again. Elon Musk also addressed concerns that he had helped to artificially increase the price of cryptocurrencies before selling them.
The strong bounce meant that Bitcoin is out of the Bollinger downward channel we spoke about previously with support now sitting at $31,464. Technically, a close above USD 34,182 on Thursday engaged the Bollinger uptrend channel while also clearing the Ichomoku cloud base at $33,745.
Market-Mantra-Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
Ethereum also jumped off allow of $1,717 on Wednesday to a peak of USD2180, up 25% in 4 days. If the buying pressure persists the bulls can aim for a June 29 high of $36,600 for Bitcoin, with some resistance provided at a 50% retracement level of $35,618.
However, with the long term trends still looking flat to down it will be interesting to see if this run-up will be an explosive rally like yearly this year or will fizzle and burn.
In agricultural products, we have been talking about the impact of weather events and how traders will be keeping an eye on it.
Our last report talked about how a drier and hotter than normal summer resulted in reduced supplies and a rally in corn, wheat, and soybean prices.
However, this week, a change in weather forecast on Friday that the heat is not staying for long and there are chances of extended rains in August resulted in farm markets trading lower on Friday. Dry weather in Russia, largest exporter of wheat in the world and, continued to support agricultural goods priesthoods.
As per Al Kluis, Kluis Advisors, “Investors are keeping a close eye on every updated weather forecast.”
Author: Ateev Dang is a trader and trading coach by profession. He runs Glow trades Pty Ltd where he teaches anyone interested in starting on their trading journey on how to trade. He can be contacted at adang@glowtrades.com.au.
Disclaimer:
The writers’ opinions in the above article are their own and do not constitute any financial advice whatsoever. Nothing published by The Australia Today constitutes an investment recommendation, nor should any data or content publication be relied upon for any investment activities.
We strongly recommend that you perform your own independent research and/or speak with a financial advisor or qualified investment professional before making any financial decisions.
According to a recent survey, 9 in 10 (92 per cent) respondents thought their experiences of racism in Australia were related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 Racism Incident Report Survey 2021, conducted by advocacy group the Asian Australian Alliance (AAA) and Osmond Chiu from think tank Per Capita, recorded 541 racist incidents in the past 15 months.
AAA’s first Preliminary COVID-19 Racism Incident Report covered 377 incidents for the period April 02, 2020 – June 02, 2020.
Image source: Molina Swarup Asthana – Facebook.
Melbourne-based lawyer and activist Molina Swarup Asthana says:
“Racism against Asians has manifested in various ways during the pandemic, initially with people of Chinese origin blamed and abused for spreading the virus, to other Asian communities, including South Asians targeted during subsequent waves both in Melbourne and Sydney.”
The report says that respondents who identified as having a Chinese cultural background (52 per cent) reported more incidents than other races or ethnic groups.
This was followed by Vietnamese (8.38 per cent), Malaysian (4.5 per cent), Korean (6.5 per cent), Singaporean (2.1 per cent) and Filipino (3.2 per cent).
Sadly, in terms of reporting to the authorities such as the local police, 84.8 per cent reported that they did not report their incident.
In the report, respondents noted the following locations of the race hatred incidents:
Public street/sidewalk (27.1 per cent)
Business: supermarket/grocery store/general stores (15.1 per cent)
Public Transport (9.6 per cent)
Shopping centres (8.7 per cent)
Public park/community areas (6.2 per cent)
Restaurants/bars/public food areas (5.4 per cent).
Image source: Dr Rahul K. Gairola – Facebook.
85.9 per cent respondents reported that they did not know the perpetrator.
Indian-origin academic Dr Rahul K. Gairola told the ABC that as he waited at a bus stop in Fremantle, south-west of Perth, a total stranger attacked him.
“I took my headphones off, and he basically began yelling and calling me a ‘terrorist’ with some colourful four-letter expletives before and after. I just shrugged and started walking off and he came up behind me … I mean, he was so close to me that there was the spit from his mouth hitting the side of my lenses.”
Dr Gairola added that the intoxicated man followed him to a nearby cafe and knocked him into a bunch of chairs and tables.
Initially the bystanders seemed apathetic to the incident and later someone called police.
“So I was a bit surprised that people were even watching, but they weren’t saying anything.”
The man eventually apologised to Dr Gairola who says that this was a “traumatic” and “intense” experience.
Dr Gairola recalls how in March 2020 a woman called him a “disease-ridden Punjabi” at a metro station in Perth.
“‘Go back to whereyou comefrom. We don’t want you. You’re not wanted around here’.”
Dr Gairola is an Indian-American who has been living in Australia for more than three years and teaches at Murdoch University.
“There is a way that even speaking and treating people based on colour is more casual, and even polite here, in ways that I had never in my life experienced before in the United States or in India.”
The federal government has condemned racist behaviour against Asian communities.
Image source: Erin Chew, national convener of the AAA – screenshot ABC.
However, Erin Chew, national convener of the AAA, told the ABC that is not enough.
“That is extremely concerning that this COVID racism is not just impacting on those who look East Asian or South-East Asian, but also impacts on those who are of South Asian background and those of different migrant backgrounds.”
AAA’s launch was attended by celebrity ambassador’s Pallavi Sharda and Arka Das.
WATCH VIDEO: Launch of the COVID-19 Racism Incident Report Survey Comprehensive Report 2021
Crying-Hindutva-The-Hindutva-Harassment-Field-Manual-and-a-Gagging of Hindu Voices; Picture Source: CoHNA
On July 6, 2021, the South Asia Scholar Activist Collective (SASAC) released a website called The Hindutva Harassment Field Manual, along with the formation of the group. SASAC alleges that they have been targets of attacks and harassment by “Hindu nationalists” while pursuing an “academic” study of Hinduism and expressing diverse opinions about the religion.
The site claims to provide resources to those who have been targeted and equip them with ways to respond to such “attacks.” And it claims that the alleged attacks are coming from “Hindutva ideologues” as well as “BJP IT Cell” who highly exaggerate the sentiments felt by most Hindus.
Unfortunately, as we illustrate in this report, this is an ongoing pattern to silence Hindu voices and deflect attention from the very real concerns of Hinduphobia and bigotry. Examples of such bigotry have been brought up by numerous Hindus (including scholars, students, and parents) as well as their non-Hindu allies from all walks of life over the past several years.
Hindu scholars have written extensively on these issues and recently held a conference that provided a framework to understand Hinduphobia for those who are unfamiliar with the phenomenon. On July 9, 2021, a young Hindu girl from the United States was subjected to Hinduphobia and hatred when she posed in a picture for NASA with images of Hindu deities on her desk. Ironically, one of the first to attack this young intern for her religion was a professor of Indian and Hindu origin at a leading European university.
According to the manual and SASAC, anyone who questions the methods and professional privilegeused by the group is automatically demonized as “Hindutva.” It is a charged term used to silence dissent from Hindus or indeed any criticism at all.
It is a cover to continue spreading Hinduphobia under the garb of “scholarly pursuit” and “academic freedom.” As Professor Vishwa Adluri and Dr Joydeep Bagchee aptly put it in their paperCry Hindutva: How Rhetoric Trumps Intellect in South Asian Studies: “In response to criticisms of the so-called text-historical method in Indology, the old guard of academia raises the spectre of Hindutva to scare off critics. With such anti-intellectual tactics, Indologists have betrayed liberal ideals.”
However, what makes the manual and SASAC even more problematic is the usage of sources and allies who are openly anti-Hindu something we detail in the last section of this report.
These sources subscribe to a certain political agenda in the name of “diverse opinions” while gagging those who differ from their biased views. This open association with bigotry should ring alarm bells for anyone serious about scholarly pursuits, diversity, and inclusion.
Allegations of harassment
SASAC members such as Professor Audrey Truschke continue to allege harassment by “Hindutva” organisations and individuals. Yet, without provocation, she has blocked the Twitter handles of numerous individuals, scholars, and organisations (including that of CoHNA) who have raised genuine concerns about her bigoted take on Hinduism.
Recently, she called CoHNA’s leadership as long-time harassers when no one from the leadership has ever sent her any direct email or message that would be deemed as harassment. Rather than engaging on specific points raised by individuals or organisations, she resorts to vicious ad hominem attacks even while claiming to be a victim of such attacks herself. Such behaviour belies scholarship and illustrates the emptiness of her claims about harassment and diversity of opinions.
We fail to see how the recent letter sent to Rutgers and signed by 75 American Hindu temples and spiritual organisations from 20 different states expressing legitimate concerns is harassment. The letter clearly states its support for academic freedom and condemns any attacks on anyone while raising concerns about Professor Truschke’s attempts to twist facts to promote bigoted views on Hinduism.
In the same vein, letters from students and alumni – both Hindu and non-Hindu – clearly outlining the problematic nature of Professor Truschke’s comments and “scholarship” are denounced as harassment.
Far from being about harassment of any academic, the manual is an attempt to shut down the voices of Hindus – especially Hindu students on campus – who face the direct brunt of the hurtful and Hinduphobic remarks of their professors.
In the words of Aishwarya, a graduate student at Rutgers University (full name withheld for safety reasons):
I joined Rutgers with the impression that it’s a very reputed university and will give me the perfect environment to grow. However, when I heard the comments of Professor Truschke about my faith, my scriptures and my Gods, it broke my confidence. I felt scared about mentioning my faith, that students will judge me and might hate me because that is what they are learning in the class or on social media. The kind of statements Professor Truschke gives on social media makes me feel scared. I hope professors like her and incidents like this are outliers.
The problem is echoed by a rising Rutgers sophomore who also did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals:
Being a part of a community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion, it’s painful to hear my religion being slandered in the name of ‘scholarship.’ In the past few years, society has come far in terms of fighting for social justice. But I feel Hindus are excluded from this trend. The wise words of Gita and the enlightening lessons from the Mahabharata have guided several of my young Hindu peers and I during tough times. To have professors parse through our sacred texts and draw vile conclusions is not only an attack on our religion, but an attack on us. I feel unsafe, hurt, and unheard. As a student at Rutgers, I deserve better, as does my Hindu community.
Dr Sheenie Ambardar, an adult psychiatrist and psychotherapist and the founder of The Hindu Community Forum concurred:
It takes a tremendous amount of courage for minority college students, especially Hindu-American students, to speak out against a tenured professor who has belittled and maligned their faith. The students, some of whom have reached out to me for help, have chosen not to reveal their identities because this professor has stalked them online and they are afraid of retaliation. As a psychiatrist and psychotherapist, I am deeply concerned about the impact this ordeal is having on their mental health, self-esteem, and confidence.
It is always intimidating for students to raise concerns against tenured academics who occupy positions of power over them. In the case of Hindu students, this power imbalance is compounded because some of them are not even US citizens and are thus even more vulnerable. It is particularly shocking to see this type of targeting, including stalking the parents of some students, by privileged academics, at a time when universities are striving to make campuses a safe space for students of all backgrounds and religious traditions.
The Hindu community has tried to engage with and raise reasonable concerns to the academics in question several times for the past few years, but all attempts have been shut down. The students on campuses have tried to engage university administrations to express their concerns and trauma using rational approaches but have largely been ignored.
While there will always be individual actors and outliers (just like in every community), the Hindu community in the United States has not done anything that would be considered harassment. Flagging factual errors and misinformation or asking for a correction of a fake narrative are all perfectly reasonable and legitimate actions.
A note on the Hindu scholars of SASAC
Professor Truschke and SASAC dismiss the Hindu community’s concerns as a “bad-faith argument” by adding that there are Hindu scholars within the group who have actively contributed to the manual. Thus, any voice which does not toe the line of the SASAC scholars is deemed invalid. However, claiming to be a Hindu scholar cannot absolve one from peddling Hinduphobia and hatred.
SASAC’s argument also flies in the face of two high profile incidents that have occurred in just the past six months. In February 2021, Rashmi Samant, a 22-year-old Indian student at Oxford, was bullied for her Hindu background by an Oxford postdoctoral fellow of Indian and Hindu origin, who went so far as to dig into her parents’ social media profiles and post their pictures online.
In Samant’s case, Oxford investigated and concluded that she was indeed harassed by the type of academic that SASAC wants to protect by “crying Hindutva.” And as mentioned above, in July 2021, a young Hindu intern from the United States was attacked by another professor of Indian and Hindu origin at a leading Swedish University.
SASAC’s arguments reinforce the group’s exclusionary and elitist attitude – that it reserves the to pronounce judgments about Hinduism and the Hindu community while tens of thousands of individuals, organisations and even equally qualified scholars do not matter. Not only is this an active silencing of dissent and goes against the very academic freedom that SASAC claims to be defending, but it also attempts to reframe Hinduism, which has never had a centrally “approved” list of scholars or practitioners, unlike the larger Abrahamic traditions.
But, more perniciously, do the Hindu scholars of SASAC support a mistranslation of Sita Devi’s views on Rama, even when a reputed scholar like Professor Goldman has clarified that no such words have been uttered? Do these scholars agree that the Bhagavad Gita endorses mass slaughter, and the Mahabharata endorses social evils like gangrapes?
Now let us consider the issue of Hinduphobia among Hindu scholars themselves. On June 10, 2019, while commenting on the conviction of a Hindu priest and five others in the rape of an 8-year-old girl in India, Professor Ananya Chakravarti, one of the SASAC members, remarked: “…if these monsters are Hindu then Hindus are the worst scum on earth. I hope they never see daylight again.”
This is yet another example of how a horrific crime is projected upon an entire community, deeming them savages and “scum.” Such crimes, while horrific, happen across all religious communities around the world. For instance, on June 2, 2021, a Muslim cleric was arrested for raping a 12-year-old girl inside a mosque in New Delhi when she came to drink water. Yet, SASAC would not jump to make such broad-brush assumptions about the Muslim community – further evidence of Hinduphobia and the hypocrisy of SASAC.
More recently, Professor Chakravarti poked fun at Hindus who use the word “Hinduphobia” by saying that “If you whisper Hinduphobia into a mirror three times, Pragya Thakur shows up with a basketball and a sharp [curse] to destroy any non-Hindu in a three-mile radius. True story.”
Also note the deliberate spelling of Hindutva as Hindootva, a pejorative reference first coined by the colonialists in the 18th century by calling a Hindu a “Hindoo.” As a scholar, she certainly knows better but is hoping the inside joke would not be noticed.
SASAC demeans Hindus who raise concerns as “Hindutva ideologues” and as “long time, known harassers” and declares: “They invoke the language of diversity and inclusion to achieve the opposite —quell critical inquiry, undermine the academic study of religion, and advance a narrow, limited idea of Hinduism that leaves no room for diverse voices.”
Yet, the group behaves exactly that it advocates against and betrays the ideas of providing room for diverse voices and critical inquiry of the academy from scholars and practitioners alike.
Actively denying Hinduphobia and calling genuine Hindu concerns as fake
Perhaps more than any other religion, Hinduism encourages the pursuit of knowledge through inquiry and reasoned debate. However, when Hindu deities and festivals are disparaged and sacred texts are mistranslated to suit certain agendas, the argument of academic freedom is a mere fig leaf for bigotry. In fact, such an argument explicitly peddles Hinduphobia and hatred and puts students and community members at risk of bullying, harassment, and trauma.
The SASAC actively denies Hindus (including scholars) the right to define or even opine on what Hinduphobia is and how it impacts us as a people, by dismissing the term as something coined recently by the “Hindu Right.” The group even goes as far as calling the term a “flawed analogy” and “smokescreen for casteism and anti-Muslim prejudice.” Anyone who challenges such a premise is swiftly dismissed as engaging in a “bad faith argument.”
For SASAC, anti-Semitism is a real phenomenon due to the horrors inflicted by the Nazis. Similarly, according to them, Islamophobia is real, due to American foreign policies which resulted in the killings of civilians in the Middle East as well as the immigration policies of the Trump administration. However, Hinduphobia “…cannot be easily linked to casualties on such horrific scales.” In this monstrous admission, SASAC claims Hinduphobia is not real because not enough Hindus have died.
Their intergenerational trauma, resulting from systemic targeting and oppression in Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh, does not count. If body count is to be the metric for -phobia, would SASAC claim that homophobia is not real?
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Bangladeshi Genocide, in which nearly 400,000 women were raped and close to 3 million people killed. The Pakistani army specifically targeted Hindu men, women and children and went on a rampage of mass murders, rapes, and brutalization. Gary Bass, professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, has described the ordeal in painstaking detail in his book The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. Speaking on the Senate floor on November 1, 1971, the late Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy described the dire situation of the Hindus as follows:
Field reports to the U.S. government, countless eye-witness journalistic accounts, reports of international agencies such as the World Bank, and additional information available to the Subcommittee document the reign of terror which grips East Bengal [East Pakistan]. Hardest hit have been members of the Hindu community who have been robbed of their lands and shops, systematically slaughtered, and in some places, painted with yellow patches marked ‘H’. All of this has been officially sanctioned, ordered and implemented under martial law from Islamabad.
SASAC does not find such horrors of history as worthy of inclusion under any anti-Hindu bias. This illustrates an overtly prejudiced take on matters related to Hindus.
The group strongly condemns peaceful petitions, letters and organizing efforts by the Hindu community (including students), by deeming these to be a “coordinated swarm” of the “Hindu Right.” For example, in the manual’s section on “Organized Harassment”, SASAC declares: “When an online, coordinated swarm goes after an academic, it can create the appearance of widespread discontent against that academic even if no such discontent actually exists among the students or colleagues of the academic in question. Bear in mind that many of these accounts are likely fake and are not associated with a real person.”
In essence, the tens of thousands of people and organisations who have signed petitions or sent letters to university administrations or have called or met these officials personally are erased as “fake.”
As mentioned earlier, recently, 75 temples and spiritual organisations from across the United States wrote a letter to Rutgers University calling out the agenda-driven mistranslation of Hindu literature. The letter pointed out the problem with those who falsely attribute words to some of Hinduism’s most cherished deities such as Devi Sita.
In it, they pointed out that Professor Truschke had misattributed a quote from another scholar to claim that Sita Devi called her beloved husband Shri Rama, “a misogynistic pig.” This attempted attribution was swiftly contradicted by Professor Robert Goldman, whose work was being referenced as the source.
I find it extremely disturbing but perhaps not unexpected to learn that AT (Audrey Trushcke) has used such inappropriate language and passed it off as coming from Valmiki. Neither the great poet nor we used such a vulgar diction and certainly Sita would never have used such language to her husband even in the midst of emotional distress. Nowhere in our translation of the passage do we use words you mention AT as using… she is in no way quoting our translation but giving her own reading of the passage in her own highly inappropriate language.
We can see here the issue is not an academic’s right to an opinion, but one of plain and simple mistranslation and twisting of facts.
The letter also pointed to Professor Truschke calling the Bhagavad Gita a book that endorses mass slaughter and arguing that an episode from the Mahabharata somehow endorses evils like modern-day gangrapes. As the temple letter had remarked, the dishonouring of Draupadi was condemned by important figures within the Mahabharata and was considered against dharma (righteousness) – not an endorsement of gang rape or other social evils. We fail to see how any of the above concerns equate to “casteism and anti-Muslim prejudice.”
Professor Truschke has attacked Hindu groups (including CoHNA) by saying that they are using selective quotes to target and harass her. However, consider the following example: On March 6, 2021, while discussing a #MeToo incident involving a high profile Indian Muslim politician, Professor Truschke shared a completely unrelated “edgy” comparison of the dishonouring of Draupadi to allegations of rape by noting an article where an Indian judge had made references to Hindu epics while discussing modern sexual harassment.
In essence, Professor Truschke goes on to claim that she is merely following such a practice when referring to the Mahabharata and other Hindu texts. Here too,we find Professor Truschke twisting facts to suit her bigotry – The Indian judge and the article made references to show how the epics and their characters respect women and thus everyone should do the same, not to indicate that Hindu epics endorse rapes and social evils!
This is yet another excellent example of how a professor in a privileged position advances Hinduphobia by twisting facts in the name of “scholarship.”
Various scholars including Jeffrey Long, Stephen Prothero and Vamsee Juluri have written extensively on the topic of Hinduphobia and shown the long history of the phenomenon in the United States and beyond. Others such as Vishwa Adluri and Arvind Sharma have critiqued academia’s silencing of scholars who provide differing viewpoints than those in power.
Additionally, Hindu groups such as Hindu Human Rights of UK have traced the usage of the term “Hinduphobia” going back to the late 19th century and into the early 20th century (e.g., a snapshot from York Newspaper March 20, 1883. Source: Hindu Human Rights).
According to the group’s research, modern cases of Hinduphobia coincided with Indian migration into the United States and the UK. In Hinduphobia (1914) Dr Sudhindra Bose recalls a House Committee hearing of an exclusion bill which would impact 4,974 Hindus from the United States “…over fears they might compete for both education and [labour] with the American colonial class.”
Numerous instances of Hinduphobia are prevalent today – in academia, media, and popular culture. As mentioned previously, a young Hindu girl from the United States was recently subjected to Hinduphobia and hatred when she posed in a picture for NASA with images of Hindu deities on her desk.
She was attacked for merely expressing her heritage, with comments such as: “Wtf! Is that really her room?!” or “I see a right-wing Hindu kid with right-wing Hindu gods in a pic” or “Wherever Hindus (Brahmins) will go they will divide the nation into caste” or “NASA and gods don’t mix. The Indian kid seems to have some kind of an obsession with gods.”
Yet, the SASAC dismisses the term Hinduphobia because it “…cannot be easily linked to casualties on such horrific scales.”
In essence, the group acts like a gated club allowing only its own members to define the terms of engagement and control the discourse as far as Hinduism and India are concerned. The club deliberately excludes South Asian scholars who support an alternative point of view or make an argument that Hindus have legitimate concerns.
Interestingly, the group argues for academic freedom, critical inquiry and diverse voices and yet uses the epithet of “Hindutva” to gag voices that do not agree with them. Such behaviour is a perfect example of peddling Hinduphobia and a betrayal of liberal ideals, academic process, diversity, and critical inquiry.
Some of the anti-Hindu sources used in the Field Manual
Equality Labs
The manual extensively quotes and directs readers to sources and groups which have made it their business to denigrate Hinduism, its sacred texts and its deities and even call for its complete dismantling. For example, the Resource Page on “Intersectional Hate” quotes Equality Labs as an expert on “caste” related issues in numerous instances – ignoring the group’s public calls for dismantling Hinduism.
The page cites the 2018 Survey by Equality Labs that has become the standard yardstick to metaphorically lynch Hindus as “serial caste abusers,” in disregard of longstanding complaints about the survey’s quality. It even ignores how the Equality Labs survey was discredited by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in their recent survey of Indian Americans.
In January 2020, Sharmin Hossain, the former Political Director of Equality Labs publicly claimed that “arguing to salvage Hinduism is dominant caste rhetoric” and that “Brahmins have appropriated all their Gods from Dalits & Adivasis. Brahmins have stolen the Buddha, the hand of Fatima & other Islamic relics. Hinduism cannot be [a part] of progressive discourse until we dismantle Brahminism.” The tweets have since been deleted.
Similarly, in March 2020, Equality Labs published an article (and recently tried to delete it from existence) and social media messages calling Holi a “casteist” festival with a “violent history” where a “lower caste” female was immolated and claiming that a dispute involving a father, his son and his aunt, is somehow evidence of casteism. Various scholarly writers have debunked the claimed history. However, this incident illustrates the anti-Hindu agenda of Equality Labs.
In October 2019, Equality Labs’ Thenmozhi Soundararajan participated in a symposium on the “elimination of casteism” at the University of Michigan, where fellow panellist Kancha Ilaiah remarked that the annihilation of caste is not possible “without dismantling or destroying Hinduism as a religion…Hinduism does not reform, does not change because of the structural problems in the religion…” It should be no surprise that Professor Truschke includes Equality Labs and Ilaiah in her teaching materials and as resources.
Ilaiah’s book Why I am not a Hindu is full of hateful and misplaced information about Hinduism and a textbook example of Hinduphobia.
In Chapter 5 (p. 71), while discussing Hinduism and its deities, Ilaiah goes on to say that “…violence has been Hinduism’s principal mechanism of control. That is the reason why many Hindu Gods were weapon-wielders in distinct contrast to the Gods of all other religions.” And, while continuing the discussion on how Hinduism is different from other religions, Ilaiah concludes (p.72) that Hinduism “…from its very inception, has a fascist nature…”
Equality Labs also recommends Ilaiah as a resource on caste.
Dr Suraj Yengde
The manual also refers to Dr Suraj Yengde, a post-doctoral research associate at Harvard University, as an expert source on caste. On December 11, 2020, Dr Yengde called Hindus “…the sick people of India,” and that “…it is their religious books who train the mind.” The extremely bigoted tweet vilified an entire religious community of close to one billion based on incidents that occurred in India – incidents in which most Hindus in India and around the world had no hand in. It also implied that Hindus are brainwashed by their religious books, which teach them to be inherently violent and oppressive. Or, that Hinduism itself is incapable of promoting a positive outlook towards other communities, classes, or groups.
Similarly, on May 12, 2021, while remarking on a recent incident involving alleged caste discrimination at a Hindu temple in New Jersey, Dr Yengde stated that “Hinduism is exploitation & murder of Dalits anywhere.” And, on May 13, 2021, Dr Yengde added that “Hindu temples are monuments of Dalit slavery.
In another tweet, on March 22, 2021, Dr Yengde posed a question to his followers, asking “Can one be a Hindu. WITHOUT torturing Dalits, Muslims, Christians??”
Here, it is worth pausing to consider – would these academics similarly quote texts from other religions or endorse groups or people who use individual criminal acts to target and paint other religious communities as guilty?
Students Against Hindutva Ideology (SAHI, Formerly Known As Holi Against Hindutva)
In the manual’s section for students, SASAC asks them to ponder upon questions such as “Do you have a place on campus where ALL aspects of your South Asian American identities are respected and acknowledged?” Yet, the group proceeds to provide an overtly prejudiced view of “identity” by directing students towards Students Against Hindutva Ideology (SAHI).
As some have demonstrated, SAHI started as “Holi Against Hindutva,” a fringe group that has also gone on record to call the Hindu festival of Holi “casteist.” Not to mention, SAHI works for hand in glove with Equality Labs. A snapshot from SAHI’s “campaigns” page is produced below to illustrate the Hinduphobic overtones that prevail within the group’s activism (notice also the red poster with the word “Azaadi,” which translates to freedom and argues for the freedom of Kashmir from India).
It is important to note that Professor Truschke, one of the main forces behind SASAC, is also on the Advisory Board of SAHI.
The same section of the manual overtly argues for “Kashmir’s sovereignty,” which is essentially a call for breaking Kashmir away from India and into a separate territory while actively suppressing the voices of indigenous Kashmiri Hindus and downplaying the atrocities faced by them. In doing so, SAHI supports regressive laws that had curtailed the marital and property rights of Kashmiri women and kept Kashmiri Dalits in a state of semi-bonded labour.
The SASAC section on students then ends with links to Equality Labs’ Caste Survey and the latter’s report on Facebook India Religious Hate Speech, thus reinforcing the linkages to anti-Hindu sources as “experts.”
The above information demonstrates the SASAC’s extreme ideological leanings. Scholarly works cannot be used as a smokescreen to support those with a history of hatred against an entire community. We would not want this type of treatment for any religious community or group, nor would such bigotry be tolerated by any other minority group.
To conclude, SASAC has been formed with the express purpose of gaslighting dissenting voices. These voices are pre-declared to be “far-right,” conjuring up similarities with popular images of people in white sheets burning crosses on the lawns of these professors and scholars. Nothing could be further from the truth. As concerned Hindus, we will continue to voice our outrage when academic freedom is used as a cover for bigotry by these professors and scholars. And, if voicing our concerns is deemed as harassment to shield their own bigotry and Hinduphobia, that is on their fragile but monumental egos, which seem to be allergic to the truth.
When professors who sit in privileged positions and have a large social media megaphone, decide to peddle such falsehoods, Hindus are fully within their rights to raise concerns in a just and uncompromising manner. Not doing so goes against the very teachings which pervade our sacred texts such as the Bhagavad Gita.
Author: This report was first published on https://cohna.org/, We have republished it with kind permission from the CoHNA.
Disclaimer: The CoHNA is solely responsible for the views expressed in this report. The CoHNA carries the responsibility for citing and/or licensing images utilised within the text. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the CoHNA, and neither The Australia Today News nor its partners assume any responsibility for them.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for Sustainability; Picture Source: @CANVA
If we do not take care of nature, nature will not take care of us.
Researches show the under global pandemic of COVID -19; humans are restricted inside the houses that resulted in a positive outcome on nature, as it led to temporarily constraining human’s exploitation of nature.
Is this blessing in disguise? If yes, do we need to wait for such a crisis in the future or we can learn lessons to unit together to respect nature and safeguard the environment for our future generations. Pacific nations had been seriously raising climatic change issues in the developing states, especially of the Pacific Islands in all international platforms.
5th June 2021 is the most anticipated day to create awareness about protecting, preserving and enhancing the environment through World Environment Day (WED) on a global platform for the widest public outreach. Many initiatives are started at various fronts as a compost awareness program, planting of sea meadows/salt marsh plants and marine protected area mapping and surveillance. This article highlights the historical importance of this green day and the 3 R’s of sustainability.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for Sustainability; Picture Source: @CANVA
History of World Environment Day
This year the theme is “Biodiversity” where “a call to action to combat the accelerating species loss and degradation of the natural world”, will be hosted in Colombia in partnership with Germany. This will be celebrated in more than 143 countries.
As per UN, on 15 December 1972, UN General assembly adopted a resolution of designating 5th June as World Environment Day by urging “Governments and the organisations in the United Nations system to undertake on that day every year worldwide activities reaffirming their concern for the preservation and enhancement of the environment.” In 1974, the first WED was celebrated with the slogan of “Only One Earth”.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for Sustainability; Picture Source: @CANVA
Since then it is celebrated annually to raise environmental issues of depletion of the ozone layer, desertification, toxic chemicals, marine pollution, global warming, sustainable consumption, raising population growth, sustainable consumption and wildlife crime. This has become the need of the hour to reduce human being infiltration in the nature cycle leading to contamination of environments like polluting earth, water and air; disrupting ecosystems; deforestation; soil erosion; rising global temperature and climatic crisis issues. Mankind’s role and duties need to be recapitulated if forgotten and move towards an eco-conscious society.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for Sustainability; Picture Source: @CANVA
Environmental problems of Pacific
Many Pacific Islands are facing environmental challenges include unstainable fishing practices and use of marine resources, destruction of coral reefs, rising sea levels, erosion of coastal areas, destruction of mangroves, rising temperature and sea levels; high destructive winds, degradation of land resources; loss of biodiversity in many areas; risk of loss of coastal resources; frequent large scale flooding and flash flooding; waste disposal and deforestation; and vulnerability due to cyclones. One need to work together to conserve the fragile island ecosystems; protect marine life, reduce deforestation and curb the rising variety of pollution. These hazards need to be resolve to have a sustainable environment for future generations.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for Sustainability; Picture Source: @CANVA
Virtual Celebrations
Several tree-planting activities and clean up campaigns, lectures, concerts, parades organized were celebrated in previous years. Due to COVID-19 prevention restrictions and social distancing measures, one can celebrate in diverse ways through virtual mode and practising in one own small bubble.
There can be different innovative means to raise digital awareness of the environment by individual/family posting about one’s contribution to safeguarding the environment on social media outlets; highlighting the theme to be conscious consumers in order to conserve biodiversity and preserve nature; organising a free webinar on environmental issues; an online campaign to discuss issues of environmental conservation; make self-commitment to recycle and avoid usage of the non-degradable products; learn to reduce the plastic waste and carbon footprint. One has to relook to develop sustainable habits to conserve our environment.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for Sustainability; Picture Source: @CANVA
After taking social distancing measures, these steps can be supplemented by planting trees at home, wearing clothes of colour like green to show their support; messaging to create environmental awareness among friends, family, neighbours and community members; posting selfies and videos messages through online mode. It is an opportunity to inspire others to be more rational in curbing plastic pollution, safeguarding endangered species,
3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
The basic principle of earth needs to be taken care of,as to reduce the waste so the burden to recycle and reuse can be decreased. Buying as per need because the best way to reduce waste is by not creating it. Buying environmentally friendly products will bring sustainability. A study highlighted “reducing the amount you buy can help reduce waste in surprising ways: Phone books, Disposable razors, Disposable diapers, cell phones and light bulbs” (Abdul-Rahman, Guide G-314, 2014). Suggestions to reduce waste produce by ordering minimum packing and using local produced producing.
Reuse meaning the rule of using something again in its original purpose or to perform a different function. It should be differentiated from recycling, which involves the process of converting discarded objects into raw materials for the production of new things. Reusing should involve reusing newspaper and paper products for making art and craft and wrapping paper; donating old books, outgrown clothes, old furniture, or household items to other users rather than discarding them. Taking reusable bags for shopping and using old tires for gardening, are simple reusable means. Recycling generates more industry, jobs and it is a cost-effective disposal means.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for Sustainability; Picture Source: @CANVA
At home, we tend to follow basic things to maintain a small garden and planting seedlings, rationally use water, reduce energy consumption and carbon wastage; using eco-friendly means to reduce carbon footprints; recycle basic wastage where possible; avoid plastic usage and move towards using material that is environmentally decomposable; move towards using solar lights and sunlight by opening curtains in the day time. Recycling strives for environmental sustainability with the objective of replacing raw material input and diverting waste to produce new products. Such as recycling crayons, water bottles, paperboards, recycle metals.
I have taken the pledge to move towards a sustainable and environmentally friendly by making subtle changes in my lifestyle and motivate people around me to do the same. I am doing my bit and hope the readers shall do the same.
Author: Dr Sakul Kundra, A.HOD Department of Social Science, College of Humanities and Education, Fiji National University.
Four Geelong taxi drivers have come up with the idea to help others during the ongoing lockdown and that too is free of charge!
These taxi drivers have lost work as fewer people need a taxi to get places.
However, they have been offering a free delivery service to vulnerable people who are unable to leave their homes.
34-year-old Lovepreet Sharma told the ABC that he was talking to an elderly customer whose family lived an hour away in Melbourne.
She mentioned that what worried her the most was how she would get through the ‘stay-at-home period.’
Lovepreet, popularly known as Harry, says:
“That’s why we thought it would be a good time to do this service and help people out. So that’s when I thought, maybe there’s a lot more people like that who may be needing help.”
Lovepreet discussed the idea of helping others with his three friends.
He asked them if it was possible that they could do free deliveries for vulnerable people in the area.
Image source: Lovepreet Sharma – Facebook
The four taxi drivers pick up and drop off, collect orders, deliver medication and groceries, etc without charging anything.
Not just the elderly, Lovepreet and his friends have been contacted by local charities to organise the delivery and collection of donated goods.
Lovepreet who has no plans to stop the good work that the friends have started adds:
“We are also happy to supply some food if you are in need. If you are struggling, don’t be shy, now is the time for helping each other.”
Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide; Picture Source: @CANVA
A lot of social media and mainstream media commentary went on to debate and on few occasions accuse state governments about the decisions they took.
Because of all this information flying around you might be wondering why sometimes the extraordinary emphasis is put on some council areas when lockdowns and restrictions are imposed.
To ease that sense of anxiety here is some data to help you understand.
New South Wales:
Locally acquired COVID-19 cases and tests in the last four weeks – up to 8pm 22 July 2021
NSW saw 136 locally acquired cases reported to 8 pm last night, 62 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 29 are from Western Sydney LHD, 28 are from Sydney LHD, 14 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD.
COVID-19 cases and tests by local government area-
Local Government Area
Cases*
Cases with unknown source
Total tests
Test rate (per 1000)
Albury
0
0
5,037
93
Armidale Regional
0
0
2,267
74
Ballina
0
0
2,768
62
Balranald
0
0
202
86
Bathurst Regional
0
0
5,001
115
Bayside
49
5
42,923
241
Bega Valley
0
0
2,277
66
Bellingen
0
0
1,077
83
Berrigan
0
0
291
33
Blacktown
54
22
69,001
184
Bland
0
0
312
52
Blayney
0
0
1,311
178
Blue Mountains
2
0
16,835
213
Bogan
0
0
122
47
Bourke
0
0
343
132
Brewarrina
0
0
69
43
Broken Hill
0
0
1,185
68
Burwood
9
3
6,953
171
Byron
0
0
2,744
78
Cabonne
1
0
1,118
82
Camden
3
2
30,790
304
Campbelltown
14
3
36,965
216
Canada Bay
6
0
20,444
213
Canterbury-Bankstown
224
61
99,956
264
Carrathool
0
0
141
50
Central Coast
3
0
50,780
148
Central Darling
0
0
97
53
Cessnock
0
0
3,639
61
Clarence Valley
0
0
2,641
51
Cobar
0
0
218
47
Coffs Harbour
0
0
7,285
94
Coolamon
0
0
303
70
Coonamble
0
0
261
66
Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional
0
0
1,161
103
Cowra
0
0
836
66
Cumberland
111
32
57,152
237
Dubbo Regional
0
0
4,422
82
Dungog
0
0
602
64
Edward River
0
0
463
51
Eurobodalla
0
0
2,780
72
Fairfield
677
160
112,282
530
Federation
0
0
799
64
Forbes
0
0
496
50
Georges River
64
14
39,230
246
Gilgandra
0
0
215
51
Glen Innes Severn
0
0
366
41
Goulburn Mulwaree
0
0
3,439
110
Greater Hume Shire
0
0
1,268
118
Griffith
0
0
2,206
82
Gunnedah
0
0
747
59
Gwydir
0
0
167
31
Hawkesbury
6
0
13,404
199
Hay
0
0
182
62
Hilltops
0
0
1,276
68
Hornsby
4
0
22,103
145
Hunters Hill
1
0
5,972
399
Inner West
10
3
45,806
228
Inverell
0
0
851
50
Junee
0
0
313
47
Kempsey
0
0
2,194
74
Kiama
0
0
3,398
145
Ku-ring-gai
0
0
27,426
216
Kyogle
0
0
369
42
Lachlan
0
0
277
46
Lake Macquarie
0
0
24,315
118
Lane Cove
1
1
14,559
363
Leeton
0
0
701
61
Lismore
0
0
2,895
66
Lithgow
0
0
1,574
73
Liverpool
126
31
66,543
292
Liverpool Plains
0
0
408
52
Lockhart
0
0
225
68
Maitland
0
0
11,277
132
Mid-Coast
0
0
5,530
59
Mid-Western Regional
0
0
2,205
87
Moree Plains
0
0
539
41
Mosman
0
0
6,062
196
Murray River
0
0
232
19
Murrumbidgee
0
0
224
57
Muswellbrook
0
0
1,137
69
Nambucca
0
0
1,412
71
Narrabri
0
0
528
40
Narrandera
0
0
238
40
Narromine
0
0
402
62
Newcastle
0
0
20,054
121
North Sydney
3
0
12,071
161
Northern Beaches
9
0
64,121
234
Oberon
0
0
396
73
Orange
0
0
5,932
140
Parkes
0
0
1,267
85
Parramatta
41
15
45,648
177
Penrith
13
2
39,768
187
Port Macquarie-Hastings
0
0
6,822
81
Port Stephens
0
0
6,007
82
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional
0
0
3,645
60
Randwick
54
4
66,972
430
Richmond Valley
0
0
1,522
65
Ryde
1
0
28,592
218
Shellharbour
0
0
11,497
157
Shoalhaven
0
0
10,054
95
Singleton
0
0
2,167
92
Snowy Monaro Regional
0
0
1,779
86
Snowy Valleys
0
0
868
60
Strathfield
15
1
13,017
277
Sutherland Shire
24
8
57,247
248
Sydney
31
11
70,434
286
Tamworth Regional
0
0
5,335
85
Temora
0
0
250
40
Tenterfield
0
0
166
25
The Hills Shire
15
1
41,897
235
Tweed
0
0
5,638
58
Unincorporated NSW
0
0
0
0
Upper Hunter Shire
0
0
929
66
Upper Lachlan Shire
0
0
680
84
Uralla
0
0
301
50
Wagga Wagga
0
0
6,597
101
Walcha
0
0
224
71
Walgett
0
0
317
53
Warren
0
0
275
102
Warrumbungle Shire
0
0
545
59
Waverley
68
4
31,178
420
Weddin
0
0
229
63
Wentworth
0
0
811
115
Willoughby
4
1
11,703
144
Wingecarribee
1
0
7,916
155
Wollondilly
1
1
6,745
127
Wollongong
6
3
33,931
156
Woollahra
16
3
22,373
377
Yass Valley
0
0
937
55
NSW Total**
1,674
394
1,604,329
196
*Includes all locally acquired cases (known and unknown source)
The tables show the location of residence by Local Government Area (LGA) of locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the last four weeks. It is based on the date the person first developed symptoms.
When no date of symptom onset is available (it is either under investigation by public health staff or the person tested positive without showing symptoms), the positive test date is used. Infections are not always acquired in the place of residence as people often travel outside their area for many reasons (e.g. work, school and shopping).
Cases without an NSW residential address and people who were exposed interstate or overseas are not shown. Case counts may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case reviews.
Today, there are 14 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases which are all linked to the current outbreaks. 10 of the 14 cases were in quarantine throughout their entire infectious period with 1 of the other 4 cases still to be interviewed.
Statewide case numbers are subject to change as cases are reviewed and reclassified. Some postcode and local government information require to follow up and confirmation with a confirmed case and so is not added to the map until this process is completed by Victorian Public Health team.
Data on the table is presented by local government area active cases.
LGA
lga_pid
Active
Total Cases
rate
new
Alpine (S)
VIC242
0
1
0
0
Ararat (RC)
VIC220
0
6
0
0
Ballarat (C)
VIC241
0
58
0
0
Banyule (C)
VIC188
4
455
3
0
Bass Coast (S)
VIC173
0
10
0
0
Baw Baw (S)
VIC194
0
16
0
0
Bayside (C)
VIC182
3
269
2.8
0
Benalla (RC)
VIC199
0
4
0
0
Boroondara (C)
VIC201
21
292
11.5
4
Brimbank (C)
VIC189
9
2049
4.3
0
Buloke (S)
VIC183
0
0
0
0
Campaspe (S)
VIC239
0
10
0
0
Cardinia (S)
VIC212
0
201
0
0
Casey (C)
VIC213
3
1073
0.8
1
Central Goldfields (S)
VIC169
0
2
0
0
Colac-Otway (S)
VIC224
0
136
0
0
Corangamite (S)
VIC231
0
4
0
0
Darebin (C)
VIC205
2
693
1.2
1
East Gippsland (S)
VIC243
0
8
0
0
Frankston (C)
VIC227
1
243
0.7
1
Gannawarra (S)
VIC214
0
2
0
0
Glen Eira (C)
VIC177
15
249
9.6
2
Glenelg (S)
VIC223
0
19
0
0
Golden Plains (S)
VIC230
0
19
0
0
Greater Bendigo (C)
VIC193
1
102
0.8
0
Greater Dandenong (C)
VIC247
0
547
0
0
Greater Geelong (C)
VIC215
4
372
1.5
0
Greater Shepparton (C)
VIC93
0
53
0
0
Hepburn (S)
VIC94
0
2
0
0
Hindmarsh (S)
VIC152
0
0
0
0
Hobsons Bay (C)
VIC235
0
516
0
0
Horsham (RC)
VIC153
0
14
0
0
Hume (C)
VIC198
17
1679
7.3
1
Indigo (S)
VIC191
0
1
0
0
Kingston (C)
VIC226
2
305
1.2
0
Knox (C)
VIC209
0
165
0
0
Latrobe (C)
VIC219
0
53
0
0
Loddon (S)
VIC185
0
5
0
0
Macedon Ranges (S)
VIC228
0
58
0
0
Manningham (C)
VIC195
1
164
0.8
0
Mansfield (S)
VIC244
0
10
0
0
Maribyrnong (C)
VIC234
5
588
5.4
0
Maroondah (C)
VIC207
1
114
0.8
0
Melbourne (C)
VIC132
2
917
1.1
1
Melton (C)
VIC237
0
1146
0
0
Mildura (RC)
VIC222
4
10
7.2
0
Mitchell (S)
VIC211
0
90
0
0
Moira (S)
VIC190
0
11
0
0
Monash (C)
VIC210
7
352
3.5
1
Moonee Valley (C)
VIC121
5
831
3.8
0
Moorabool (S)
VIC236
6
43
17.1
0
Moreland (C)
VIC131
0
1061
0
0
Mornington Peninsula (S)
VIC204
1
183
0.6
0
Mount Alexander (S)
VIC105
0
9
0
0
Moyne (S)
VIC229
0
2
0
0
Murrindindi (S)
VIC250
0
9
0
0
Nillumbik (S)
VIC216
1
144
1.5
0
Northern Grampians (S)
VIC166
0
3
0
0
Other
2
192
0
0
Overseas Traveller
12
226
0
0
Port Phillip (C)
VIC208
3
315
2.6
0
Pyrenees (S)
VIC217
0
3
0
0
Queenscliffe (B)
VIC238
0
1
0
0
South Gippsland (S)
VIC178
0
14
0
0
Southern Grampians (S)
VIC233
0
2
0
0
Stonnington (C)
VIC203
3
264
2.5
0
Strathbogie (S)
VIC110
0
2
0
0
Surf Coast (S)
VIC225
0
13
0
0
Swan Hill (RC)
VIC180
0
6
0
0
Towong (S)
VIC187
0
0
0
0
Wangaratta (RC)
VIC186
0
2
0
0
Warrnambool (C)
VIC179
0
13
0
0
Wellington (S)
VIC218
1
18
2.3
0
West Wimmera (S)
VIC232
0
1
0
0
Whitehorse (C)
VIC196
2
220
1.1
1
Whittlesea (C)
VIC197
0
1227
0
0
Wodonga (RC)
VIC192
0
0
0
0
Wyndham (C)
VIC221
11
2265
4.1
1
Yarra (C)
VIC202
9
469
8.9
0
Yarra Ranges (S)
VIC206
0
247
0
0
Yarriambiack (S)
VIC200
0
1
0
0
Cases that are acquired overseas after December 1st, 2020 are recorded as residing in a default postcode of 9998 and Local Government Area of “Travel Overseas”. These entries are not displayed in the maps however are contained in the datasets.
South Australia Case numbers by location:
LGA Active Cases
Barossa 2 Playford 1 Salisbury 2 Tea Tree Gully 3 Adelaide 14 Burnside 1 Holdfast Bay 1 Onkaparinga 1 Total Active cases in South Australia are
"Pregnancy Bible," authored by Kareena Kapoor; Picture Source: Instagram @kareenaKapoorKhan
A Christian group has taken objection to the title of a book written by actress Kareena Kapoor and filed a police complaint in Beed city of Maharashtra, India. This right-wing Christian group is accusing her of hurting the religious sentiments of the community.
Alpha Omega Christian Mahasangh President Ashish Shinde submitted the complaint at the Shivaji Nagar Police Station in Beed over the book, which has a second author.
In the complaint, Shinde has referred to the title of the book, “Pregnancy Bible,” authored by Kareena Kapoor and Aditi Shah Bhimjani, and published by Juggernaut Books.
“The holy word ‘Bible’ has been used in the book’s title and this has hurt the religious sentiments of Christians,”
he has said.
Shinde has sought registration of a case under IPC section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) against the actress and the two others.
“Pregnancy Bible,” authored by Kareena Kapoor; Picture Source: Instagram @kareenaKapoorKhan
A police official confirmed receiving the complaint but said no FIR has been filed. Shivaji Nagar Police Station in charge Inspector Sainath Thombre told the media.
“We have received the complaint but no case can be registered here as the incident has not happened here (in Beed). I have advised him to file a complaint in Mumbai.”
Kareena launched her book on July 9, Calling it her third child. The 40-year-old actress, who gave birth to her second child, a boy, in February this year, shared a series of posts to promote the book on social media.
“Pregnancy Bible,” authored by Kareena Kapoor; Picture Source: Instagram @kareenaKapoorKhan
According to the actress, the book is a personal account of what she experienced physically and emotionally through both her pregnancies.
Australian researchers World-first needle-free diabetes test; Picture Source: Supplied
A world-first, pain-free diabetes test developed at the University of Newcastle could be in the hands of consumers following $6.3 million in funding to establish the first manufacturing facility for the device.
Funded under the Medical Products priority of the Australian Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative, the world-class facility will help to transition twenty years of research from the lab to retail shelves to benefit more than 460 million people living with diabetes globally.
University of Newcastle physicist and research leader, Professor Paul Dastoor said his team at the Centre for Organic Electronics (COE) were working closely with their commercial partner and grant recipient – GBS, on a purpose-built manufacturing facility to be located in the Hunter.
“Construction will begin on the facility this year, with the first devices due to roll off the production line by 2023,” Professor Dastoor said.
Video: World-first needle-free diabetes test
“With more than 460 million people testing their glucose levels regularly, this is a technology with huge demand, and the potential to create significant high-tech jobs growth in our region and beyond.”
Dr George Syrmalis, Group Chief Executive Officer of The iQ Group Global added, “Our entire business model is all about the translation of discovery into a product that fills an unmet medical need.”
“Creating a dedicated high tech manufacturing facility to commence production for our Glucose Biosensor will benefit the local society by creating jobs, but most importantly the patients afflicted with diabetes, who have up till now had to finger prick multiple times a day in order to monitor their glucose levels. This grant could not have come at a more appropriate time, as we prepare for clinical testing,” said Dr Syrmalis.
University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alex Zelinsky AO said the project was a powerful example of the direction the University was taking under its Looking Ahead Strategic Plan, launched last year.
“Through our strategic plan, which was shaped by our students, staff and our communities, we committed to establishing the Hunter as the ultimate test bed for innovation and to drive investment in the new industries that are needed to generate the job opportunities of the future. This project is a tangible example of that plan coming to fruition and another proud moment for our region,” said Professor Zelinsky.
Meet the University team: (L-R) Dr Daniel Elkington, Prof Paul Dastoor, Dr Nathan Cooling, Dr Pankaj Kumar, Dr Swee Lu Lim
Saliva glucose biosensor: How it works
The saliva test makes painful finger-prick testing for type 1 and type 2 diabetes obsolete, representing the first major innovation since the blood glucose test was developed in the 1960s.
Professor Dastoor attributes this, in part, to inspiration from his wife, who as a primary school teacher helped young children in her care to monitor their blood glucose levels.
“It’s a heartbreaking scenario when the lunch bell rings and everyone runs to the playground, bar an unfortunate few who stay back to surrender their finger for blood testing at every mealtime,” Professor Dastoor said.
“Our vision was to create a world where no one needs to bleed in order to eat.”
With saliva glucose concentrations 100 times lower than in blood, this was easier said than done.
“One of our key challenges was the sheer unavailability of glucose in saliva. It exists in minute concentrations, so you need to develop an incredibly powerful platform to detect it. Saliva also contains a plethora of other substances, so you’ve then got to tune out a lot of ‘noise’ to ensure results are accurate,” Professor Dastoor said.
Professor Dastoor said the sensor, similar in size to a stick of chewing gum and considerably thinner, was incredibly powerful, detecting substances that exist in saliva in minute concentrations.
“With this highly sensitive platform, we can now detect glucose at the levels found in saliva, for the first time,” Professor Dastoor said.
Coated with a natural enzyme – Glucose Oxidase – the biosensor interacts with saliva, producing a reaction that generates an electrical current. This current can be detected and measured to reveal highly accurate glucose levels which could be delivered via a smartphone app and the data stored in the cloud.
Other applications
Professor Dastoor said the sensor could be developed for application across 130 indications including tumour markers, hormones and allergens.
“The biosensor is a ‘platform technology, which means it will be widely applicable to detect a variety of substances that identify a range of diseases. We’re already looking for the substances that identify cancer, hormones and allergies,” Professor Dastoor said.
Professor Paul Dastoor said the sensor could help with new diagnostic tests urgently needed to help eradicate COVID-19. His team are partnering with the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University to help develop the sensor platform as a non-invasive COVID test.
“The Wyss Institute have developed a clever antifouling coating that can be incorporated into the biosensor platform, offering a new diagnostic tool for COVID-19 that can be printed onto plastic strips at massive scale,” Professor Dastoor said.
How it’s made
Professor Dastoor and his team have already developed a small-scale ‘factory on campus’ at the University’s Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER), including ink synthesis, custom printing and equipment fabrication.
“We’ve built a commercial-scale facility in our lab, however, this is a shared resource used to advance some of our other technologies including our printed solar panels (pictured below), which there is also huge demand for. A dedicated manufacturing facility for biosensors in the Hunter will enable us to dramatically ramp up production of the saliva biosensor to meet global demand,” Professor Dastoor said.
The ‘factory on campus’, which is supported by the Australian National Fabrication Facilities (ANFF) Materials Node, is at the cutting edge of an emerging industry known as ‘functional printing’, where instead of producing text and images, printers are producing printed electronic or ‘functional’ devices.
The reel-to-reel printer in Professor Dastoor’s lab previously printed wine labels.
With functional printing, Professor Dastoor’s team marry the old and the new, using conventional printers combined with proprietary electronic inks, to achieve low-cost production of advanced materials.
“What we’ve been able to do for the first time is combine printed electronics with biological sensing. That means we’re able to detect molecules like glucose, using sensors we can print hundreds of millions of, using really low-cost printing equipment,” Professor Dastoor said.
Professor Dastoor said functional printing could help reignite the shrinking traditional print manufacturing sector.
“Disruption in the traditional print industry has left a great deal of useful equipment stranded. Functional printing of electronic devices such as the saliva glucose biosensor is an opportunity to recommission this idle equipment, resuscitating onshore manufacturing industries and creating jobs for skilled workers,” Professor Dastoor said.
NASDAQ listing
Initially licensed in 2016 to commercial research partner, The iQ Group Global – a life sciences company developing non-invasive, real-time diagnostic testing for patients, the saliva glucose biosensor was listed on the NASDAQ on Christmas Eve in 2020 under GBS Inc. It raised US$21.6 million (AU$27.4 million) at its Initial Public Offering (IPO).
It’s the first University of Newcastle innovation to appear on an international stock exchange and has been on a rapid commercialisation trajectory ever since.
“To see the biosensor on shelves, changing lives will be immensely satisfying, it’s why we do the work we do,” Professor Dastoor said.
Muhammad “Bilal” Khan, aged 40 and father of two, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court tp plead guilty to indecent assault and three counts of sexual touching women.
His lawyer, Amelia Beech, said he had been terminated from his high paying job as a financial services employee after media reporting on his sex crimes.
According to news.com, his lawyer said the “breadwinner” was feeling “enormous stress and distress” after he was given the sack and the charges had a “huge impact on him”.
Khan was a senior employee at AB Phillips where he earned $120,000 a year, the court heard.
Image source: Victoria Police.
Khan, a serial public masturbator, ejaculated on women at music festivals and on public transport.
A police statement of facts reads that he left his DNA behind when he masturbated onto three women from behind in three separate incidents over four years.
On 8 February 2015, a woman at the St Kilda Festival felt something warm on her back and turned around to see Khan buttoning up his pants. She felt something wet and realised he had ejaculated onto her top and jeans.
On 8 February 2017, another woman was catching a tram from Flinders Street to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in the CBD when Khan touched her leg and ejaculated onto her dress.
On 4 March 2018, Khan again ejaculated onto a woman, this time at the Brunswick Festival.
On 18 October 2019, Khan was caught on CCTV approaching a woman from behind at the bar of the Carlton Club and grabbing her buttocks, dragging a finger up her legs.
Khan’s lawyer told the court that her client moved to Australia from Pakistan in 2009. She added that Khan found it “overwhelming” and had anxiety over women in Melbourne.
Magistrate Hartnett said she intends to sentence Khan to a community corrections order with the condition he undertakes an offence-specific treatment program. She added that Khan needed treatment for his own benefit and for the benefit of the community.
A 53-year-old woman and a 57-year-old man received jail sentences today after being convicted of keeping a woman in forced labour at their Mount Waverley home for nearly nine years.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) began investigating the matter in September 2015 after receiving a referral from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (now the Australian Border Force), regarding a woman from India who travelled to Australia on a Tourist visa.
The AFP Human Trafficking Team commenced an investigation, which resulted in slavery charges being laid in June 2016
A comprehensive nine-month investigation by the AFP resulted in the 53-year-old woman and 57-year-old man being charged in June 2016 with possessing a slave, contrary to s270.3(1)(a) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) and exercises over a slave any right of ownership, contrary to s270.3(1)(a) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth)
On Friday, 23 April 2021, a jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges. Today, 21 July 2021, the 53-year-old woman was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, with parole eligibility in four years.
The 57-year-old man was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, with parole eligibility in three years.
The court heard the couple kept the Indian woman in squalid conditions where she was forced to cook, clean, and care for the couple’s children over an eight-year period before she collapsed and was taken to hospital, weighing just 40 kilograms.
AFP Detective Superintendent Jayne Crossling said the offending was hidden in plain sight.
“The AFP is appealing to any victims, potential witnesses, or communities impacted by human trafficking to know there are pathways to support,”
D/Supt Crossling said.
“We want the public to be aware that human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices are happening here in Australia, all too often without anyone in the community know about it.
“Our hope is for every case we investigate, it helps others experiencing similar conditions to speak up and seek our help.
“It is up to all of us to work together to protect people who are vulnerable to the exploitative crimes of modern slavery.”
The Support for Trafficked People Program is a key component of Australia’s response to support victims of human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices, and is delivered nationally by the Australian Red Cross.
If you or someone you know is being exploited, help is available. For information and confidential advice please contact Australian Red Cross. Call (03) 9345 1800 or visit redcross.org.au/stpp.
Australia’s higher education workforce has literally been decimated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mass forced redundancies and non-renewal of casual contracts were highly stressful. And now some disciplines and academics who committed their lives to teach feel publicly invalidated as unnecessary in the reconstruction of the sector to produce what the government deems to be “job-ready graduates”.
Our recent review finds academics in Australia and New Zealand were suffering high levels of occupational stress well before COVID-19. Recent upheavals only added to existing problems. This is likely to jeopardise recruitment and retention of staff even in the very areas, such as health, teaching and medicine, where the government expects high future demand.
Our research team members are now turning their attention to the impacts of anonymous student feedback on academics’ well-being. Preliminary findings suggest it’s having extreme impacts on the mental health of some of the workforces that remain, especially early career academics. We are also investigating their perceptions of the impacts of this feedback on teaching quality and academic standards.
What are the main sources of stress?
The review of university teaching staff over the past 20 years found five key factors that contributed to stress and distress:
Representative picture of University Teachers; Picture Source: @CANVA
the role transition from professional to academic practice in applied disciplines — for example, a shift-working nurse moving from a hospital setting to teaching in a university
role differences for academics compared to other university staff such as administrative and IT staff as most academics have to work after hours and on weekends to manage their workload and meet performance indicators for research and teaching (including student feedback scores)
Representative picture of University Teachers; Picture Source: @CANVA
Academics are facing tighter managerial control and greater surveillance. Every facet of their role is subject to oversight and regulation.
The great changes in technology have contributed to this situation. While technology may enable and enhance the educational experience online, it’s also increasingly used to monitor and manage performance.
Universities that have embraced performance management, reduced the professional autonomy of teaching staff and demanded increased productivity have the lowest rates of job satisfaction. Australian academics’ satisfaction with their jobs and their institutions’ management is very low compared to other countries.
Representative picture of University Teachers; Picture Source: @CANVA
What about the students?
Ultimately, overworking and micro-managing teaching staff may lead to burnout and reduced enthusiasm for teaching. Additionally, an overemphasis on student retention and happiness may contribute to an erosion of academic standards.
This means many academics must struggle to balance keeping students happy, ensuring they succeed, while trying to maintain professional and academic standards. Many must also find the time to produce “quality” research outputs in an increasingly competitive environment.
So far, several hundred academics have completed our research team’s voluntary survey. The majority report receiving comments that were distressing, offensive or disrespectful. Even though these student comments are personally hurtful, many report that such comments are not redacted before being distributed, sometimes widely, within the university.
Representative picture of University Teachers; Picture Source: @CANVA
Universities appear to neglect the impacts of this feedback on academic well-being and reputation. One respondent wrote:
“I have watched colleagues go through a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of sorts when evaluation swings around. They have a physiological response: sweaty palms and rapid heart rate.”
It remains to be seen how extensive this experience is and how the problem can be managed so an experienced, qualified and enthusiastic workforce is maintained.
Representative picture of University Teachers; Picture Source: @CANVA
If you are an Australian health academic who would like to be involved in this research on the influence of anonymous narrative student feedback, please consider completing this ten-minute survey.
Deepak Chahar's heroics guide India to thrilling win; Picture Source: Twitter @BCCI
Deepak Chahar played one of the most memorable knocks to steer India to a thrilling win over Sri Lanka in the second ODI here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.
Chahar (69*) smashed a gusty fifty and stitched an unbeaten 84-run stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (19*) to take India home after the visitors were reduced to 193/7 in the second ODI.
India was down and almost out in their chase but Chahar made sure India get home in the final over. India needed 16 runs to win in the last three overs and the duo ensured the visitors do not lose any wickets and then guided the Shikhar Dhawan-led side to win with five balls to spare. With this victory, India has taken an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
Chasing 276, India got off to flying start but were soon put on the back foot as opener Prithvi Shaw and Ishan Kishan departed in quick successions to reduce visitors at 39/2.
Skipper Shikhar Dhawan and Manish Pandey stitched a 26-run stand but Wanindu Hasaranga trapped the opening batsman in front of the stumps in the 12th over.
India breath on short partnerships as Suryakumar Yadav gave the visitors a glimmer of hope. However, the right-handed batsman departed after scoring his half-century as India got reduced to 160/6.
After losing Hardik and Krunal Pandya India were in a spot of bother before Deepak Chahar revived the visitors’ innings.
Chahar slammed a magnificent fifty and took India close to the target along with vice-captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Chahar and Bhuvneshwar then did the honours as India sealed the series 2-0 with one match to go.
Earlier opting to bat first, Charith Asalanka (65) and Chamika Karunaratne (44*) played fighting knocks as Sri Lanka scored 275/9 in the allotted 50 overs.
Sri Lanka was in a spot of bother at 194/6 before Asalanka’s gutsy fifty and Karunaratne’s late cameo took the hosts over the 250-run mark. For India, Deepak Chahar backed Chahal and Bhuvneshwar as he scalped two wickets.
Sri Lanka began well as they scored 59 in the first 10 overs. Openers Minod Bhanuka (36) and Avishka Fernando (50) got Sri Lanka off to a solid start.
However, twin strikes from Yuzvendra Chahal in the 14th over put the hosts on the backfoot. Chahal got the wickets of opener Bhanuka and Bhanuka Rajapakasa in back-to-back deliveries to put India in the driver’s seat.
Fernando steadied the innings as the hosts went past the hundred-run mark, but Bhuvneshwar sent him back as soon as the batsman completed his fifty.
Two overs later Deepak Chahar struck for India as Dhananjaya de Silva failed to convert his good start into a big score as Sri Lanka got reduced to 134/4. Every time Sri Lanka steadied the ship a wicket fell as Chahar and Chahal kept the length tight.
Deepak Chahar’s heroics guide India to thrilling win; Picture Source: Twitter @BCCI
Sri Lanka was on 194/6 in the 40th over when Charith Asalanka revived the hosts’ innings. Asalanka’s fighting fifty kept Sri Lanka ticking the scoreboard as the hosts reached 244 before he got out.
In the last two overs, Sri Lanka scored 23 runs to reach 275 despite losing two wickets in the final six balls.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 275/9 (Charith Asalanka 65; Yuzvendra Chahal 3-50) vs India 277/7 (Suryakumar Yadav 53, Deepak Chahar 69*; Wanindu Hasaranga 3-37)
City of Melbourne, Australia; Picture Source: @CANVA
A study of the 75 cities about working digitally (work from home) has put Melbourne on top.
However, Melbourne is not the only Australian city in the top ten. Dubai beat Sydney to be on number two and Tallinn in Estonia follows it on number four.
Multiple lockdowns and restrictions suggest that remote working is to rise despite travel curbs ease with the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic over.
Working from home is not new to a lot of sectors including Information technology and Banking, however, Covid-19 restrictions have certainly forced many more people to work from home, which has raised questions around the location-centric approach to working.
City of Sydney, Australia; Picture Source: @CANVA
A lot of so-called ‘digital nomads’ are choosing great locations in the far-flung suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney due to their low cost of living and lifestyle opportunities.
As soon as the vaccination process will speed up globally international travel will slowly but surely start opening back. It will be an opportunity for these global ‘digital nomads’ to choose the best city which is best equipped for remote working.
City of Dubai; Picture Source: @CANVA
According to a new study done by Nestpick.com, a Berlin-based furnished housing platform Melbourne is the best city in the world for ‘Digital Nomads.’
The study assessed 75 of the world’s “most liveable” cities for their suitability when it comes to remote work, taking into account 16 factors under the group headings “costs and infrastructure”, “legislation and freedoms” and “liveability”.
Survey website says, “We decided to investigate which cities are not only the most attractive and welcoming to foreigners but also have the infrastructure and legislation in place to make it easy for remote employees [domestic and/or foreign] to live and work there.”
Melbourne, known for its cafes, ranked No 1 overall despite coming in the top three for just two individual factors (“gender quality” and “culture and leisure”).
Tallinn, in Estonia; Picture Source: @CANVA
Dubai, Sydney, also in Australia, and Tallinn, in Estonia, placed second, third and fourth in the study, and also benefit from visa conditions that allow foreigners to work remotely without additional permits.
However, of the 75 cities ranked in the “Work-from-Anywhere Index”, only 10 are covered by specific digital nomad visas (including Australia’s working holiday visas) –
Omer Kucukdere, founder and CEO of Nestpick says, “High earners are leaving business-focused cities to live in places that offer better day-to-day lifestyles, taking their purchasing power with them.”
“What we’ve seen through our study is that technology and employers have moved faster than infrastructure, with many legal barriers still in place for migrants who want to bring their job with them.”
City of Londn; Picture Source: @CANVA
Post-pandemic, governments who move quickly to offer digital-nomad-friendly visas may receive early-mover benefits.
“We will see more cities adapting to these new working conditions, and benefiting from the economic boost that these workers inject into their economies,” said Kucukdere.
SA Premier Steven Marshall and Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews; Picture Source: The Australia Today
Due to the current level of community transmission of coronavirus in Victoria, the current lockdown is extended for seven more days till 11:59 pm July 27, 2021.
Travel to Victoria using Red Zone Permits is also temporarily paused, which will potentially lock out hundreds of Victorians wanting to return from interstate.
“It is to ensure we run this Delta outbreak to the ground.”
said Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews.
“We cannot put Victoria’s hard-earned gains at risk by letting this Delta variant run free. We want Victoria back open as soon as possible – and we’ll do everything in our power to get us there safely and quickly,” stressed Premier Andrews.
This means that current settings will continue for the next seven days until Tuesday, 27 July at 11.59 pm.
There are only five reasons to leave home:
1- Getting the food and the supplies you need, 2- Exercising for up to two hours, 3- Care or caregiving, 4- Work or education if you can’t do it from home, 5- To get vaccinated at the nearest possible location.
Victoria’s total number of active cases stands at 85.
Highlights:
More than 15,000 primary close contacts in quarantine
More than 250 exposure sites online stretching from Phillip Island to the Mallee; and
Daily cases in double figures.
Shopping and exercise must be done within 5kms of your home or the nearest location.
It also means face masks will remain mandatory indoors (not at home) and outdoors unless an exception applies – this includes all workplaces and secondary schools.
Minor changes are made to the Authorised Premises and Authorised Worker List to include services that operate solely outdoors where physical distancing can be maintained at all times, pet grooming mobile services and pamphlet delivery services.
From Wednesday 21 July more students with disabilities will be able to return to on-site learning. Where a parent or carer indicates that a student with a disability cannot learn from home due to vulnerability or family stress, the school must provide on-site learning for that student. This change will apply to students enrolled in specialist schools and students with a disability enrolled in mainstream schools.
Minister for Health Martin Foley said, “We’ve had thousands of Victorians return from New South Wales in recent weeks, but with the situation escalating, the recent incursions and the increased infectiousness of the Delta variant, we must act to protect Victoria and temporarily pause Red Zone Permits.”
He claims, since the beginning of the second wave in Sydney, the Victorian Government has supported around 10,000 Victorians to return home from orange and red zone areas and health authorities have provided clear warnings that Victorians in NSW should get home as quickly as possible because of the escalating situation there.
“Due to the serious and persistent nature of the risk in NSW, we cannot continue to have hundreds of people coming to Victoria from the red zone every day.”
For this reason, the Chief Health Officer will temporarily pause the issuing of Red Zone Permits from 11:59 pm on Tuesday 20 July – pending a further review in a fortnight.
For at least the next two weeks, Victorian residents in red zones will require an exemption to enter the state – and these will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.
If people enter Victoria from New South Wales without an exemption, they will be put on a return flight or placed in 14 days mandatory quarantine under the COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria (CQV) program.
Fines of $5,452 may be imposed if a person is found to have entered Victoria from a red zone without a permit.
A person will still be able to enter Victoria from a red zone if they are aircrew, listed on the Specified Worker List, or transiting through Victoria to another jurisdiction – e.g. travelling from regional NSW through Mildura to get home to South Australia.
The CHO will continue to consider the status of the Australian Capital Territory, but the pause of Red Zone Permits also applies to that jurisdiction while it is classified as a red zone.
There are no changes to the current arrangements for border communities.
South Australia Update
20 July 2021
An announcement has been made regarding changes to public activity restrictions. Level 5 restrictions will be in place from 6:00 pm in the whole of South Australia.
South Australia’s Premier Steven Marshall told, “The lockdown will be for seven days due to confirmation that the outbreak is the highly transmissible Delta strain.”
“This is a highly infectious strain and that is why we are taking these extreme precautions.”
From 6 pm, there are just five reasons South Australians can leave their home:
Care and compassion reasons
Essential work
Medical reasons including vaccination and testing
Purchase of essential goods, such as a food
Exercise limited to those from the same household
Level four restrictions were brought back into effect at midnight after three new cases were detected in the community yesterday. One of the positive cases is the daughter of an 81-year-old man who returned from Argentina and also tested positive. The other two include a man and woman in their 50s.
Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said the new case linked to the Greek on Halifax restaurant is concerning authorities as more people could have been infected at that venue.”I want to get the message out if anyone has been to the Greek on Halifax – you need to get into quarantine and get tested,” Professor Spurrier said.
“If we have more and more people continuing to move, this virus will spread – we’ve seen how quickly things can get out of control in NSW and Victoria.”
From 20 July 2021 masks are required in enclosed public places where people are present with people from different households. This includes shared indoor public places (eg. shops), passenger transport services, health care services, high-risk settings.
Nepal parliament, newly-appointed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba; Picture Source: Twitter
With a 66 per cent majority in the Nepal parliament, newly-appointed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will now lead the country’s government till the next general elections.
Deuba, who garnered a total of 165 votes out of 249 votes cast on Sunday during a vote of confidence in Nepal’s Parliament late evening, would now remain the prime minister until the next general elections which are expected to be held in 2022.
“Members of the house, the total number of present members of the house during the voting was 249. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who tabled a motion of confidence as per Article 76 (6) of the Constitution of Nepal to show floor is on his support, garnered a total of 165 votes. A total of 83 votes has been cast against the motion and one vote has gone to neutral,”
House Speaker Agni Sapkota announced.
With a clear majority, Mr Deuba will be chairing as Prime Minister until the next general elections, which as per Nepal’s latest Constitution of 2015 should be held at an interval of every five years.
Mr Deuba, who also is president of the ruling Nepali Congress, had been appointed as prime minister as per Article 76(5) of the constitution on Tuesday, following Supreme Court’s mandamus.
A simple majority of 138 votes was required for Deuba to continue as Prime Minister out of 271 member House of Representatives.
Lawmakers belonging to CPN (Maoist Center), Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) factions led by both Upendra Yadav and Mahantha Thakur, Rastriya Janamorcha Party and a section of lawmakers of CPN-UML had voted in favour of Deuba during the floor test.
Earlier, the apex court in its verdict ordered President Bidya Devi Bhandari to appoint Deuba as the successor of KP Sharma Oli, former Nepal PM.
Congratulations Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr and best wishes for a successful tenure. I look forward to working with you to further enhance our unique partnership in all sectors, and strengthen our deep-rooted people-to-people ties.
A total of 146 members of the House of Representatives (HoR) had reached out to apex court with a writ petition to demand the restoration of the house and appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba, as the next prime minister on May 24.
This was after the Nepal President had refused to allow Deuba to form a new government as per Article 76 (5) and dissolution of the House.
With Oli failing to secure the vote of confidence on May 10, Bhandari on May 13 had appointed Oli as prime minister under Article 76 (3) of the constitution as the leader of the party with the highest number of members in the House.
A week after his appointment, Oli on May 20 in a sudden move recommended that the President invoked Article 76 (5) to choose a new prime minister.
Thank you very much, Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji, for your congratulatory note. I look forward to closely working with you to strengthen the relationship between our two countries and people. https://t.co/rJIElX1ytY
It is the President who initiates Article 76 (5) when a prime minister appointed under Article 76 (3) fails the trust vote.
Mr Oli, however, neither sought the trust vote nor resigned, thereby creating a situation in which a prime minister was asking the President to appoint a prime minister.
Victoria has entered a five-day lockdown to control its growing outbreak of the more infectious Delta variant.
Until midnight on Tuesdayrestrictions mean residents are only allowed to leave home for essential reasons, can only travel five kilometres away from home, and need to wear masks outside the home, among other measures.
We consider the lockdown essential and we strongly support this rapid action. However, our modelling predicts a five-day lockdown may not be enough.
Instead, we predict at least 30 days of restrictions will be needed before Victoria reaches three days without community transmission.
That’s if we take into account current and predicted case numbers, the fact we’re dealing with the more infectious Delta variant, and with current levels of vaccination.
The good news is Victoria is more likely to reach these three “donut days” sooner if vaccination rates pick up, even modestly.
We built a mathematical model based on nine COVID-19 outbreaks across four Australian states (including Victoria) since the start of the pandemic. We posted details online as a pre-print. So our model has yet to be independently verified (peer-reviewed).
Our model allows us to predict — given current case numbers, the particular variant in circulation and vaccination rates, among other variables — how long public health restrictions such as lockdowns need to last to achieve particular outcomes. Our model also allows us to predict how many cases an outbreak has at its peak.
Models are mathematical tools to predict the future, something, of course, no one can do with 100% certainty.
However, our model differs from others because it considers the difference between mystery cases and cases linked to a known case.
It also comprehensively integrates the effects of various public health measures, such as social distancing, wearing masks, contact tracing and vaccination.
What did we find about Victoria?
When we plug data about Victoria’s current outbreak into our model, this is what we find.
Our model predicts the number of daily reported cases of community transmission will continue to climb over the next week or so. Even with the current lockdown, we predict a peak of at least 30 cases a day over the next 7-14 days.
We predict the current outbreak will last for at least 30-45 days before Victoria can return to three days of zero community transmission.
Measured easing of restrictions can occur before this time, which Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews flagged might be possible for regional Victoria.
However, given the fact Delta is more transmissible than the original Wuhan version of the virus, controlling Victoria’s outbreak will inevitably be more difficult and take longer than dealing with an earlier outbreak of similar size.
New South Wales knows too well how hard it is to get a Delta outbreak under control, something our model predicted.
Back to Victoria, our model supports a hard lockdown that minimises the chance of ongoing transmission.
Strict lockdown (80% reduction in social activities) and mandatory mask use in public spaces and workplaces (90% coverage) — equivalent to what’s expected in Victoria’s current lockdown — have been effective in previous outbreaks in Victoria and other states.
However, we predict the same approaches may only have a 50:50 chance to contain the current Delta outbreak in Victoria.
This means the Delta variant is likely to linger, bouncing at a level of a dozen cases for weeks. This means public health authorities will find it hard to decide how and when to lift restrictions.
Our model suggests even modest rises in the vaccination coverage in Victoria, by an additional 5% for example, would dramatically increase the chance of controlling the outbreak from 50% to over 80%. If an extra 10% were vaccinated the chance of controlling the outbreak is 94%.
This is because the evidence is mounting vaccinated people are less likely to transmit the virus to others. That’s in addition to the vaccines’ well-known benefits in reducing your chance of severe disease.
So getting as many Victorians vaccinated as quickly as possible is critical.
What do we make of all this?
Our study conveys a simple message. The battle against the Delta variant in the latest outbreak in Victoria will likely be tough but going early has given us the best chance.
This lockdown will not be as effective as earlier ones in Victoria and coming out of this will need to be carefully managed.
So keeping to the health advice, and vaccinating more Victorians as soon as possible even over the next few weeks, are key to handling this outbreak.
Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews; Picture Source: The Australia Today
Victoria’s lockdown will be most certainly extended after the state recorded 12 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases today (Monday), However, all the cases are linked to the current outbreak.
Premier Daniel Andrews told themedia, “These restrictions simply cannot end at midnight tomorrow night. That would not be the responsible thing to do.”
As per the announcement made by the Premier on Thursday evening, Victoria’s lockdown was supposed to end on midnight Tuesday. Due to a large number of close contests of COVID positive cases still to be tested Mr Andrews is not confirming how long the current lockdown will last.
“For as long as it need to … not a moment longer,”
” Premier Daniel Andrews added.
The Victorian health department confirmed it recorded 13 new local infections in the 24 hours to Monday morning, among these numbers is one case from the regional Victorian town of Mildura which is of great concern to authorities.
It is also advised by health authorities that all the new locally acquired cases are linked to the current outbreaks and of Delta variant.
Victoria’s total number of active cases is now 81. There are currently 15,800 primary close contacts in quarantine or isolation.
Premier Daniel Andrews again stressed that the Delta variant of COVID19 is a “great challenge” and his decision to take Victorians to snap lockdown was correct.
“If we had stayed open, we would be just like Sydney … with hundreds and hundreds of cases,” he summarised.
Australian shares ended higher last week to log their best week in six. Investors looked past lockdowns in Melbourne and Sydney as mining and healthcare rallied strongly.
The Australian healthcare sector, which makes a bulk of its earnings in US Dollars, was the top gainer on the index as the US dollar gained against the Australian dollar.
Major mining stocks also rallied higher with BHP reaching a new all-time high as iron ore prices ticked higher and as brokerages expect the iron miners to gain from increased iron ore shipments and higher prices.
The news, however, was not all rosy with the Australian state of Victoria ordered into lockdown from Friday 16 July following a spike in Covid19 cases, joining Sydney as they battle an outbreak of highly infectious Delta variant.
Market Mantra representative picture via @CANVA
A worldwide surge in fast-spreading Delta variant also revived fears across the World markets that the global health crisis is far from over and resulted in US markets going into a nosedive. Mounting infections of Coronavirus globally and persistent inflation fears in the USA have renewed investors’ worries and should reflect in Australian markets as they enter into next week.
The bullish investor sentiment also dipped last week to its lowest level since October 2020, signalling a rise in bearish sentiment with investors concerned about inflation, low growth, low bond yields and revived global health crisis fears.
To put it in perspective there have already been more COVID related deaths in just six months of 2021 than the entire 2020 globally. In addition, last week saw a 12% increase in coronavirus cases worldwide with the Delta variant now being the dominant variant and responsible for a worldwide surge in cases.
Gold prices fell on Friday as a strong US dollar weighed in, however, ended the week higher for a fourth week in a row.
A stronger US dollar and perkier yields on Government treasury bonds are beginning to undercut some buying appetite for the yellow metal. Higher strong US treasury yields will likely be a catalyst in a dip in gold prices next week. However, the good news is that gold’s fundamental and technical setups are both much more bullish now. As such we have now switched our opinion from selling into rallies to buy into any dips below USD 1800.
Market Mantra representative picture via @CANVA
Having said that, as investors begin to fret about the spread of the COVID19 Delta variant and the fitful reopening of the global economy, as well as concerns US markets are topping out, it may impact gold bugs negatively.
Oil prices ended the week lower as investor sentiment was sapped by expectations of increased supplies and concerns that arise in global coronavirus cases, leading to more lockdown restrictions and depressing demands.
OPEC nations on Thursday said that it expected world oil demand to go up next year to be around levels seen before the pandemic, led by demands in the US, China and India. However, the rise of the highly infectious Delta variant raised concerns about triggering new lockdowns that would likely reduce recent bullish oil demands. Britain reported its highest number of new COVID19 cases in more than six months on Friday and in the USA, Los Angeles County reimposed its mask mandate over the past weekend. Both this news have added to concerns that the pandemic is far from over and there may be more lockdowns to come, thus impacting oil demand.
Market Mantra representative picture via @CANVA
The Australian dollar continued to decline against the US dollar and continues to look very threatened. With no reprieve from COVID cases in NSW and Victoria joining the lockdown the Australian dollar looks like will probably break down again.
The 50 days EMA for the Australian dollar is also moving towards the 200 days EMA to form the death cross which long term traders pay close attention to. As Australia continues to lock areas of the country down and with lockdown set to extend next week, this can be no good news for the economy.
As such a break below the 0.7400 level may see the Australian dollar much quicker again towards the USD0.70 mark as it will be a break of significant support.
Indians in Australia planning to send money home can expect exchange rates Australian Dollar against the Indian Rupee continues to trade between a tight range of 55.20 and 55.60. The expectation is that an increase in high imported commodity prices may weaken the Indian currency, however, an intervention from the Central Bank in India and lockdown in Australia will limit any rise in Australian currency.
Market Mantra representative picture via @CANVA
In the world of Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin lost close to 10% in value against the US dollar. While the support around USD 30,000 remained intact a bear crosses between the 50/200 moving averages and 100/200 moving averages signal bears taking strong control.
A break below USD 30,000 is expected to result in a drop to the Fibonacci level of 61.8% from its peak at $27,169 followed by a retracement to a viable target of Fibonacci 76.4% at USD 18,256.
China’s crackdown on Bitcoin have also resulted in very low trading volume in cryptocurrencies and there does not seem to be enough fiat currency to boost the crypto market in the near short term.
Market Mantra representative picture via @CANVA
In agricultural products, corn futures recorded their biggest weekly climb in 10 years as prices extended after a US government report showed lower than expected plantings and dry weather shrinking world supplies. Wheat and soybean also rallied to end the week higher for the first time in four weeks.
This week the traders will be keeping a close eye on weather forecasts for direction. The dry season has raised concerns in regards to food supplies globally. There are a couple of rain events likely next week which may help the farmers globally however the weather forecast is offering no comfort that the rain will arrest a drop in yield in dry farmlands.
As such the traders shall be closely watching the amount of rain from these rain events.
Author: Ateev Dang is a trader and trading coach by profession. He runs Glow trades Pty Ltd where he teaches anyone interested in starting on their trading journey on how to trade. He can be contacted at adang@glowtrades.com.au.
Disclaimer:
The writers’ opinions in the above article are their own and do not constitute any financial advice whatsoever. Nothing published by The Australia Today constitutes an investment recommendation, nor should any data or content publication be relied upon for any investment activities.
We strongly recommend that you perform your own independent research and/or speak with a financial advisor or qualified investment professional before making any financial decisions.
Rejith Kumar from Thrissur, Kerala in India is a Spiritualist, Healer; Picture: Supplied
Rejith Kumar from Thrissur, Kerala in India is a Spiritualist, Healer, Geomancer, and a Mystic traveller who apart from spiritually healing people, has the ability to balance energies of homes and work-areas both directly as well as remotely.
He has benefited many people worldwide with his abilities which he received as blessings from his spiritual guides who have guided him to serve humanity in this way. In the course of his spiritual quest, he has been guided to visit many energy points which are related to the lost continent of Lemuria or Kumari Kandam.
The words “Kumari Kandam” first appear in Kandha Puranam, the Tamil version of Skanda Purana written by Sri. Kachiappa Sivachariar of Kumara Kottam, Kanchipuram. The ‘Andakosam Padalam’ (Andakosam Section) of KandhaPuranam describes the following cosmological model of the Universe:
There are many worlds, each having several continents, which in turn, have several kingdoms. The ruler of one such kingdom, King Bharata (Bharathan in Tamil) had eight sons and one daughter. He divided his kingdom into nine parts, and the Kingdom ruled by his daughter Kumari came to be known as Kumari Kandam after her. Kumari Kandam is described here as ‘The Kingdom of Earth’.
The commentary was written by Saint Nakkīrar for the Tamil literary work Iraiyanar Akapporul further gives information about the three Tamil Sangams which existed during the Kumari Kandam period. These assemblies consisted of Tamil scholars and poets who researched the Tamil language and created many literary works. They considered Kumari Kandam to be the cradle of the Tamil civilization.
Rejith Kumar says he was intuitively guided to visit many energy points in various countries through visions. These would give him the necessary clues as to the identity of the location. Some of which include – Russia, China, Thailand, the Mac Ritchie Reservoir (Singapore), Blue Mountains and Lion Island (Australia), Dragon Hill and Silbury Hills (U.K.), Plaine de Sables and Piton de la Fournaise (Reunion Island), Khamrin Khiid Monastery (Mongolia), Fushimi Inari Temple (Japan), Kathirkamam (Sri Lanka), Tiger Nest (Bhutan), Pura Besakih Temple (Bali), Aivar Malai, Anjaneyar Malai, Kannivadi Hills, Poombarai, and Ujjain (India).
Rejith Kumar claims that he was divinely guided to receive specific energies such as the Panchabootha Energy, Sapta Rishi Mandalam or (Big Dipper) Energy, Pleiades or (Karthika) Constellation Star Energy, Swastika Energy, and Mother Tao Energy from the various energy points to facilitate in his performing future duties.
Rejith Kumar shared some of the interesting revelations he had received during his visit to the energy points. They include:
The Mac Ritchie Reservoir (Singapore) – He says that this is a sacred energy point that existed during the Kumari Kandam period and possesses Lord Shiva’s energy i.e. the Divine Masculine or ‘Yang’ energy is represented here as the Formless energy of the Universe -. The Pancha Bhootha Energies i.e. the power of all the 5 elements – Air, Water, Fire, Earth, and Sky are present here). The Divine Feminine Energy or the ‘Yin’ Energy is represented here as Divine Mother Tao in Her manifested form. The two powerful energies connect at the Mac Ritchie Reservoir and the Swastika Energies can be found at their center point. It was revealed to him that ‘Swastika Energy’ had been used by the Kumari Kandam ancients for time travel. Lord Nandikeshvar is the guardian of this sacred place and if one were to pray to him and then visit and meditate they would receive sufficient blessings that would enable them to advance in both material as well as spiritual aspects.
The Silbury Hill in the U.K. has a Muruga Yantra. This was placed there by Sage Agasthiyar.
Dragon Hill in the U.K. is considered to be a gateway to the other worlds
Lion Island at New South Wales, Australia, holds information regarding Kumari Kandam and Mars
The sand present in Kathirkamam (Sri Lanka) is not from Earth but outer space.
The Karthika or Pleiadian energy is present especially in Blue Mountains, Australia.
Anjaneyar Malai near Pazhani in India is said to possess abundant Karthika or Pleiadian energy.
According to Rejith Kumar, the Pleiadian or Karthigai energies have been flowing in full abundance on Earth since the year 2013 and this being a preparation for the shift in energy consciousness on Earth. He further shares that the Earth has an astral or energy body and changes have to be first made to it before it can manifest positive changes at a physical level and it was for this reason he was directed to go to specific energy points.
He concludes by sharing his spiritual journey is closely related to the sacred place Pazhani in India and reveals that it was Lord Muruga who directed him in his travel to the energy points and revealed their spiritual significance.
In 2017, he was guided by Lord Muruga to start a spiritual mission called the ‘Lion Mayura Royal Kingdom’ (LMRK) which would serve as a global platform to carry out future duties.
Rejith Kumar is blessed by Lord Muruga that the souls who carry the Kartika or Pleiadian Energy would automatically be drawn to the mission to help effect positive changes in the world under His divine direction. It is significant to note that 1500 members from 15 countries have voluntarily come together for this sacred cause.
To know more about the LMRK Mission, you can visit their website – www.lionmayura.org.
Author: – Mrs Sowmya Nikhil
Disclaimer: The views expressed are of the authors own and not of The Australia Today or her employer.
Supermarkets in States and Territories subject to COVID-19 lockdowns will be able to employ international students in excess of the 40 hours per fortnight cap to deal with the worker shortage.
This will help struggling businesses with staff shortages to remain open to provide their essential services to the community.
Temporary measures will allow international students to work uncapped hours per fortnight in all New South Wales and Victorian supermarkets and associated distribution facilities for the duration of their respective lockdown periods.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke said, “These temporary arrangements would help supermarkets meet the high customer demand for critical goods during lockdowns.”
“Supermarket workers have been unsung heroes of the pandemic. They stepped up to ensure Australians have access to essential items, and they have kept doing so during the pandemic’s darkest days,”
Minister Hawke said.
“This temporary measure ensures that supermarkets can continue to provide their critical services to the community and it provides essential workers themselves with added income flexibility during lockdowns,” he said.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke
This decision follows a request for urgent relief by the supermarket sector, as many staff are subject to self-isolation orders.
Why did a lot of Hollywood movies represent the Pacific as an exotic place, the Middle east as of political unrest, Asia/Africa and especially India as primitive nations?
These notions are constructed by western movie makers for a large world population to make their opinion. A popular poem of Rudyard Kipling stated “East is East and West is West, and never shall the twain meet’ in The Ballad of East and West (1869).
Although East and West may not meet, however, West has dominated over East. The superiority of the ‘West over ‘East’ as a part of orientalism is noticed in many movies, literature, public opinion, foreign and government policies, academia and in the mind of scholars. Every Pacific Islander needs to comprehend the concept of Orientalism and its ramifications in the colonial and post-colonial world.
Here we attempt to explain the seminal work of Edward W. Said (1935-2003) Orientalism (1978) that explained these binary constructions.
He examines the connection between East and West, particularly how the Western supremacy in academics, academic and political representation has influenced/dominate the public policy towards Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. This is done in cultural concept/representation to form Orientalist paradigm as Orientalizing the Orient.
Said defines Orientalism as an academic discipline, style of thought and a corporate institution. Said’s work is considered the founder of post-colonial intellectual discourse, as these works combat the cultural legacies of colonialism on cultures in order to find ways that shall create a space based on mutual respect.
Power and Knowledge Relationship
The European nations had distinct cultural and political interests in the Orient when they came to study it. Academically, from the 18th century onwards, the western hegemony over the Orient was constructed by various disciplines and represented; European academics showed immense interest in East and different forms of Oriental Studies. That helped to create certain western stereotypes about the Orient that coincided with a period of European imperial expansion between 1815-1914.
It is a relationship of power and knowledge influence of Western countries (the Occident) over the non-Western Countries (the Orient); or in simple terms, the model that used varied ways by Europe for knowing the colonised world and became the means to dominate them.
The West’s claim to knowledge of the East gives the West authority to identify and govern. West is considered to have created the binary division (Self/West vs Others/East) of the East and West that is the polar opposite to each other in terms of historic, cultural, social, political and intellectual.
This binary was created in colonial times and continued in the post-colonial era. Occident cannot exist without the Orient and vice versa, as they are mutually constitutive, as per Said.
He shows that how the Orient is regarded by Occident as a place of mystery and danger, that need to be controlled. The image of the Orient was created as passive while the west was active, where imperialism motivates Orientalism.
This negative image of the Orient is not true, as per Said, Orientalism dates from the period of European enlightenment and colonisation of the Arab world. The book describes the way the historical process of concentrating knowledge about the Orient into forms that can be studied and communicated, and further presented by western people.
The idea of Orientalism was created historically to suit European (especially French and British imperialist agendas), and the concept is created through the domination of Occident culture over the Orient.
In his term Orientalism is “Western style for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient” (Said, 1978), that provide the rationalization for European colonization where the West constructed the East as inferior/different that requires western interventions to rescue or civilised.
That is the white man’s burden, and it is the duty of the white man to make him civilised. Therefore, Said’s Orientalism has challenged the bias embedded in the western consciousness.
It also attempts to analyze how the philological, literary and historical writers of the 19th century understand Oriental structures. A section of the book understand modern Orientalism and locates the continuity of the practices of British and French Orientalism in the contemporary American discourses of Orient.
Orientalism Construction
The concept of Orientalism is a way to know the ‘other’ or construction of ‘other’ (someone who is not you Or the Opposite of yourself), where, “the Orient is not an inert the fact of nature, but a phenomenon constructed by generations of intellectuals, artists, commentators, writers, politicians, and more importantly, constructed by the naturalization of the wide range of Orientalist assumptions and stereotypes”.
This relationship between Occident and Orient is based on power, domination and varying degrees of a complex hegemony. Orientalism is locating Europe’s others created the issue of national distinctiveness, racial and linguistic origins, a culture where European civilization is considered supreme. Orient is considered to be western fantasy, although it was away from the truth, it remains constant over time.
Orientalism examines various cultural works that demonstrate how western authors have explored Islam as a science of observation through various methodologies in order to present it to a western audience. The Islamic beliefs filled many western cultural words that consist of Arab and Islamic stereotypes that depicted Arabs as inferior, backward, uncivilized, exotic at times dangerous immoral to Europeans.
Orient has been described as unchanging, static, free from history or primitive, irrational, where this Orient/East is considered as an object of knowledge and passive for the West or Occident that became the realm of the subject, who knows and represents. Orientalism helps to deconstruct the multiple relationships of West domination and subordination over East. It gave voice to hegemonic practices and Western cultural supremacy.
Conclusion: Holy Trinity of Post-Colonial Studies
Said’s work has been critically worked on and extended by Homi. K. Bhabha and Gayatri Spivak. Many criticised Said’s homogenous dichotomy of Orient and Occident; provides no alternative to Orientalism; ignore gender and class differences; provide the monolithic perception of this binary; ignores resistance within the West.
Post Colonial Studies have decolonised social, political and economic domains and demanded a relationship based on equality between West and East. Now, whenever readers watch their next movie flick reflecting their identity and home destination, they probably look through the prism of stereotypes and decolonise the mind to eradicate the imposition of these ideas to make their objective understanding.
Author: Dr Sakul Kundra, A.HOD Department of Social Science, College of Humanities and Education, Fiji National University.
Victoria Small business; Representative picture @CANVA
The Victorian Government will provide new cash grants for businesses affected by the short lockdown necessary to get ahead of the Delta strain, so they can have a strong recovery on the other side of the public health restrictions.
Automatic payments will be made to eligible businesses and sole traders across the state to minimise delays and swiftly get money into the pockets of businesses that need it most.
Up to 90,000 businesses that have and will receive payments through theLicensed Hospitality Venue Fund and Business Costs Assistance Programrelating to the May-June lockdown will receive the Victorian Government’s new support payments of $3,000 and $2,000 respectively.
Payments are due to commence over the course of next week – with total funding of $201.8 million.
Victoria Small business; Representative picture @CANVA
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews said, “No one wanted to be here, but Victorians know we must take decisive action to drive this virus down – so we’re in this situation for days, not months.”
“People start needing support from day one – hour one – of a lockdown. We know this is tough on Victorian businesses and we’re standing with them, just as we’ve done from the very start of the pandemic.”
Eligible businesses will include restaurants, cafes bars, event suppliers, tourism and accommodation providers and non-essential retailers.
Victoria Small business; Representative picture @CANVA
The Victorian Government has also reached an agreement with the Commonwealth Government to fund income support payments from day one of the lockdown.
Workers affected by the public health restrictions are now eligible for the same payments afforded by the Commonwealth to New South Wales workers:
Payments of $600 will be made to Victorians that lose 20 hours or more of work during the period of the lockdown
Payments of $375 will be made to individuals that lose between 8-20 hours of work during the period of the lockdown
There is no liquid assets test applied to receive these payments
The Federal Government will fund payments for those Victorians who work or live in a COVID-19 Hotspot declared by the Commonwealth – that includes Greater Melbourne, Moorabool Shire, the City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliffe and the Surf Coast Shire.
The Victorian Government will fund payments for Victorians who live outside of these areas but are still subject to the lockdown.
The Victorian Government’s direct economic support for businesses has topped $6 billion over the course of the pandemic, including more than $500 million through the last restrictions period with $461.2 million allocated for the Business Costs Assistance Program and Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund.
Victoria Small business; Representative picture @CANVA
Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula said, “Local businesses across Victoria are the backbone of our economy. This critical support will make sure business owners can weather this new challenge and recover strongly.”
Some 90 per cent of those program allocations have been delivered to date – $413 million in grants to more than 86,000 small and medium-sized businesses and sole traders.
The Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions is working with 22,000 applicants to the Business Costs Assistance Program to finalise those applications where information has been missing or further detail has been requested to confirm eligibility.
It is expected thousands of these applicants will be successful and paid by the end of next week.
The May/June support package also included the $20 million Victorian Events Support Package, $16 million for 80,000 regional travel vouchers and $4.4 million for the Alpine Support Program providing businesses in the alpine resorts with grants of up to $15,000.
US-Australia military drills; Representative picture Source: @CANVA
The US, Australia and Japan, along with eight other countries, have begun a joint exercise in Australia and nearby waters as tensions simmer in the Indo Pacific region.
The US and Australia kicked off their biennial Exercise Talisman Sabre on Wednesday. Defence forces from Japan, the UK, Canada, South Korea and New Zealand are also taking part in the drills, while India, Indonesia, Germany and France will participate as observers.
“The exercise will further strengthen our cooperation towards a free and open Indo-Pacific,”
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters Thursday.
The U.S., Japan, India and Australia have been promoting a rules-based order in the region through their Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or QUAD.
US-Australia military drills; Representative picture Source: @CANVA
Japan is sending a Ground Self-defence Force unit specialising in remote island defence and tasked with the initial response to a contingency in the Nansei Islands, which include the Japan-administered Senkakus that are claimed by China as the Dioayu.
The GSDF will participate in a landing drill with U.S. and British marines and the Royal Australian Army.
“Amphibious manoeuvres are critical to defending the Nansei Islands, which is one of Japan’s top defence priorities,” GSDF Chief of Staff Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida said.
“Bolstering our tactical skills will strengthen our defence capabilities.”
The drills come at a time when the international focus is growing in Indo Pacific. Tensions are also escalating in Taiwan Strait.
Japan’s Defence Ministry called the Taiwan situation one of its top challenges, saying it must “pay close attention” to the Taiwan Strait “with a sense of crisis more than ever before,” in a white paper this week.
US-Australia military drills; Representative picture Source: @CANVA
Meanwhile, a Chinese surveillance ship began sailing towards Australian waters ahead of the exercise, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.
“We have been monitoring its approach to Australia for several days as part of Australia’s broader surveillance effort,”
Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said of the ship.
Indo-Pacific region is largely viewed as an area comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.
China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea and its efforts to advance into the Indian Ocean are seen to have challenged the established rules-based system.
The Taiwan Strait is a 180-kilometre-wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. It is one of the most heavily policed strips of water in the world.
The strait is in international waters, however, China claims Taiwan as its own territory and regards the US Navy’s presence in the area as a show of support for the island’s democratic government.
As new COVID19 cases start emerging in Melbourne due to new exposure sites and a strain of this virus that is wildly infectious.
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews has decided not to wait to act. Mr Andrews says waiting could see more people infected and the number of exposure sites explode.
On the advice of the Acting Chief Health Officer, Victoria will go into lockdown tonight.
There are only five reasons to leave home from 11:59 pm on Thursday 15 July 2021.
That means Victorians can only leave home
1- To get the food and the supplies needed
2- For exercise for up to two hours and no more than 5kms from home
3- For care or caregiving
4- Work or education if you can’t do it from home
5- To get vaccinated at the nearest possible location.
These restrictions will be in place for five days, till 11;59 pm on Tuesday 20th July.
A list of authorised work and workers is available here.
Mr Andrews said, “If you were an authorised worker during the last lockdown, you’ll be an authorised worker this time around. Everyone else must work from home.”
Last night it was announced by Victorian health authorities that face masks must be worn indoors at all times (except at home) and outdoors when it’s not possible to physically distance.
However, under today’s announcement, face masks must also be worn outdoors at all times, as it is understood that wearing face masks can keep people safe and stop the spread.
“So please, follow the rules and wear a face mask at all times,” requested Mr Andrews
Covid-19 Outbreak Mask up Melbourne
Anyone who has returned from a red zone on a permit – They must follow the requirements of their permit. That means going straight home to quarantine for 14 days and only leaving to get tested.
And we must be clear. Quarantining means staying at home, Mr Andrews added.
Anyone who needs help getting the food and supplies while they need to quarantine at home – can call the coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.
Premier Andrews says, “For our families, our businesses and our state – stay at home and keep everyone safe.”
From 11.59 pm Wednesday 14 July, face masks are mandatory indoors (not at home) for anyone aged 12 and above if you live in Victoria unless an exception applies.
This includes all workplaces and secondary schools.
Face masks must be carried at all times and must be worn indoors, by anyone aged 12 years and over.
Face masks must be worn outdoors where physical distancing of at least 1.5 metres cannot be maintained from others (except household members or intimate partners), for example, at a busy open-air market or a bus stop.
You do not need to wear a mask in your own home, or if a lawful exception applies.
There are no restrictions on the reasons to leave home or the distance you can travel, but staying COVIDSafe remains important.
Stay safe by washing your hands regularly, wearing a face mask outside the home, coughing and sneezing into your elbow, and keeping at least 1.5 metres from others.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, chills or sweats, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose or loss of sense of smell or taste. If you have symptoms, get tested as soon as possible.
Stay at home until you receive your test result.
Anyone who tests positive to COVID-19 and their close contacts must isolate for 14 days. Stay home. Don’t go to work, school or shopping.
COVID-19 vaccination
Vaccination centres are open to people who are eligible.
To book an appointment, visit https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/book-your-vaccine-appointment
Stay informed:
Call the Coronavirus Hotline if you suspect you have COVID-19 on 1800 675 398.
Accessibility: The following services can help you, or someone you know, access information during an emergency.
To access this information in other languages call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 (free call) and ask them to call the coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline.
Translated coronavirus (COVID-19) resources are available here.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech/communication impairment contact National Relay Service on 1800 555 677 and ask them to call the coronavirus hotline.
When do I need to wear a face mask?
You must wear a face mask indoors including at supermarkets, shops, cafes, on public transport, in taxis and rideshare vehicles, on planes and at the airport (unless an exception applies).
You must carry a face mask at all times.
You also must wear a face mask outdoors when you cannot maintain a 1.5-metre distance from all others (except your household members or intimate partner).
Do I need to wear a face mask if I am a permitted visitor at a private home?
Face masks are strongly recommended if you are visiting someone in their home or having visitors to your home.
If someone is attending the home for work purposes, they must wear a face mask.
Do students at schools need to wear a face mask?
Students aged 12 and over who are learning on-site at a secondary school must wear face masks indoors unless a lawful exception applies.
Children who are attending on-site primary school or outside school hours care, including children who are aged 12 or over, do not need to wear a face mask.
Primary and secondary students are not required to wear a face mask if they have an illness, condition or disability that means it would not be suitable to wear one.
You must carry a face mask at all times and wear a face mask indoors. You must also wear a face mask outdoors where you cannot maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metres from all others (unless they are your household members or intimate partner).
You can remove your face mask when eating and drinking.
I work in an office. Do I have to wear a face mask at the office?
Yes. However, if you are working alone, you do not need to wear a face mask unless someone else enters the room.
Do I have to wear a mask when attending business meetings and events within office towers?
Yes. All people within offices are required to wear masks during normal operations, this includes members of the public attending business meetings and events. Both the members and the public and any workers sharing a workspace with them must wear a mask. ‘Member of the public’ means anyone who isn’t a worker at the workplace.
This Advice message is issued for Victoria, replacing the Advice message from Sunday 11 July.
From 11:59 pm Sunday 11 July, the Acting Chief Health Officer declared all of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory as red zones under Victoria’s travel permit system.
This means the Victorian border is now effectively closed to New South Wales and the ACT – except for Victorian residents returning on a red zone permit for 14 days of quarantine, and for people with exemptions or other valid permits (such as specified workers and cross-border residents).
Amnesty, the fourth novel from Booker Prize winner Aravind Adiga, has been shortlisted for Australia’s most prestigious literary prize – Miles Franklin Award 2021.
Image source: Wikipedia.
Adiga was born in Chennai, grew up in Mangalore and later the family migrated to Sydney in Australia. His debut novel, The White Tiger, won the 2008 Booker Prize and has been adapted into a Netflix original movie The White Tiger.
Image source: Wikipedia.
Announced at the State Library of NSW, six novels by Australian writers that are deemed by the judges to be of high literary merit in representing “Australian life in any of its phases”.
Image source: Perpetual.
The Copyright Agency’s CEO, Adam Suckling, said,
“The Copyright Agency is once again proud to be showcasing the vibrant voices of some of the country’s newest and most talented authors. This year’s announcement was both live and streamed online as part of our ongoing support of, and investment in, Australia’s creative writing industry. The inclusion of the online event gives greater access to those who inspire and challenge our views of Australian life while widely celebrating the authors’ dedication in bringing these stories to life.”
Image source: Twitter.
Adiga’s Amnesty is a tale about a Sri Lankan man Danny (Dhananjaya Rajaratnam), a cleaner, living in Sydney. The status of this man is of an “illegal immigrant” who risks being exposed and deported after he becomes entangled in a murder investigation of a client.
Over the course of a single day Danny must fight with his conscience and decide if a person without rights still has responsibilities. Adiga manages to combine humour, satire, tragedy and a critique of contemporary Australia.
Image source: Twitter.
Richard Neville, State Library of NSW Mitchell Librarian and Chair of the judging panel.
“In various ways each of this year’s shortlisted books investigate destructive loss: of loved ones, freedom, self and the environment. There is, of course, beauty and joy to be found, and decency and hope, largely through the embrace of community but, as the shortlist reminds us, often community is no match for more powerful forces.”
Each shortlisted author receive $5,000 and the winner gets $60,000 in prize money for the novel judged as being “of the highest literary merit” and which presents “Australian life in any of its phases.”
Victoria has recorded seven new locally acquired COVID-19 cases as health authorities race to get on top of the movements of three furniture removalists who made their way across the state.
Victorian Health authorities have confirmed another seven cases have emerged after last nights deadline, as just one case was reported until Tuesday midnight.
These new cases have stemmed from the three removalists and a Hume family who had earlier returned from NSW.
As per the ABC report, among the seven new community cases, one 30-year-old man visited a Coles supermarket in Craigieburn.
Four of the new cases are residents on the third floor of the Ariele Apartments in Maribyrnong, which has been in lockdown since Monday evening.
Among them is a man in his 60s who subsequently infected his parents, who are aged in their 80s and live in Craigieburn.
The man attended an AFL match between Carlton and Geelong on Saturday and was seated in level two of the MCC section of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Up to 2000 people have been contacted.
He also visited Highpoint shopping centre.
Besides, there is a list of all premises which have either had confirmed cases visit during their infectious period or are sites where a confirmed case may have acquired their infection.
If you have been to any of the locations below during the specified times:
Follow the specific advice listed for that exposure site
Tiers 1, 2, and 3 explained
Tier 1 exposure sites
Anyone who has visited a Tier 1 exposure site during the times listed must immediately isolate, get a COVID-19 test, and quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure. You should also contact the Department of Health on 1300 651 160.
Tier 2 exposure sites
Anyone who has visited a Tier 2 exposure site during times listed should urgently get a COVID-19 test and isolate until they receive a negative result. You should also contact the Department of Health on 1300 651 160.
Continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested again if symptoms appear.
Tier 3 exposure sites
Anyone who has visited a Tier 3 exposure site during times listed should monitor for symptoms. If symptoms develop, immediately get a COVID-19 test and isolate until you receive a negative result.
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Oakleigh
Vanilla Lounge17-21 Eaton MallOakleigh VIC 3166
09/07/2021 2:45pm – 4:30pm
Case attended venue
14/07/2021 12:30pm
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Melbourne
Young & Jackson1 Swanston StreetMelbourne VIC 3000
10/07/2021 2:40pm – 4:10pm
Case attended venue
14/07/2021 12:30pm
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Maribyrnong
The Reject Shop Highpoint Shopping Centre Level 2120-200 Rosamond RoadMaribyrnong VIC 3032
09/07/2021 11:30am – 12:10pm
Case attended venue
14/07/2021 12:20pm
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Maribyrnong
SkinKandy Highpoint Shopping Centre Level 1120-200 Rosamond RoadMaribyrnong VIC 3032
09/07/2021 11:15am – 12:35pm
Case attended venue
14/07/2021 12:20pm
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Maribyrnong
Highpoint Shopping Centre North Carpark Level 1120-200 Rosamond RoadMaribyrnong VIC 3032
09/07/2021 11:10am – 11:40am
Case parked vehicle and entered via the same level
14/07/2021 12:15pm
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result Anyone who has visited this location during these times should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result. Continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested again if symptoms appear.
Maribyrnong
Highpoint Shopping Centre North Carpark Level 1120-200 Rosamond RoadMaribyrnong VIC 3032
09/07/2021 12:00pm – 12:30pm
Case parked vehicle and entered via same level
14/07/2021 12:15pm
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result Anyone who has visited this location during these times should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result. Continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested again if symptoms appear.
Maribyrnong
ALDI Maribyrnong11 Edgewater BoulevardMaribyrnong VIC 3032
09/07/2021 5:30pm – 6:10pm
Case attended venue
14/07/2021 12:05pm
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result Anyone who has visited this location during these times should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result. Continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested again if symptoms appear.
Richmond
Level 2 of MCC Members’ Reserve, Carlton v Geelong game Melbourne Cricket Ground, Brunton Ave, Richmond Richmond VIC 3002
10/07/2021 4:00pm – 8:00pm
Case attended the game. Some staff and patrons present will be made Tier 1 primary close contacts and will be directly contacted by the Department of Health.
14/07/2021 11:00 am
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result Anyone who has visited this location during these times should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result. Continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested again if symptoms appear.
Richmond
MCG, Carlton v Geelong game (excluding Level 2 of MCC Members’ Reserve)Melbourne Cricket Ground, Brunton Ave, Richmond VIC 3002
10/07/2021 4:00pm – 8:00pm
Case attended game
14/07/2021 11:00 am
Tier 3 – Monitor for symptoms Anyone who has visited this location during these times should monitor for symptoms – If symptoms develop, immediately get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result.
Kalkallo
Caltex Kalkallo1340 Hume HighwayKalkallo VIC 3064
08/07/2021 9:07am – 10:06am
Case attended venue. The exposure site includes a petrol pump area and toilets.
13/07/2021 10:00pm
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Ballan
Mobil Ballan – Westbound6511 Western FreewayBallan VIC 3342
08/07/2021 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Case attended venue. The exposure site includes shower/bathroom facilities.
12/07/2021 10:30 pm
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Ballan
McDonalds Ballan – Westbound6511 Western FreewayBallan VIC 3342
08/07/2021 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Case attended venue
12/07/2021 10:30 pm
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Maribyrnong
Ariele Apartments7 Thomas Holmes StMaribyrnong VIC 3032
08/07/2021 1:00pm – 11:59pm
This applies to any person who was present in or who entered the residential part of 7 Thomas Holmes St between 1:00pm until 11:59pm on 8 July. This includes any access to the residential foyer, stairwells, lift, residential floors and carpark. This excludes people whose only exposure to the building was to enter a commercial space on the ground floor and who did not enter any residential space. Note: cases attended complex.
12/07/2021 8:30pm
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure Anyone who has visited this location during these times must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.
Maribyrnong
Ariele Apartments7 Thomas Holmes StMaribyrnong VIC 3032
09/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm
This applies to any person who was present in or who entered the residential part of 7 Thomas Holmes St from 12:00am on 9 July. This includes any access to the residential foyer, stairwells, lift, residential floors and carpark. This excludes people whose only exposure to the building was to enter a commercial space on the ground floor and who did not enter any residential space.
12/07/2021 8:30pm
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result Anyone who has visited this location during these times should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result. Continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested again if symptoms appear.
Maribyrnong
Ariele Apartments7 Thomas Holmes StMaribyrnong VIC 3032
10/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm
This applies to any person who was present in or who entered the residential part of 7 Thomas Holmes St from 12:00am on 10 July. This includes any access to the residential foyer, stairwells, lift, residential floors and carpark. This excludes people whose only exposure to the building was to enter a commercial space on the ground floor and who did not enter any residential space.
12/07/2021 8:30pm
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result Anyone who has visited this location during these times should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result. Continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested again if symptoms appear.
Maribyrnong
Ariele Apartments7 Thomas Holmes StMaribyrnong VIC 3032
11/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm
This applies to any person who was present in or who entered the residential part of 7 Thomas Holmes St from 12:00am on 11 July. This includes any access to the residential foyer, stairwells, lift, residential floors and carpark. This excludes people whose only exposure to the building was to enter a commercial space on the ground floor and who did not enter any residential space.
12/07/2021 8:30 pm
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
This does not mean that there is an ongoing risk associated with the premises. You can safely visit the site in line with current restrictions.
Dinesh Gourisetty Candidate for Victorian Liberal Party President; Picture Source: Facebook
Multimillionaire entrepreneur of Indian origin Dinesh Gourisetty has put his hand up to contest for Victoria’s Liberal Party’s presidential election against the high-profile incumbent.
Who is Dinesh Gourisetty
This story is no less than any Bollywood movie. Two decades ago, A young international student lands in Melbourne Airport from India knowing no one in Australia.
Coming from a farmers family in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Dinesh’s life grind started very early from his school time.
A one and a half-hour daily trip to and from his primary school made Dinesh understand education is the only thing that can help his family from hardships. As a good student, he received scholarships to study undergraduate level in Business Management. To meet his expenses Dinesh used to give tuitions to local students.
Picture Source: Facebook
However, after working for two years in India, in the year 2001, Dinesh decided to go for higher studies in Australia. He came to Melbourne to do his Masters in Information Systems from Victoria University and achieve better prospects in his work life after returning to India.
Arvind Shanghais is General Manager with a multinational IT company in Sydney and had studied with Dinesh in his college days. He told The Australia Today, “There was something different with Dinesh, his ideas were always ahead of what others used to think.”
“Dinesh always used to say I want to work for the community, not any company.”
After coming to Melbourne life was as usual as it is for any international student. He worked as a kitchen hand, cleaner, and petrol station worker while at University.
The migrant-friendly residency policies at that point in time gave wings to his plans. He became Australian Permanent Resident soon after finishing his degree.
Picture Source: Facebook
Kapil Katpelly has been Dinesh’s Flatmate and friend since both of them moved to Melbourne as international students. He says, “We used to talk and plan about starting a lot of business while travelling on bus, train and trams in those days.”
“Dinesh asked me if I would like to be business partner with him, I just said sure.”
Dinesh and Kapil ended up launching ‘Spice -Zone’ the first South Indian grocery shop in Melbourne.
For Dinesh, Melbourne was like a place where dreams come true. Within two years, one after another, He started three restaurants ‘Indi Chillies’, ‘Alankrita’ and ‘Indi Hots’ to cater for the needs of the growing South Asian community.
Picture Source: Facebook
Within few months he understood sourcing food items for Indian restaurants was an issue. He quickly decided to start a frozen food items company ‘Indi- touch’ that would source specific Indian food items from India and supply them to restaurants and retails.
Well, after food and work sorted one thing an Indian migrant can’t live without is Indian movies. Kapil and Dinesh used to buy CD’s of their favourite actors but missed watching “Telugu movies” on the big screen.
Kapil Katpelly told The Australia Today, “The idea of ‘KD Entertainment’ started over few beers.”
“We were really sick of watching movies on low-quality CD’s, and decided to start our own movie distribution business.”
“We ended up distributing more than 50 movies in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi languages but that business ended all the fun we had because Dinesh got married that year in 2005, and he became a family man,” laughingly says Mr Katpelly.
Picture Source: Facebook
“I think it was 2006, One day I received a call from Dinesh who asked me to gather all our friends at our restaurant in Footscray, I even asked him what happened but he just said be there at 6 pm after work.”
I didn’t know that meeting was going to change the direction of Dinesh’s life or maybe our life added Mr Katpelly.
“Dinesh told us, see as it was PM John Howard’s policies which helped us to be citizens and be part of Australian society, I am going to support Liberal Party in the election.”
“I told him, that’s not a big deal we can donate a few thousand dollars to the Liberal party fund if you want. But he had something else in his mind, he told us I need your time not money to support the election campaign.”
Kapil said, “Dinesh used to take one or two of us and sometimes used to go alone to distribute election material as Liberal Party volunteer.”
Picture Source: Facebook
Dinesh Gourisetty kept working as a volunteer for Liberal Party for the next six years before becoming a member in 2012-13.
By this time Dinesh became a very successful businessman of Indian origin in Melbourne with diverse interests in Restaurants, Petrol stations, Grocery Shops, Function Centers. And at present into business consulting services by the name DG business Consulting.
His Restaurants at Footscray, Docklands, Melbourne CBD were known for backdoor food tables for homeless people. Kapil Katpelly says, “Our belief is if possible, anyone hungry should not go without food from our doors.”
The businessman Dinesh was converting into a community worker. He became the youngest President of the Telugu Association of Australia (TAAI) in its 25 years of journey in the year 2014. He was also International Director of Wyndham Rotary for 2015-16.
Seeing his community work and leadership skills Liberal Party offered Dinesh Gourisetty to contest the 2014 Victoria state election from the Tarneit electorate in the western suburbs of Melbourne. Dinesh did make a strong impression on this safe Labor seat but lost the election.
Dinesh was also a candidate in the 2018 State elections for the number two spot in the western metropolitan region. The difficult second position on the Liberal ticket was a long shot to win.
Picture Source: Facebook
In the last seven years, he has been to different party positions as Chairmen, Vice-chair, Treasurer in Liberal Party’s Lalor, Tarneit and Altona districts branches.
Currently, Dinesh is Chair of the Western Metro Regional Electorate Conference (WMREC), a powerful Liberal party body for the western region.
Now, Mr Gourisetty has thrown his hat in the ring for the election of Liberal Party President in Victoria. The vote will be held at the Liberal’s annual state council meeting next month.
One of the high-profile leaders of Victoria’s Liberal party wrote a personal message to party members requesting to support Dinesh.
He wrote, “Dinesh Gourissety rang me this afternoon to inform me he has nominated for President. I am surprised but he is a very credible candidate and easy to vote for. You may not know him but he is the most high profile party member of Indian background.”
“He will garner a lot of support. Two Big Party leaders are now openly supporting him. Many others will follow.”
Party insiders have multiple opinions about his decision few even say it is a sign of protest vote against the targeting of people of Indian origin by the party.
Picture Source: Facebook
One of the Liberal Party members who doesn’t want to be named told The Australia Today, “I know Dinesh and seen his courage and resilience when he used to go for door-knocking in his election.”
“A lot of time people would target him by saying, go back to your country, you took our jobs and now you want to sit in parliament.”
Dogs were left on us, stones were thrown, and after threatening phone calls Dinesh had to change his mobile number, I started picking his phones just to protect him from abuse, he added.
“I think all this made him strong, perhaps stronger and focused then we can imagine.”
David Wood is a former party member in Liberal Party’s western districts. He told The Australia Today, “We all are Australians but come from different backgrounds. When it comes to Party elections, people are elected on merit and capability, and the Party has a long history of electing women, men and people of multicultural backgrounds.”
Picture Source: Facebook
“Candidates merit, qualification and ability to do the job should be the primary markers.”
“Dinesh Gourisetty has strong competition, and I wish him well,” added Mr Wood.
It will be decided within the next few weeks whether Dinesh Gourisetty can succeed against incumbent heavyweight Robert Clark. But he will definitely give a good shakeup to the internal politics of the Victorian Liberal Party.
Representative picture of post worker; Source: @CANVA
A traumatised Post worker had to take a day off work after a racist message appeared on his scanner.
The Indian-origin post worker was delivering a parcel on a street in Halswell, Christchurch. He told 1 News that the racist message just popped up on his screen when he scanned the parcel’s barcode.
This is the section where post customers normally leave delivery instructions.
The abusive racist message called for the post worker to go back to India.
Image source: NZ Post
He didn’t deliver the parcel but took a photo and reported the incident to his manager.
The post worker told 1 News:
“I’m living here in New Zealand since the last 10 years and never heard a single thing like that. I was really shocked at what happened.”
The scared post worker even had to take a day off work.
“I’m a bit worried and scared … if the customer is racist and if the customer can hate me or do something to me, where is the security [for us]?”
Representative picture of post worker; Source: @CANVA
The worker said the behaviour was not okay and he hoped the offender would not get away with it.
“Yesterday [Wednesday] was me and another day it could be anyone else. That’s why we just want to try to make a strict action against that so that wouldn’t happen in the future.”
Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon told 1 News that workers’ safety must come first.
“We receive them in the service industries and schools and hospitals and the public, there’s a lot of casual racism around.”
Image source: NZ Post.
An NZ Post spokesperson said the incident was appalling.
“NZ Post does not stand for any form of racism. The safety and wellbeing of our people is paramount. This incident is abhorrent and unacceptable. We are taking this extremely seriously – the matter is currently with the police for investigation, and we are also carrying out our own investigation.”
NZ police have also confirmed to the media that they had received a report on the matter which was being assessed.
Chris Gayle in 3rd T20 against Australia; Picture Source: Twitter @ICC
A vintage knock from Chris Gayle aided with skipper Nicholas Pooran’s calm approach helped West Indies thrash Australia by six wickets in the third T20I on Tuesday morning.
With this win, West Indies secured a T20I series victory over Australia with two more games to go. A quality death bowling from West Indies had restricted Australia to 141/6 before the hosts chased down the total comfortably with 31 balls to spare.
During the run chase, Gayle also became the first player to smash 14000 runs in the shortest format of the game.
Chasing 142, West Indies got off to a bad start as Mitchell Starc struck in the first over dismissing Andre Fletcher for four runs.
Chris Gayle in 3rd T20 against Australia; Picture Source: Twitter @ICC
Lendl Simmons and Chris Gayle then stitched a 38-run stand for the second wicket before Riley Meredith removed the opener reducing West Indies to 42/2 inside the power play.
However, Gayle continued smashing the ball as he found his form to bring up his first T20I fifty since 2016. He smashed three consecutive sixes to get to his half-century.
Meredith dismissed Gayle in the 12th over but the damage was done as West Indies just needed 33 runs in eight overs. Pooran and Andre Russell in end guided the hosts to a series-clinching win over Australia in the 15th over.
Earlier opting to bat first, Australia scored just 141 runs despite a good start. Matthew Wade and skipper Aaron Finch stitched a 41-run stand for the first wicket in five overs. However, the visitors kept losing wickets at regular intervals as the batsmen never really looked comfortable during the innings.
West Indies in 3rd T20 against Australia; Picture Source: Twitter @ICC
Australia were 80/4 in 12 overs and Moises Henriques (33) and Ashton Turn (24) revived the visitors’ innings but failed to get to a decent total.
Brief Scores: Australia 141/6 (Moises Henriques 33, Aaron Finch 30; Hayden Walsh 2-18); West Indies 142/4 (Chris Gayle 67, Nicholas Pooran 32; Riley Meredith 3-48)
“I really just wanted to win a round, I didn’t expect this. I had a tough French Open, lost to a good player, so here I just wanted to keep my expectations low so that if I passed them, then I’d be happy. But this was way beyond my wildest dreams.”
Samir’s parents had moved to America in 1980s. He has committed to joining Columbia University in the autumn.
At Columbia, Samir will continue to play college tennis.
“It’s going to be amazing, this trophy is going to be my centrepiece, I’m going to look at this and be inspired to keep playing and hopefully come back here as a pro.”
Image source: Twitter.
Samir’s coach couldn’t travel with him to the stadium. So, he had to travel to Wimbledon with his uncle Kanad.
Samir joked:
“My uncle is here, he’s not technically a tennis coach, but if these results keep happening then I should start travelling with him more.”
Samir and Victor were contesting the third all-American boys’ singles final in Wimbledon history.
The 17-year-old was previously ranked 19 in the world.
Indian American NASA intern Pratima Roy; Picture Source: Twitter @NASA
Social media went on for a hate trade after the USA’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shared photographs of four young individuals who had received an internship with them.
Actually, NASA’s post was to remind people interested in the summer internship program about the last date to apply. In this post, four pictures of diverse background interns were shared.
Among them was a beautiful photograph of Indian American intern Pratima Roy. The photograph showed Ms Roy with idols of Hindu Goddesses and photographs stuck on the wall.
Today's the day: applications for fall NASA internships are due!
Her picture displaying Hindu-goddesses brought the worst out of a lot of people who claim to be academic, liberal and secular.
Ashok Swain, whose Twitter profile says a Professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University even questioned NASA, “Why do Hindus need to surround themselves with Gods and Goddesses.”
He further added to his tweet and questioned the judgement of NASA for selecting that particular image. After Twitterati raised the issue of Hinduphobia Ashok Swain appears to have deleted his quoted tweet since then.
Hindu hate kept going to the lowest level and one Twitter handle Mission Ambedkar even accused NASA of killing ‘Science’.
Even in this wonderful moment where they should be celebrating Pratima Roy, they could not let go of the hate towards Hindus, said Yadu Singh, Sydney based President of Federation of Indian Associations in NSW.
He wrote on Twitter,
“The mocking of #PratimaRoy for her religious beliefs (Hinduism) is Hinduphobia.”
Mocking of #PratimaRoy for her religious beliefs (Hinduism) is Hinduphobia. Hinduphobe scumbags support other religions’ practices & beliefs under the concept of choice & diversity, but a Hindu woman practicing her faith is ridiculed. That’s religious bigotry & hatred! @NASAhttps://t.co/lqgBs1FTsw
Rashmi Swant, former President-elect of the University of Oxford who was last year targeted by the Hinduphobic mob said, I’m so proud of each person in this picture and more so of a fellow sanatani woman.
“What a beautiful ensemble of photos. More power to each of them and a shout out to the beautiful Hindu woman for proudly representing her culture.”
I'm so proud of each person in this picture and more so of a fellow sanatani woman. However, it is disheartening to see a Hinduphobic meltdown in comments section targetting her.
Support also poured in to counter the blatant Hinduphobia.
This episode demonstrates widespread Hinduphobia in social media narratives. A lot of people raised the question, will women from other religions be targeted in the same way if they would have shared pictures with their religious symbols.
This brings the debate of ignorant institutionalised Hinduphobia to the forefront. Hinduphobia deniers are the actual Hinduphobic who target even the young women achievers of Hindu faith, said Yadu Singh.
Gokul Prasad is a Dalit Social Scientist. He told The Australia Today, “There seemed to be more tweets about Pratima Roy and how dare she be there … and what right has she got to be there.”
“Even in this jubilant moment, the hate is what just dominates their thinking.”
“Their brain is now based on the absolute hate and hysteria of the Hinduphobia,” added Mr Prasad
Image source: Craig Kelly and Yogi Adityanath - Wikipedia.
The Indian state of the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of BJP, is earning praises for its effective management of the Covid-19 situation from most unexpected quarters.
Craig Kelly, an Australian Member of the Federal Parliament has praised the effective leadership of CM Yogi Adityanath in crushing the second wave.
The Uttar Pradesh Health Department had introduced ‘Ivermectin’ as a preventive measure for people who came in contact with COVID patients, health workers, and the treatment of the patients themselves.
‘Ivermectin’ is an oral treatment normally used to treat lice and other parasitic infections, to save the lives of its critical COVID patients.
Recognising these efforts, Craig Kelly hailed the pre-emptive steps taken by Yogi Adityanath and wished similar efforts were made in Australia.
To support his views, Craig Kelly even put out data to prove why the usage of Ivermectin was a productive way to curb the pandemic.
In another tweet, Craig Kelly had said:
“The Indian State of Uttar Pradesh is crushing COVID – but the world’s media and W.H.O refuse to tell the truth of how they are doing it”.
This didn’t go unnoticed by Indian Australians. Sydney based Dr Yadu Singh wrote on social media, “Yogi Ji’s high reputation as an administrator is reaching far and wide.”
Interesting! Australian federal MP @CraigKellyMP, irrespective of what you think of the MP & his views, wants Uttar Pradesh CM @myogiadityanath on loan to manage COVID in Australia. Just shows Yogi Ji’s high reputation as an administrator is reaching far & wide. pic.twitter.com/G594U1Wngc
Australian shares recorded a weekly loss last week as the nation stared at an extension of lockdown in NSW, the most populous state of Australia, due to a continuous surge in virus cases.
The authorities warned on Friday that the three-week lockdown in NSW could be extended to provide more time to contact tracer to get on top as Sydney continues to record a huge rise in locally acquired cases.
The announcement immediately battered the already beaten travel stocks with Flight Centre and Webjet bearing the major brunt of investors. Corporate Travel, Qantas and Sydney Airport also extended the decline.
The technology sub-index also recorded its second consecutive weekly loss after Afterpay shed 5.2% on Friday.
Market-Mantra-Nasdaq; Picture Source: @CANVA
The financials were not much better with all major banks down. The finance sector fell by 1.2% for the week, ending down for two of the last three weeks.
Miners and energy stocks were the only ones that provided some boost to the investors as strong commodity prices and a weak Australian dollar boosted the sentiment. Miners were up for a third week running and the energy sector recorded gains for the second week in a row even though the oil prices remained under pressure most of last week.
While investors had been factoring in Sydney lockdown as a transitory stage the surge in cases has changed the equation with investors now unsure if Sydney will be locked down for a month or even longer. While there is some bullish sentiment to start the week on Monday following the US share rally last Friday that could soon fade if cases in Sydney continue to increase.
Apart from numbers in Sydney investors will also be keeping a close eye on June jobs data due later this week. Consumer and producer sentiment will be another data that investors will watch closely this week as they tend to provide clues about how people are reacting to the highly uncertain economic conditions.
Gold prices recorded their sharpest weekly rise in seven weeks to mark a third straight weekly advance. The move-in Gold bullion came as trade in the US subdued and US long-dated Treasury yields touched their lowest levels since February.
From US tapering worries to virus cases picking up in Asia and Europe again, from economies opening up to lockdown in Australia, there is still plenty of uncertainty as to where the world economy is heading and that uncertainty is expected to show in Gold prices.
Australian Gold; Picture Source: @CANVA
This uncertainty also means there is still a lot of wait-and-see approaches amongst gold traders. As such based on the technical analysis it seems gold would either need to clear resistance at the $1814 level or break the support around $1790 to provide trend directionality.
Oil prices were under pressure most of the week last week, however, Friday provided a big boost after a US government report showed rapidly declining stockpiles of Oil in the US and record-high fuel demand in the middle of peak travel season. Oil prices have been volatile recently due to the ongoing impasse among OPEC+ countries overproduction hikes. In the meanwhile, the WHO has urged caution on reopening worldwide as Delta variant spreads.
The Australian dollar continued to decline against all major currencies last week as the Delta variant takes firm hold over NSW. Against the USD further confirmed its break below the 200-day moving average. A bearish crossover between 20 and 50-day SMAs also offers a strong bearish trend for the Aussie against the greenback. Even though the RBA surprised the market with dovish statements about the economy last week and a change of stance to full employment in Australia, the Aussie dollar capitulated to the dismal market mood as the economic impact of continued lockdown in Sydney dragged the mood lower.
In other words, the traders looked disappointed with Reserve Bank continuing to maintain a dovish stance as traders focus firmly on lockdowns amidst increasing CoVid cases. The slow vaccination rate in Australia also continues to add to the negative sentiment and hence provided more control to the Bears.
Australian Dollar; Picture Source: @CANVA
The Indian Rupee also continued to drop as increased oil prices continue to impact the local economy negatively. A continued rise in oil prices is expected to edge India’s inflation to a seven-month high.
After terrible PMI data last week showing India’s service activity shrinking at the fastest rate in 11-months the investors will be looking at the Reserve Bank of India to stabilise the economy and provide intervention to curb an INR drop that India can’t afford.
In the world of Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Ether cower under fire by global regulators again. Thailand joined China and Iran to ban cryptocurrencies while top US diplomats hoped El Salvador will complete a financing agreement with IMF after a dramatic move by El Salvador to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender from September 7.
The new law would mean Bitcoin will be on an equal footing with the dollar which became El Salvador’s official currency 20 years ago. US is hoping a financing agreement between El Salvador and IMF will help change its mind.
With 90% of all mining in China going offline a downside breakout is making it harder for Bitcoin to get a price recovery.
Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
With Bitcoin on verge of entering Bollinger downward channel, it seems in terms of cryptocurrency the Bears shall rule for now.
In agricultural products, the price of most grains hard a sharp fall as a drier than average summer reduced the yield potential. News from India especially that Indian farmers planted 10.43% fewer summer crops than the same time last year. Farmers in India typically start planting summer-sown crops on June 1 when monsoon rains usually reach India.
India, one of the world’s top agriculture producers, received 5% below average rainfall in June when the four-month monsoon season began. As per data released by Central Ministry in India, the rains were 46% below average last week.
Nearly half of India’s farmland is dependant on monsoon rains that provide 70%-90% of annual rainfall to these regions.
The market is at the crossroads though at this stage to see if we will get the rain to revive the yield potential for the summer crops or will the lack of rains continues to decline yield.
To be honest a lack of rain usually result in crops deteriorating and despite worries of grain shortage while rains remain elusive the prices will continue dropping.
Author: Ateev Dang is a trader and trading coach by profession. He runs Glow trades Pty Ltd where he teaches anyone who is interested in starting on their trading journey on how to trade. He can be contacted at adang@glowtrades.com.au.
Disclaimer:
The writers’ opinions in the above article are their own and do not constitute any financial advice whatsoever. Nothing published by The Australia Today constitutes an investment recommendation, nor should any data or content publication be relied upon for any investment activities.
We strongly recommend that you perform your own independent research and/or speak with a financial advisor or qualified investment professional before making any financial decisions.
Some scholars believed Indigenous Australian Aborigines had settled around 40,000 to 65,000 years ago. They consist of many different tribes with diverse traditional languages, cultures and history that considered land as sacred.
They had faced immense discrimination and mistreatment due to British colonization, which led to cultural loss through violent encounters, diseases, sexual abuses, dislocation and destruction of their sites.
In 1788, the British established their sovereignty by declaring legal Australia as terra nullius, meaning the ‘land belongs to no one. Aboriginal land rights were not recognised by the British and even not given equal rights to British settlers.
This resulted in violent conflicts and resistance shown in an invasion of their land. During this time these indigenous groups were affected by forcible removal, i.e. taking children by force and separating them from their families that led to cultural deprivation.
The legacy of the Colonial era has been racism, injustice and inequality for Aboriginal people. Their resistance and revolts were subsided by the British by adopting a policy of ‘disperse and dispatch’, violent massacres and many others. The colonisers using white racial superior theories of considering aboriginals as ‘doomed race’ gave justification for their ‘civilising mission’.
These Aboriginals saw the colonisation of language and their tradition, compel them to work as forced labour and hardships. They had to go through a government policy between 1869 and 1969 to ‘separate their children from their families and cultures through forced removal, fostering, adoption and institutionalisation to assist with ‘assimilation’’ created a ‘stolen generations’; and faced financial injustice of unequal wages called ‘stolen wages’ and confiscation of their land since the early 1900s (Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland, 2017). These indigenous people have shown their resistance to get their rights.
Protests of Australian Aboriginals
Many Australian Aboriginal groups had boycotted the 26 January (Australia Day) before the 1920s in order to protest the position and treatment of indigenous Australians. Gradually, they became more conscious about the general Australians were unaware of their protest, so they need to show some active action to get the attention. This led to rising of several organisations notably the Australian Aborigines Progressive Association (AAPA, in 1924) and the Australian Aborigines League (AAL in 1932), to give voice to indigenous rights.
Day of Mourning: 1938
Aboriginal Australians demanded equal treatment, rights and status by rallying a protest march through the streets of Sydney in 1938, and this became iconic as it was the world’s first civil rights rallies where thousands of people participated.
They submitted a proposed national policy for Aboriginal people to the Prime Minister, but it was denied again as the government lacked constitutional authority over Aboriginal people. The day became a landmark and inspiration for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders activism that continued to call for a constitutional referendum.
Between 1940 to 1955, the Day of Mourning was known as Aborigines Day and was celebrated annually on the Sunday before Australia Day. This day moved to the first Sunday in July in 1955 that signify a day more than mere protest day but also as a celebration of Aboriginal cultures and histories.
The establishment of the National Aboriginal Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) was backed by many Aboriginal organisations and members of other religious groups and governments.
The second Sunday of July was designated as a day of commemoration of Aboriginal people, their history and their culture.
The referendum came in 1967 and the department of Aboriginal affairs was established in 1972. Later this celebration was extended over from the first to the second Sunday of July.
Gradually, with the rising awareness of different cultural histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their committee was renamed as ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) in 1991.
Since the 1990s, a theme was selected to represent the significant issues that were taken up for the entire week as a part of NAIDOC week.
NAIDOC Week 4-11 July 2021
Observed to celebrate the Aboriginal history, culture and achievements, and reflect the protection of Aboriginal rights, sites and cultural heritage.
This week is a popular event to commemorate Aboriginal dance, traditional music, ceremonies, artwork across many cities of Australia.
NAIDOC National Award Ceremony recognise and celebrate the contribution made by indigenous people of Australia; additional, flag hosting of Aboriginals and Torres Strait is also a symbol of unity and diversity.
Contemporary Rights in Question?
Despite formal recognition of their past hurts in the form of ‘Sorry Day’ and ‘National Apology’; are these aboriginals got their deserving rights at ground level? It is a question of research, as many media news has raised issues of continues poverty, inequality and mistreatment of aboriginal Australians in the contemporary world, ‘Australia’s White Media Against People’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb-GJhEtSps); ‘This Is Our Country Too!~Documentary On Injustice Of the Aboriginal Australians’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UPn_1XOxd0).
Despite these odds, NAIDOC Week is a welcome initiative to commemorate Aboriginal’s heritage and culture to establish unity in a multicultural society that leads to peace, unity and harmony.
Author: Dr Sakul Kundra, A.HOD Department of Social Science, College of Humanities and Education, Fiji National University.
West versus the Rest/East: Post-colonialism; Representative picture from @CANVA
Are you still living in colonised World? Has your nation decolonised? Is it a post-colonial world? Why do the neo-colonial ideas are challenging to eradicate?
These questions may not be simple to explain, but it needs elaboration to decipher our own identity and our existing World, especially people of Asian, South American and African continents and Pacific.
Let us begin to explain ‘Post-colonialism that simply meaning ‘after the colonial’ while another similar ambiguous term ‘postcolonialism’ is referred to as re-reading of colonisation writings and literature that has questioned the production of knowledge and discourse in terms of combined social, economic, cultural and political changes brought by the impact of colonialism.
Some scholars understand the end of colonialism that gave way the essential authority, cultural and political freedom, and independence to the indigenous people by removing the political and cultural imperialism.
West versus the Rest/East: Post-colonialism; Representative picture from @CANVA
Postcolonialism is a critical theoretical movement that has interpreted and critically analysed the culture of colonialism and imperialism and the cultural impact of colonialism. It tried to eradicate colonial culture influence and created/realise a sense of self-identity of colonised.
These postcolonial scholars emphasised interpreting the contestation of colonial domination and legacies of colonialism. This critical thought movement emerged in various disciplines like history, philosophy, literature, cultural studies and sociology etc.
let’s summarises the evolution of postcolonialism, relating terminologies and their discourse.
West versus the Rest/East: Post-colonialism; Representative picture from @CANVA
Post-Colonialism or Postcolonialism
There is a debate over defining the terms ‘post-colonialism and ‘postcolonialism’.
Post-colonialism refer to ‘the period after any formerly colonised country took its independence’ or the period that follows after political independence.
In contrast, postcolonialism means the ‘effects and results of any sort of intervention or domination over a country across the time period’ or induce all the complex history and irreversible change suffered by the colonised nation and culture.
Removing of hyphen ‘creates a comparative framework by which to understand the varieties of local resistance to colonial impact’.
Concepts of Postcolonialism
To understand the concept of postcolonialism, one needs to comprehend the terms ‘colonialism’ and ‘imperialism’, although both terms are related to political, power-orientation and suppression of the other.
Colonialism is related to the mission of European political domination over the last 400 years where coloniser involves settlement of colonies and rules over the other regions; whereas Imperialism is related to a system of military domination and sovereignty over other nations without actually any settlement.
West versus the Rest/East: Post-colonialism; Representative picture from @CANVA
It can be understood as a practice where the colonisers establish colonies and settlements for the political and economic benefit of the colonizing country, whereas under imperialism the one country establish influence over the other by military force and power either formally or informally, primarily related to creating an empire and expanding its dominance over other regions.
Edward Said stated ‘“imperialism” means the practice, the theory, and the attitudes of a dominating metropolitan centre ruling a distant territory; “colonialism”, which is almost always a consequence of imperialism, is the implanting of settlements on distant territory’ (Said, 1993). Besides military domination of physical conquest under colonialism, it involves the conquest and occupation of mind, selves and culture.
Similarly, the term is ‘neo-colonialism, which is a new kind of colonialism that supports colonial domination by indirect domination or controlling once colonised nations by implying new kinds of economic, social, political and military systems.
West versus the Rest/East: Post-colonialism; Representative picture from @CANVA
It is believed that neo-colonialism is more difficult to deduct and resist in comparison to traditional colonialism. This indicates all forms of control of former colonies after political independence.
The next term is ‘Decolonization’ simply means a process of getting political-legal freedom from the colonisers, but it also signifies the denial of all imperial impact related to economic, social, political or cultural.
Decolonisation is achieved by different means like revolution, violence and sometimes nonviolence ways.
Another similar term needs explanation is ‘anti-colonialism refers to a ‘political struggle of colonised peoples against the ideology and practice of colonialism’, that was reflected in the diverse way of resistance or opposition to the political, cultural and economic institutions of colonialism in order to restore local control.
Historical discourse: Postcolonialism
This study analyses the manner in which the colonial European powers established control over indigenously developed cultures, and the postcolonialist have equally reacted to and opposed such intrusion.
In other words, it is in a way rejecting the narratives of the West and looking to replace them with counter-narratives to get their own space. This is challenging the Eurocentric norms of literary and artistic values.
This shift in the academia of post-colonial thoughts ranged over four decades from the 1950s till the 1990s that enables the reading of ‘own text on our own terms.’
Historical demarcation of an exact time frame of the postcolonial period is a tedious task. But during the colonial phase, the West distinguishes itself as biologically superior to any other race, which reflected the manner in which colonisers treated the colonised, i.e. forced labour, indentured labour and even slavery.
This established a hegemony where ‘White’ was considered superior to others as subhuman or inferior. The inferiority enforced by the colonisers on colonised in terms of cultural inferiority, identity, social values and psychology.
West versus the Rest/East: Post-colonialism; Representative picture from @CANVA
Gradually, colonised began to get aware of this binary. This led to demand for political, cultural, ethnic freedom and autonomy. This process aggravated when colonisers dominations in all prospective began to disappear in the early phase of the 20th century and gradually, many nations got independence that gave momentum to writings from the third-world countries.
These thoughts majorly came from the formerly colonised nations, especially continents like Asia, Africa and South America; from where mainly the literature produced in the postcolonial world as a literary theory or movement.
These continents went through an anti-colonial struggle and achieved independence. The literature emerging from these former colonies nations is termed postcolonial. Postcolonialism has revived the discourse of nation and nationalism that led to two categorisations the colonisers referred to as ‘West’ whereas the colonised termed as ‘Rest’/’East’.
The postcolonialist coming from former colonies that intent to study the literature of their own nation into the discourse of western academic study. This was a kind of critical reaction to the hierarchy of westerns academia and questions the universal claims of western knowledge and experiences as representatives of mankind.
They highlighted the use of language by the West to establish hegemony and power relations, which helped create a binary ‘we’ vs ‘others’ or ‘us’ vs. ‘them’.
Similarly, various questions are raised by postcolonialist in terms of identity, race, class, ethnicity, gender, discourse, politics, exploitation and resistance against the Western World.
They attempt to represent themselves as an individual in itself rather than ‘white man’s burden’ by identifying the value of their own community or national culture against the foreign hegemony.
Conclusion Postcolonialism provided a counter-narrative to the European imperial narrative, emerging primarily from the formerly colonised countries scholars.
These scholars re-examine the colonial and post-colonial literature, with a prime focus on the social discourse between the coloniser and the colonised that led to the emergence of these writings.
This is our attempt to removed many conceptual errors about these ambiguous terminologies and enlighten the people of the postcolonial World to realise their own identity.
Author: Dr Sakul Kundra, A.HOD Department of Social Science, College of Humanities and Education, Fiji National University.
Representative picture of multicultural workers; Picture Source: @CANVA
The Victorian Government has launched a new initiative to help young and multicultural Victorians overcome barriers in the job market.
The government has set up a team of 27 new dedicated staff to link up culturally diverse job seekers with employers.
Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence announced $3.9 million for this scheme.
According to Minister Spence, Eleven organisations will be supporting Victorians to provide culturally appropriate and individualised support to jobseekers.
Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence; Picture Source: Facebook @RosSpence
This will be done through a network of Community Employment Connectors.
These Community Employment Connectors will start their work supporting jobseekers from July and will help them navigate and connect with employment and training services.
Minister Spence said,
“The Community Employment Connectors will work directly with job-seekers and employers to build the local networks we know are vital to finding sustainable employment.We’re supporting more Victorians into the dignity of a job, while also boosting the pandemic recovery for our whole state.”
This program has a specific focus on young people aged 16-25.
In addition, adults from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who face barriers to securing sustainable employment can also benefit from this initiative.
Representative picture of multicultural workers; Picture Source: @CANVA
The Minister adds:
“Having a job is so important for wellbeing, and the pandemic has increased the barriers already faced by many young and diverse Victorians – so we’re helping them to make those connections.”
The program will provide local solutions to the needs of jobseekers and support the economic recovery for all Victorians going through the pandemic.
Representative picture of multicultural workers; Picture Source: @CANVA
Key organisations include MiCare working in partnership with the Wyndham Community and Education Centre; the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District; and WEstjustice.
This program will also work in collaboration with the Jobs Victoria Advocates Program to address barriers for jobseekers in local areas.
Indian Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya an Tennis Star Roger Federer
BJP MP Mansukh Mandaviya who has taken over the post of IndianUnion Health Minister in the recent cabinet reshuffle PM Narendra Modi was trolled on social media for his old tweets dating back to 2013-2014.
These trolls flooded the social media platforms, especially Twitter and Facebook, with memes where they attacked and mocked Minister Mandaviya.
On being asked what he thought of people who trolled him on Twitter all day today over his “articulation and language skills,” Minister Mandaviya said:
“I have no comments on that.”
Many prominent netizens and politicians have also come out in support.
Image source: Congress leader Tehseen Poonawalla – Wikipedia
Congress leader Tehseen Poonawalla said:
“Unfortunate to see so many fellow citizens trolling Mansukh Mandaviya ji for his lack of proficiency in English. Critic him on faults wrt his work & Ministry (sic)”.
Image source: MP Priyanka Chaturvedi – Wikipedia.
Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted:
“If the only criticism you hold against a minister is his proficiency in English rather than his work, it only reflects your shallowness. Just saying.”
Minister Mandaviya belongs to a farming family in Hanol village in Bhavnagar district. He was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2012 and re-elected in 2018.
Image source: Prof. Anand Ranganathan – Twitter.
To all those trolls who think it is alright to mock others for proficiency in a language, Prof. Anand Ranganathan’s advice is to leave their colonial mindset and judge people by their work rather than speech.
A few days back tennis great Roger Federer admitted at Wimbledon Tennis press meet that his English is poor.
Noted Indian journalist Aditya Raj Kaul challenged the trolls to attempt reading just five sentences in Hindi.
Those mocking English writing, speaking ability or accent of any Indian should be asked to write five sentences in Hindi and then read them aloud. Or just read a story from Nirmal Verma’s book. Most would give up without even attempting. Get rid of this British colonial baggage.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that COVID-19 lockdown restrictions will be tightened after the state recorded 44 new infections.
This is the highest daily number recorded in the latest outbreak.
Premier says, given the growing number of infectious cases in the community and unlinked cases of community transmission, COVID-19 restrictions will be tightened across Greater Sydney including the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour.
From 5 pm today (Friday, 9 July) following additional restrictions will be in place:
Outdoor public gatherings limited to two people (excluding members of the same household);
People must stay in their Local Government Area or within 10kms of home for exercise and outdoor recreation, with no carpooling between non-household members;
Browsing in shops is prohibited, plus only one person per household, per day may leave the home for shopping;
Funerals limited to ten people in total (this will take effect from Sunday, 11 July).
However, the four reasons to leave home remain in place:
Shopping for food or other essential goods and services (one person only);
Medical care or compassionate needs (only one visitor can enter another residence to fulfil carers’ responsibilities or provide care or assistance, or for compassionate reasons);
Exercise with no more than 2 (unless members of the same household);
Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home.
Sydney Lockdown; Picture Source: Twitter
Restrictions in regional NSW will remain unchanged.
These tightened restrictions are based on health advice from the Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant. They are necessary due to the increasing number of unlinked cases in the community.
High testing numbers are key to finding unrecognised chains of transmission in the community, so please continue to come forward for a COVID-19 test, even if you have the mildest of symptoms.
Rashpal Gathwal, the grieving mother of Jasmeen kaur, the young murder victim, has broken her silence three months after her daughter’s death.
Jasmeen originally from Punjab in India, had been living with her aunt and uncle in Adelaide, South Australia, and working as an aged care worker as she studied to become a nurse.
Police allege Jasmeen was “taken by force” by a man after finishing her shift at Southern Cross Homes in North Plympton just before 10pm on March 5.
Jasmeen’s body was found buried in a shallow grave in the Flinders Ranges, 430km from Adelaide. Her ID and shoes were found stuffed in an outback bin.
Image source: Supplied
After three months, Rashpal Gathwal who resides in India has felt strong enough to release a media statement and appeal to the public.
“I regret the day I said yes to sending my daughter to Australia. I didn’t know dropping her at the airport would be the last time I gave her a hug. I miss my daughter everyday.”
Image source: 7NEWS.
South Australia’s Major Crime Detectives are working on the theory that the 21-year-old was kidnapped from her workplace and driven five hours to her gravesite.
Image source: Tarikjot Singh – SA Police
21-year-old Tarikjot Singh, an Indian student, has been charged with her murder.
Tarikjot denies being involved in her death.
Jasmeen’s family has made a fresh plea for witnesses to come forward.
Image source: 9NEWS.
In March, Jasmeen’s family visited the shallow grave where she was buried.
They planted native plants, laid teddies and flowers and prayed.
Her aunt Ramandeep Kharoud told 7NEWS:
“Every detail matters, and it’s going to be helpful to resolve this case.”
Her family now want to be a voice for other victims of violence.
Jasmeen’s aunt Gurjit Bhardwaj told 7NEWS:
“Girls and woman are not safe, we’re not safe out there. We have a right to be out on the street no matter what time it is. Be safe, keep your loved ones close.”
Image source: Jasmeen Kaur – Supplied
Detectives are still hunting for crucial pieces of evidence – Jasmeen’s cream handbag that still remains missing.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expands and reshuffles his council of ministers; Picture Source: PIB
India’s PM Narendra Modi expanded and reshuffled his council of ministers on Wednesday with some ministers dropped and several new faces inducted. The new-look government now has 78 ministers.
This includes 30 cabinet ministers, 2 Ministers of State with Independent Charge, and 45 Ministers of State, apart from the PM himself. The number of MOS with Independent Charge has come down significantly, as most of them have been promoted to cabinet ranks.
Ahead of Union Cabinet expansion, 12 Indian Union Ministers including Ravi Shankar Prasad, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Prakash Javadekar and D.V. Sadananda Gowda have resigned from their posts of Council of Ministers.
As advised by the prime minister, India’s President Ram Nath Kovind has accepted the resignation of 12 ministers.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expands and reshuffles his council of ministers; Picture Source: PIB
According to a release by the President’s Office, among 12 ministers who resigned include Thaawarchand Gehlot, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Babul Supriyo, Dhotre Sanjay Shamrao, Rattan Lal Kataria, Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Sushri Debasree Chaudhuri.
It was the first expansion of the union council of ministers by PM Modi in his second term as Prime Minister.
The swearing-in ceremony, which took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan amid COVID-19 protocols, came days ahead of the monsoon session of parliament.
The seven women MP who took an oath of office on Wednesday are Anupriya Patel, Shobha Karandlaje, Darshana Vikram Jardosh, Meenakshi Lekhi, Annpurna Devi, Pratima Bhoumik and Bharati Pravin Pawar.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expands and reshuffles his council of ministers with Women Ministers; Picture Source: PIB
Forty-three leaders took oath in the first union cabinet expansion and reshuffle of the Modi government in its second term. The rejig saw OBCs, SCs and youth getting more representation.
Senior BJP leaders say an attempt is being made to accommodate various castes and communities in wake of impending assembly elections in crucial states including Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Here is the full list of ministers in the union council of ministers, along with their ministries.
Narendra Modi
Prime Minister and also in-charge of: Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy; Department of Space; All important policy issues; and All other portfolios not allocated to any Minister
CABINET MINISTERS
1.
Raj Nath Singh
Minister of Defence
2.
Amit Shah
Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation
3.
Nitin Jairam Gadkari
Minister of Road Transport and Highways
4.
Nirmala Sitharaman
Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs
5.
Narendra Singh Tomar
Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
6.
Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
Minister of External Affairs
7.
Arjun Munda
Minister of Tribal Affairs
8.
Smriti Zubin Irani
Minister of Women and Child Development
9.
Piyush Goyal
Minister of Commerce and Industry; Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and Minister of Textiles
10.
Dharmendra Pradhan
Minister of Education; and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
11.
Pralhad Joshi
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs; Minister of Coal; and Minister of Mines
12.
Narayan Tatu Rane
Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
13.
Sarbananda Sonowal
Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; and Minister of AYUSH
14.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Minister of Minority Affairs
15.
Dr Virendra Kumar
Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
16.
Giriraj Singh
Minister of Rural Development; and Minister of Panchayati Raj
17.
Jyotiraditya M. Scindia
Minister of Civil Aviation
18.
Ramchandra Prasad Singh
Minister of Steel
19.
Ashwini Vaishnaw
Minister of Railways; Minister of Communications; and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology
20.
Pashu Pati Kumar Paras
Minister of Food Processing Industries
21.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
Minister of Jal Shakti
22.
Kiren Rijiju
Minister of Law and Justice
23.
Raj Kumar Singh
Minister of Power; and Minister of New and Renewable Energy
24.
Hardeep Singh Puri
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas; and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs
25.
Mansukh Mandaviya
Minister of Health and Family Welfare; and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers
26.
Bhupender Yadav
Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; and Minister of Labour and Employment
27.
Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey
Minister of Heavy Industries
28.
Parshottam Rupala
Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
29.
G. Kishan Reddy
Minister of Culture; Minister of Tourism; and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region
30.
Anurag Singh Thakur
Minister of Information and Broadcasting; and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports
MINISTERS OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
1.
Rao Inderjit Singh
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs
2.
Dr Jitendra Singh
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office; Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy; and Minister of State in the Department of Space
MINISTERS OF STATE
1.
Shripad Yesso Naik
Minister of State in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism
2.
Faggansingh Kulaste
Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development
3.
Prahalad Singh Patel
Minister of State in the Ministry of Jal Shakti; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries
4.
Ashwini Kumar Choubey
Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
5.
Arjun Ram Meghwal
Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture
6.
General (Retd.) V. K. Singh
Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation
7.
Krishan Pal
Minister of State in the Ministry of Power; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries
8.
Danve Raosaheb Dadarao
Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways; Minister of State in the Ministry of Coal; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Mines
9.
Ramdas Athawale
Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
10.
Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti
Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development
11.
Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan
Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
12.
Nityanand Rai
Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs
13.
Pankaj Chaowdhary
Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance
14.
Anupriya Singh Patel
Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
15.
Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel
Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice
16.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Minister of State in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
17.
Su Shobha Karandlaje
Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
18.
Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma
Minister of State in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
19.
Darshana Vikram Jardosh
Minister of State in the Ministry of Textiles; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways
20.
V. Muraleedharan
Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
21.
Meenakashi Lekhi
Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture
22.
Som Parkash
Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
23.
Renuka Singh Saruta
Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
24.
Rameswar Teli
Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employment
25.
Kailash Choudhary
Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
26.
Annpurna Devi
Minister of State in the Ministry of Education
27.
A. Narayanaswamy
Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
28.
Kaushal Kishore
Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
29.
Ajay Bhatt
Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism
30.
B. L. Verma
Minister of State in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Cooperation
31.
Ajay Kumar
Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs
32.
Devusinh Chauhan
Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications
33.
Bhagwanth Khuba
Minister of State in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
34.
Kapil Moreshwar Patil
Minister of State in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
35.
Su Pratima Bhoumik
Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
36.
Dr Subhas Sarkar
Minister of State in the Ministry of Education
37.
Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad
Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance
38.
Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh
Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Education
39.
Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar
Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
40.
Bishweswar Tudu
Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Jal Shakti
41.
Shantanu Thakur
Minister of State in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
42.
Dr. Munjapara Mahendrabhai
Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development; and Minister of State in the Ministry of AYUSH
43.
John Barla
Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs
44.
Dr L. Murugan
Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
45.
Nisith Pramanik
Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Australian Olympic Team Flagbearer Patty Mills and Cate Campbell; Picture Source: Australian Olympics
Creating Australian Olympic history, Patty Mills becomes the first Indigenous Australian to carry the flag at an Opening Ceremony while Cate Campbell becomes the first female swimmer to do so.
In a further historic touch, the pair become the first dual flagbearers to carry the Australian flag – though not the first dual flagbearers. Denise Boyd and Max Metzker led the Australian Team in Moscow in 1980 behind an Olympic flag.
Cate is also only the third flagbearer from swimming, following in the footsteps of Max Metzker (Moscow 1980) and Andrew (Boy) Charlton (Los Angeles 1932).
Patty Mills is the third from basketball joining Lauren Jackson (London 2012) and Andrew Gaze (Sydney 2000).
Both Cate and Patty are attending their fourth Olympic Games, having made their debuts in Beijing in 2008. They will add to the list of 23 Australians who have previously carried the flag at a Summer Games, beginning with George Parker in Antwerp in 1920.
Cate & Patty
Patty Mills says the privilege is hard to wrap his head around.
“As a proud Kokatha, Naghiralgal and Dauareb-Meriam man it’s incredible. A very passionate moment I can feel in my bones. But what does it actually mean to me to be a flag bearer?
“My answer comes from how this particular person in past years, in this role, has impacted me. It’s leadership, representation and It’s insanely meaningful. It’s inspiring. It’s symbolic. It’s emblematic.”
Australian Olympic Team Flagbearer Patty Mills; Picture Source: Australian Olympics
“But I think my honest answer would be, what does it mean to everyone else? What does it mean to the team? What does it mean to everyone in Australia? The thousands of ex-pats living around the world? What does it mean to the next generation? The people that have come before us?
“Because those are the people I proudly represent and will carry the flag for. As the first Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander flag bearer, my connection between our country – the land, the sky, the sea, our culture, our history and this particular moment runs extremely deep.
Cate Campbell says she’s humbled to be selected – a particular honour for these Games.
“It’s always an honour to represent Australia at the Olympics, but this year is even more special.”
Australian Olympic Team Flagbearer Cate Campbell; Picture Source: Australian Olympics
“Twelve months ago, I wasn’t even sure if there would be an Olympics. The postponement threw up so many challenges for everyone. More than ever, the Olympics feels like a celebration of the human spirit; a reminder of what we can achieve if we work together.
“Leading the Australian Team out for these Olympics carries extra significance – everyone one of us, rookies and seasoned Olympians alike, have had to dig deep to earn a spot on this team; and I am incredibly honoured to be leading us out.”
Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission for Tokyo Ian Chesterman says each athlete offers something unique to the Australian Olympic Team but they also share common traits which influenced his decision making on who would carry the flag.
“Each is a gifted athlete and critically, a natural leader who has the respect of athletes within their chosen sports and beyond. I have no doubt Cate and Patty will have the enthusiastic support of the Australian Olympic Team.
“Equally, they are passionately committed to representing their country and carrying the responsibility that goes with that. Both have their own journeys and stories, but that pride in the green and gold shines through so strongly.
“What also stands out for me is how swiftly each embraced leadership during the difficulty of the pandemic and subsequent postponement of the Tokyo Games. Their compassion for their fellow athletes was immediately evident and quite spontaneous.
“Setting aside their own difficulties, they sought to inspire fellow athletes and the broader community through positive social media and other activities, including playing an important role in athlete welfare initiatives such as the AOC’s Wellbeing Week live program.
“Patty is an inspiration for all Indigenous Australians. He holds culture and country close to his heart as a proud Kokatha man (South Australia) and Naghiralgal and Dauareb-Meriam man (Torres Strait).
Australian Olympic Team Flagbearer Patty Mills; Picture Source: Australian Olympics
“Importantly, he is someone who turns ideas into action. Through his creation of Indigenous Basketball Australia (IBA), there are new opportunities for young Indigenous athletes to forge a successful path in sport and life, embracing their culture and unleashing their potential.”
“And how appropriate when we have a record number of Indigenous athletes representing Australia at these Games in Tokyo, we have such a rousing figure to lead his fellow athletes into this global celebration.
“And who better to share this task than Cate Campbell. Leadership springs not simply from what you say, but ultimately what you do. She is a champion in the pool and out of it.
“A committed contributor to the AOC Athletes’ Commission, Cate has personified those important qualities of resilience and determination. From the time we learned the Tokyo Games were postponed, Cate exuded such calm authority, determined to steer fellow athletes and the broader community through those troubled times,” Mr Chesterman concluded.
Historical Note: There were no Australian Flagbearers for Athens (1896), Paris (1900) and St Louis (1904). In London (1908) and Stockholm (1912), Australia and New Zealand competed as “Australasia” and on both occasions, the Flagbearers were New Zealanders. No Games were held in 1916 due to World War One.
Moods of Dilip Kumar: Picture Source: Twitter @JammuUpdates
Bollywood’s tragedy king Dilip Kumar breathed his last on Wednesday at Mumbai’s PD Hinduja Hospital. The 98-year-old actor passed away due to various age-related ailments.
The news of his demise is confirmed by Dr Jaleel Parkar, Pulmonologist, who was treating the veteran actor. He was admitted to the hospital a few days ago after he complained of breathlessness.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise of legendary actor Dilip Kumar, who breathed his last on Wednesday morning.
Taking to Twitter, PM Modi remembered Dilip Kumar as a ‘cinematic legend’. “Dilip Kumar Ji will be remembered as a cinematic legend. He was blessed with unparalleled brilliance, due to which audiences across generations were enthralled,” the tweet read.
“His passing away is a loss to our cultural world. Condolences to his family, friends and innumerable admirers. RIP.”
Dilip Kumar Ji will be remembered as a cinematic legend. He was blessed with unparalleled brilliance, due to which audiences across generations were enthralled. His passing away is a loss to our cultural world. Condolences to his family, friends and innumerable admirers. RIP.
Dilip Kumar’s spokesperson Faisal Farooqi has also shared the sad news on the former’s Twitter handle. “With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, a few minutes ago. We are from God and to Him, we return,” Farooqi tweeted.
The multiple-award-winning actor’s career spanned over more than five decades and during the golden era of Hindi cinema, Dilip Kumar charmed millions of hearts with his performance in more than 65 films. He was also popularly known as the First Khan of Bollywood. Born as Muhammad Yusuf Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, he began his acting career with the screen name, Dilip Kumar.
Dilip Kumar holds the record for winning the maximum number of Filmfare awards. He was the inaugural recipient of the award and won the best actor Filmfare Award eight times. In his five-decade-long career, he contributed to Hindi cinema in different ways, including the introduction of the method acting technique.
His first few films, including his Bollywood debut ‘Jwar Bhata’, which was released in 1944, could not strike a chord with the audiences. But his scintillating performance in ‘Jugnu’ in the year of Indian Independence, 1947, won hearts, making the film his first major hit.
Born on December 11, 1922, Dilip Kumar was one among 12 siblings. The yesteryear actor completed his schooling at the Barnes School, Deolali, Nashik, where he grew up in a mixed neighbourhood. His childhood friend Raj Kapoor, too, later became his colleague in the film industry.
— Vibhuti Narayan Mishra (@Rofl_Vibhu) July 7, 2021
After running a sandwich stall at Pune’s Army Club in 1943, Dilip Kumar wanted to establish a business in Mumbai to contribute to the household income and help his father. His father was a fruit merchant and a landlord who owned orchards in Peshawar and Deolali near Nashik.
But fate had other plans: at the Church gate Station in Mumbai, Dilip Kumar met Dr Masani, who introduced him to actor Devika Rani, then owner of the renowned film studio in Malad, Bombay Talkies, which has now been shut down.
Earlier, Dilip Kumar used to help in the scripting and story-writing department because of his proficiency in the Urdu language. It was upon Devika Rani’s request that Muhammed Yusuf Khan changed his professional name to Dilip Kumar. He then embarked on his acting career with Bombay Talkies in the movie ‘Jwar Bhata.’
In his autobiography ‘The Substance and the Shadow’, he recalled, “I had no clue what acting in front of a camera was. It was something to be studied, learned, and practised.” During his stint at Bombay Talkies, he met actor Ashok Kumar, who was a star back then. From Ashok Kumar, he learnt that acting was not about being theatrically bombastic, which was the popular trend in those times.
After ‘Jugnu’, he starred in a couple of more hits — ‘Shaheed’ and ‘Mela’– before finally landing his breakthrough role in Mehboob Khan’s ‘Andaz’.
The actor was known for his careful selection of scripts and it was evident why Dilip Kumar was more than just an actor, writer, filmmaker, poet, or philosopher. His erudition helped him to stand out and evolve a new method of acting. The dignified silences, the thoughtful pauses, and his poetic dialogue delivery were hallmarks of his understated style.
The 1949 film ‘Andaz’ saw Dilip Kumar, starring alongside two other golden stars of that era – Raj Kapoor and Nargis.
Although he had some major hits in the 1940s, it was in the 1950s that he tasted real success for the first time with a string of hits: ‘Babul,’ ‘Devdas,’ ‘Hulchul,’ ‘Yahudi,’ ‘Daag,’ ‘Sairat,’ ‘Naya Daur,’ and ‘Deedar’. These were the classic tragedy films that gave Dilip Kumar the title of ‘The Tragedy King.’
Though he was a teetotaller himself, in ‘Devdas’ he captured the essence of the self-destructive man driven by unrequited love to become a drunkard. He portrayed the grief of his character Devdas, through his hazy eyes and eloquent silences.
It was the social drama ‘Daag’ that won the legendary star his first ever Filmfare Award in the main category of the lead actor, also making him the inaugural recipient of the award at the time of its inception in 1954.
After that, he won the prestigious award several times and to date continues to hold the record for the maximum Filmfare wins with his eight Black Lady trophies. He shared the position with superstar Shah Rukh Khan who also has eight Filmfare Awards to his credit. Though tragedy movies brought him great success on the professional front, Dilip Kumar got so involved in the characters he portrayed that it affected his mental health giving him bouts of depression.
After that, on the suggestion of a psychiatrist, he went on to do a few light-hearted roles. He started with Mehboob Khan’s ‘Aan’, which was also his first film shot in technicolour. Though the actor tried to work in different genres to do away with the tag of ‘The Tragedy King’, his epic portrayals in these films have been so etched in the minds of his fans that he is to date remembered with this title only.
He played several lighter roles before finally landing the lead role of Prince Salim in the big-budget magnum opus ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ in 1960 which went on to be re-released in the full-colour format in 2004, 44 years after its original release.
In 1961, the late actor also became a film producer, bankrolling and starring in the film ‘Ganga Jamuna’ alongside actor Vyjayanthimala, though he did not produce any other film thereafter. The movie, which itself had elements borrowed from ‘Mother India’, later became the precursor for several other films, where one brother becomes an outlaw and the other is a policeman.
Dilip Kumar excelled in his performance as a rustic villager who was forced to become a dacoit due to circumstances. Made in rural dialect, the film retained those flavours in its music and lyrics.
He delivered a few more terrific portrayals in the 1960s, which include his dual role in ‘Ram Aur Shyam,’ Waheeda Rehman starrer ‘Aadmi,’ and superhit flick ‘Sunghursh’, in which he again starred opposite Vyjayanthimala.
The year 1966 marked the legendary actor’s marriage with the then Bollywood diva Saira Banu who was 22 years younger than him. Before marrying Saira Banu, Dilip Kumar had been in a relationship with the queen of elegance Madhubala. He was also linked with Bollywood beauties like Kamini Kaushal and Vyjayanthimala.
Lovingly known as Dilip Saab, he was one of the most sought-after celebrities by women. It is said his popularity amongst women was so immense that they used to stand in front of his car, wishing to be run over.
On the day of his engagement, a girl from the industry, who was his supposed girlfriend, reportedly took sleeping pills. Dilip Kumar had to make her understand that he was in love with Saira Banu. It was only after she was pacified that he returned to his engagement ceremony.
After several back-to-back successes, Dilip Kumar went through a career slump in the 1970s, with only a couple of movies like ‘Bairaag’ and ‘Gopi’ performing well at the box office. In ‘Gopi’ he starred alongside his real-life wife, Saira Banu.
Dilip Kumar then took a five-year-long hiatus from films, lasting from the year 1976 to 1981. It was in 1981 that he made a comeback with the multi-starrer flick ‘Kranti’, playing a central role among the ensemble cast, which included names like Shashi Kapoor, Shatrughan Sinha, Manoj Kumar and Hema Malini.
After playing the titular role of a revolutionary fighting for the independence of India, he then starred in the 1982 ‘Vidhata’ directed by Subhash Ghai with stars like Shammi Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and Sanjeev Kumar among the cast.
Featuring with Amitabh Bachchan in the 1982 super-hit ‘Shakti’ directed by Ramesh Sippy, he won his eighth and last Filmfare Award for the best actor. His next film, the 1984 social crime drama ‘Mashal’ directed by Yash Chopra was a failure at the box office, though his performance was critically acclaimed.
Later he also appeared alongside Rishi Kapoor in the 1984 ‘Duniya’ and with Jeetendra in ‘Dharm Adhikari’, which was released in 1986.
In 1986, he again collaborated with Subhash Ghai for the ensemble action movie ‘Karma’. He was paired for the first time with the veteran actor Nutan, though they had earlier collaborated three decades ago in an incomplete film named ‘Shikwa’. He was again paired opposite Nutan for the 1989 ‘Kanoon Apna Apna’.
Dilip starred in the 1991 film ‘Saudagar’ along with veteran actor Raaj Kumar, which later turned out to be his last phenomenal success at the box office and also his last collaboration with director Subhash Ghai.
In recognition of his contribution to the film industry for over five decades, he was conferred the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. In the same year, he was honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award and was later conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2015.
To mark an official comeback for the actor, film producer Sudhakar Bokade announced the movie ‘Kalinga’ in 1992, but the film got delayed for several years and was eventually shelved. His last appearance in the movies was in the film titled ‘Qila’ which was released in 1998.
After his acting career came to an end, Dilip was nominated to the upper house of parliament through the Indian National Congress. He served as a Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra from 2000 to 2006.
Besides acting and politics, the star has also undertaken humanitarian work. While serving as a Rajya Sabha MP, he used his MPLAD fund for improving the gardens of Bandra Fort and Bandstand Promenade.
Dilip Kumar was a flame carrier who took Bollywood to heights it had never been before. Living many lives in a lifetime, his persona could never be replaced by anyone else. Poetry and poise are the words that are synonymous with the name Dilip Kumar. No other actor has spent such a long life in the public eye and yet retained an everlasting positive image in the mind of the audiences.
Whether it was his alleged love affairs with Madhubala and Kamini Kaushal, his first marriage, or other controversies like the Nishan-E- Imtiaz award (Pakistan’s highest civilian award) in 1993, which even raised questions about his patriotism, he handled all of that with grace and maturity.
One of the early stars of Bollywood, he rose to a level of prominence never achieved in Indian cinema before. A role model for many, a star, a legend, and the king of the golden era of cinema, Dilip Kumar has left behind a legacy for many acting enthusiasts to enjoy and learn from.
The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria has called on the Victorian state government to declare a new public holiday for all Victorians to fall on the Friday of NAIDOC Week to align with the March each year.
NAIDOC Week is an annual occasion of remembrance and resistance that has evolved into a national celebration of community, cultures and Country, alongside our collective resilience and survival as custodians of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures.
It was around the 1920s time when the powerful advocacy of Uncle William Cooper, including his landmark 1935 petition to King George V, called specifically for designated Aboriginal electorates in the Federal Parliament.
This is why a public holiday of remembrance and celebration of Aboriginal histories and cultures would be best placed in this week.
The theme for this year’s NAIDOC Week is Heal Countrywhich speaks to the inherent rights our Traditional Owners possess to care for ‘Country’ across the nation. Exercising these rights is essential for First Nation people to protect, celebrate and heal.
Every year, it becomes more difficult for anyone to argue that January 26 is the most appropriate and inclusive date for a national celebration. It’s acknowledged as a day of hurt and mourning for Aboriginal people – a reminder of a violent legacy of discrimination and dispossession, and their apparent inability as a society to move forward together in healing.
The Assembly has made every effort to practise what they preach. They have declared this Friday 9 July of NAIDOC Week a day of leave for all their staff – both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal – and their elected Members to join in the celebrations and reflect on their past as they work towards a brighter future.
They want to encourage the Victorian Government, and all Victorian businesses, organisations, and employers to follow their lead and do the same.
Greater Sydney lockdown extended till 16 July, says Premier Gladys Berejiklian: Picture Source: The Australia Today
NSW recorded 27 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8 pm last night.
Of these locally acquired cases, 18 are linked to a known case or cluster – seven are household contacts and 11 are close contacts – and the source of infection for nine cases remains under investigation.
There are 25 cases that are unlinked to a known case or cluster. Currently, 37 COVID-19 cases admitted to the hospital, with seven people in intensive care, two of whom require ventilation.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced, “Stay at home orders apply to Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour until 11.59 pm on Friday 16 July 2021.”
“Rules and restrictions apply to people who live in, usually work in, or usually attend a university or other tertiary education facility in Greater Sydney. Additional restrictions will also apply across the rest of NSW to protect the community from COVID-19.”
The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic is 5,836.
There have been 357 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, among them are 264 cases directly linked to known cases in the Bondi cluster.
NSW COVID-19 (Coronavirus) statistics:
Cases
Count
Confirmed cases (including interstate residents in NSW health care facilities)
5,836
Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases)
56
Total tests carried out
7,295,386
Total vaccinations administered in NSW
2,474,124
Everyone in Greater Sydney must stay home unless you have a reasonable excuse.
Stay at home rules apply if you were in Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour on or after Monday 21 June 2021,
You must follow the stay at home rules for 14 days from the date you left the area.
Overseas arrivals and people who have quarantined
You do not need to follow the stay at home rules for 14 days after leaving Greater Sydney if
you have quarantined (at a residence, hotel quarantine or medical facility) and completed your 14 days in isolation in Greater Sydney
you leave Greater Sydney (including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour) as soon as possible after the end of your isolation period
you travel out of Greater Sydney by a private vehicle (not public transport, taxi or ride share) by the most direct route possible or you travel directly to Sydney Airport and fly out of Greater Sydney
you do not enter any premises in Greater Sydney, where possible
you wear a mask and stay 1.5 metres away from any other person while in Greater Sydney
you get a COVID-19 test 2 days after leaving isolation.
Reasonable excuse to leave home
A reasonable excuse is if you need to
obtain food or other goods and services
for the personal needs of the household or for other household purposes (including pets)
for vulnerable people
if the food or goods and services are not available in the local government area that you live in
travel for work or education if it is not possible to do it at home
exercise and take outdoor recreation in Greater Sydney
go out for medical or caring reasons, including obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination
donate blood
access childcare
continue existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children
attend a funeral
provide care or assistance (including personal care) to a vulnerable person or to provide emergency assistance
access social services, employment services, services provided to victims (including as victims of crime), domestic violence services, and mental health services
move to a new place of residence, or between your different places of residence
undertake legal obligations
avoid injury or illness or to escape the risk of harm
in case of emergencies
for compassionate reasons, including where two people are in a relationship but do not necessarily live together
to provide pastoral care if you are a priest, minister of religion or member of a religious order.
Taking a holiday is not a reasonable excuse.
Face masks
The requirement to wear a face mask in all indoor areas of non-residential premises that was recently applied in Greater Sydney has been extended to all of NSW.
As well as wearing a face mask in all indoor areas, you must also wear a face mask
at certain outdoor gatherings
if you are on public transport
in a major recreation facility such as a stadium or
if you are working in a hospitality venue.
Visiting Greater Sydney
A person must not enter Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour without a reasonable excuse.
Reasonable excuses for entering the area also includes
returning to your home if you live in Greater Sydney
travelling to Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour from another place in NSW to get vaccinated if you meet the requirements.
You cannot take a holiday in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour.
Visitors to a residence
If you are in Greater Sydney, you must comply with the stay at home rules. If you want to visit another person you will need a reasonable excuse to be away from your place of residence.
A visitor does not include a person at the place of residence who is there
for work or attend a university or other tertiary education facility
for childcare
as a carer
to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person
to give effect to arrangements between parents and children under 18 or their siblings
to assist a person to move places of residence
to avoid an injury or serious risk of harm
because of an emergency
for compassionate reasons
to view or inspect property to lease or purchase it.
Working from home
All of NSW
Employers must allow an employee to work from home if it is reasonably practicable to do so.
If you cannot work from home and you go to your workplace, you must wear a face mask (unless an exemption applies).
Children and parenting
Under the stay at home rules, accessing childcare is considered a reasonable excuse to leave your home.
Vacation care and childcare will continue in Greater Sydney and throughout NSW.
If your child is booked to attend a vacation camp or other activities during the holiday period, contact the operator for any changes to arrangements.
Services may be live-streamed from a church, meeting house, mosque, synagogue, temple or other places of worship that is not open to members of the public.
You can attend the premises if you are directly involved in the service or the operation of the equipment for the Livestream event. Find out about the rules that apply to singing in a place of public worship during a live-streamed event.
The place of worship must not be open to members of the public.
Weddings
From 28 June 2021 onwards, you will not be able to:
enter Greater Sydney to hold or attend a wedding
leave your place of residence to attend a wedding if you live in, usually work in, or usually attend a university or other tertiary education facility in Greater Sydney.
Funerals
Funerals can continue to take place in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour with up to 100 people.
Attending a funeral of up to 100 people is a reasonable excuse to leave home and to enter Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour.
Outdoor gatherings
Greater Sydney
If you are in the Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour, you must not participate in an outdoor public gathering of more than 10 people, unless you are:
working or attending a university or other tertiary education facility
providing care or assistance to vulnerable persons
gathering with your household
gathering for a funeral
providing emergency assistance to a person
fulfilling a legal obligation
moving home or moving your business to a new premises.
Exemptions
The following gatherings are also exempt from the 10 person outdoor gathering limit:
gathering at an airport
transportation including vehicles, truck stops, stations, platforms and stops but not including vehicles being used as a party bus
hospitals or other medical or health service facilities
emergency services
prisons, correctional facilities, youth justice centres or other places of custody
However, no community sport (whether training or a match) in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour should proceed.
If you are staying in temporary accommodation in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour – including in short-term or holiday accommodation – you may stay at your accommodation until your booking expires.
When your booking expires, you may leave your accommodation to return to
your place of residence or
other accommodation.
While you are staying here, you must continue to comply with the stay at the home direction.
Places that are closed
Greater Sydney
The following places in Greater Sydney are directed to be closed to the public.
Pubs and registered clubs except for
selling food or beverages for people to consume off-site and
providing accommodation, including allowing food and drinks to be consumed in a person’s room.
Food and drink premises, except for
selling food or beverages for people to consume off-site
selling food to be consumed in a person’s room if in a hotel or motel
if the premises are part of a shopping centre, selling food or beverages for people to consume outside of the shopping centre
holding a funeral in accordance with relevant restrictions.
Entertainment facilities, such as theatres, cinemas, music halls, concert halls and dance halls.
Amusement centres, such as places to play billiards, pool, pinball machines or video games.
Micro-breweries or small distilleries holding a drink on-premises authorisation under the Liquor Act 2007 or cellar door premises, except for selling food or beverages for people to consume off the premises.
Indoor recreation facilities such as squash courts, indoor swimming pools, gyms, table tennis centres, health studios, bowling alleys and ice rinks.
Places of public worship, except for the purposes of conducting a funeral service.
permanent residents or other people who have no other place of permanent residence, and their visitors
people who were staying there on Friday 25 June 2021 and have not extended their booking
local workers and overnight travellers.
Sex on premises services
Sex services premises
Strip clubs
Public swimming pools (except natural swimming pools, which may open)
National Trust properties and Historic Houses Trust of NSW properties (other than retail shops)
Nightclubs
Casinos, except for selling food or beverages for people to consume off-site and providing accommodation, including allowing food and drinks to be consumed in a person’s room.
Exemptions
Your premises may stay open if it is
used to provide a service to vulnerable people (such as a food bank or homeless shelter)
an early education and care facility
used for a funeral of 100 people or less.
If your premises is permitted to stay open under the public health order, you must follow the rules in place including
The following activities must not take place in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour.
Auctions that people attend in person.
Open inspections of properties, although inspections may be conducted by private appointment for one person only.
If you are a real estate agent or a prospective purchaser and you live in, usually work in, or usually attend a university or other tertiary education facility in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour, you must follow the stay at home rules.
If you are a real estate agent or a prospective purchaser and you do not live in, usually work in, or usually attend a university or other tertiary education facility in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour, the NSW rules apply.
NSW Health administered 20,564 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8 pm last night, including 7,135 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 2,474,124, with 962,785 doses administered by NSW Health to 8 pm last night and 1,511,339 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11.59 pm on Monday 5 July.
Representative picture of Restaurant Kitchen hand; Picture Source: @CANVA
The Fair Work Ombudsman has secured a total of $309,750 in penalties in court in response to a migrant employee being underpaid for almost $70,000 and records being falsified at a Melbourne restaurant.
The penalty was imposed in response to the company contravening workplace laws by underpaying a working visa holder $69,321 and knowingly making and keeping false records and providing them to the Fair Work Ombudsman during its investigation.
Fair Work Inspectors investigated after the employee contacted the FWO. Inspectors found the employee had regularly worked 60 hours per week as a kitchen hand at the restaurant but had been paid between only $700 and $1060 per week.
This resulted in underpayment of the ordinary hourly rates, overtime rates, and weekend and public holiday rates the employee was entitled to under the Restaurant Industry Award 2010. Annual leave entitlements, superannuation and a split shift allowance were also underpaid.
Representative picture of Restaurant Kitchen hand; Picture Source: @CANVA
The company, director and bookkeeper made full admissions in relation to the contraventions alleged against them, and the parties jointly agreed to a penalty range for the admitted contraventions.
The Fair Work Ombudsman also submitted in court that the significant penalties were appropriate due to the serious nature of the contraventions and because the restaurant industry has consistently been recognised as notorious for underpayment of employees, particularly vulnerable migrant workers.
Picture Source: Fair Work Ombudsman
The Federal Circuit Court has imposed a $249,000 penalty against the China Bar Buffet (Epping) Pty Ltd, which operated the China Bar Signature restaurant and China Bar Express fast food outlet in Epping.
In addition, the company’s sole director, Siak Kong Chi, was penalised $41,250 and bookkeeper Ying Lee, of the ‘China Bar Group’, was penalised $19,500, for their involvement in some of the contraventions by the company.
Representative picture of Restaurant Kitchen hand; Picture Source: @CANVA
Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said improving workplace compliance in the fast food, restaurant and catering sector and protecting migrant workers remain priorities for the FWO.
“The penalties in this matter send a clear message that paying low, flat rates that undercut Award entitlements and trying to mislead Fair Work inspectors is completely unacceptable conduct that will not be tolerated.”
“We treat matters relating to migrant workers particularly seriously and we are also focused on taking action to improve compliance in the restaurant and fast-food sector.”
Representative picture of Restaurant Kitchen hand; Picture Source: @CANVA
“All workers in Australia have the same rights at work, regardless of citizenship or visa status, and we urge any workers with concerns to contact us,” Ms Parker said.
The underpayment amount was rectified in full by the company only after FWO commenced legal action.
Inspectors were also provided with false records showing inaccurate hours of work and payments made to the employee and other employees at the China Bar Express fast food outlet.
Judge Patrizia Mercuri said she placed little weight on submissions by the company, Mr Chi and Ms Li that they did not fully understand their obligations under workplace laws and that Mr Chi’s poor English created difficulty.
Representative picture of Restaurant Kitchen hand; Picture Source: @CANVA
“(The company) not only failed to provide the employee with his entitlements, and failed to maintain accurate records which would have assisted in the investigation phase, but actually maintained records which (Mr Chi), as the directing mind and will of (the company), knew were false and misleading,” Judge Mercuri said.
Judge Mercuri noted that Mr Chi remains involved in various food and beverage businesses.
Employers and employees can visit www.fairwork.gov.au or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 for free advice and assistance about their rights and obligations in the workplace. A free interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.
Information for the fast food, restaurant and café sector is available at www.fairwork.gov.au/frac.
Note: Since the Fair Work Ombudsman commenced proceedings against the company and others, the company licensed out the operation of China Bar Signature restaurant to an unrelated entity. The Fair Work Ombudsman makes no allegations against the current operators of the China Bar Signature restaurant.
The Fair Work Ombudsman also makes no allegations against the unrelated entity that operated China Bar Signature for the period 19 September 2016 to 16 October 2016.
Vidya Balan Firing Range; Picture Source: Twitter- Indian Army
In recognition of Vidya Balan’s phenomenal contribution to Indian cinema, the Indian Army has recently named one of its firing ranges after the versatile actor.
The Vidya Balan Firing Range is located in Gulmarg, Kashmir.
Earlier this year, Vidya along with her husband Siddharth Roy Kapur had even attended the Gulmarg Winter Festival organised by the Indian Army.
Vidya Balan’s contribution to Indian cinema
Vidya was touted to be one of the revolutionary actresses in Bollywood in the early 2000s for her female-led projects, the national award-winning actress started her career in 1995 inHum Paanch.
Vidya Balan Firing Range; Picture Source: Twitter- Indian Army
After appearing in the Bengali movie Bhalo Theko, she made her Bollywood debut with Parineeta.
Movies like Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Heyy BabyyandBhool Bhulaiyaacatapulted the actress’s fame in Bollywood and made her one of the most sought-after actors in the industry. With consecutive successful movies like Paa, Ishqiya,No One Killed Jessica and Kahaani, the actress bagged a National Award for her role in The Dirty Picture.
Vidya Balan Firing Range; Picture Source: Twitter- Indian Army
Several social media users have shared the same news on Instagram and Twitter. However, Vidya has not posted anything about it yet.
Also, a few days ago, it was announced that she has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the governing body behind the Oscars.
Vidya Balan Firing Range; Picture Source: Twitter- Indian Army
Speaking of Vidya’s recent work projects, she is currently being lauded for her stellar performance in Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Sherni’, wherein she essays the character of Vidya Vincent- an upright forest officer.
The character powers through the brutal beasts of social barriers set by the patriarchal society and the lackadaisical attitudes within her department.
Medical repatriation of Arshdeep Singh; Picture Source: GK Manjit Singh
Arshdeep Singh, a 25-year-old international student studying in Australia was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition.
In an extraordinary effort, Australian and Indian governments coordinated and facilitated the medical repatriation of Arshdeep Singh, who is suffering from chronic renal failure, He reached New Delhi on Monday night.
He was received by his family members and Sikh leader Manjit Singh GK along with other officials. Flight no 111 from Darwin operated by Qantas was used for airlifting him.
Qantas Airlines didn’t charge even a single dollar as everyone involved in the medical repatriation did their best to help the family.
Qantas flew a special plane to India with Arshdeep Singh along with a medical team. Arshdeep landed in New Delhi at 18:10 hrs local time. After his arrival, he was shifted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for further treatment.
His family members thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar and the Australian Federal government for their efforts.
Arshdeep’s Mother Inderjeet Kaur was in shock since she knew about his illness thousands of kilometres away from home.
She Said,
“I’m speechless, I want to thank the Indian government, Prime Minister Modi, the Australian government, Australian doctors who started the dialysis treatment. Almighty’s grace was there. I’m thankful to all those who helped bring my child to me.”
Especially, I want to thank Qantas Airlines. When I got to know about the news about my son’s illness, I was in shock, it was my worst day. I don’t have words to express,” Mrs Kaur added.
Brother-in-law of Arshdeep Singh, Kunwar Anand called the situation shocking and said the family was not able to handle visa and flights related issues during the COVID pandemic.
Medical repatriation of Arshdeep Singh; Picture Source: GK Manjit Singh
“That situation was shocking and we were not able to handle it. We didn’t have visas so we decided to apply. We couldn’t travel to Australia since flights were not operating.”
Many commercial flights refused to bring back Arshdeep as COVID restrictions were in place in both countries. At this point in time, the Australian government played a very big role in medical repatriation.
“I want to thank the Australian government, their doctors for providing the best treatment to Arshdeep. We don’t have any words on the ordeal which we faced,” Kunwar Anand said.
Former President, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee shared a video that shows Arshdeep travelling alone on the flight along with his medical equipment.
Manjit Singh GK said, “He is the only son, on June 8th he walks into the hospital and within 1-2 days, they got the news that there was a renal failure, his kidneys were not functioning. His heart is only 20 per cent with an ejection fraction. The family were in a state of shock and we have no place to go because there was COVID going on. Hospital also suggested an organ transplant. This is a very serious case.”
Medical repatriation of Arshdeep Singh; Picture Source: GK Manjit Singh
“Our government was kind enough to approach the Australian Government, the mother was given a visa on June 17th, but there were no flights operating. Arshdeep’s condition was deteriorating every day. Then we requested the Australian Government to send Arshdeep back to India so that he can get the treatment,” GK added.
India-born Sirisha Bandla to fly into space; Picture Source: Twitter: Sirisha Bandla
Indian-origin astronaut, Sirisha Bandla will be taking care of the researcher experience on the Unity22 mission, when a Virgin Galactic test flight travels to the edge of space on July 11.
The Indian state of Andhra Pradesh born Ms Bandla will be one of the six space travellers aboard ‘VSS Unity’ of Virgin Galactic, scheduled to take off to space on July 11 from New Mexico alongside the founder of Virgin Galactic Richard Branson.
Six space travellers aboard ‘VSS Unity’ Picture Source: Twitter @virgingalactic
The Telugu woman hailing from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district was brought up in Houston. She will become the second India-born woman to fly into space after Kalpana Chawla.
Rakesh Sharma and Sunita Williams were the other people of Indian origin who went into space prior to Ms Bandla.
Taking to Twitter, the 34-year-old aeronautical engineer shared she was “incredibly honoured” to be part of the crew.
“I am so incredibly honoured to be a part of the amazing crew of Unity22, and to be a part of a company whose mission is to make space available to all,” she posted.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also shared two pictures – one featuring all five members of the crew and a solo photo of Sirisha Bandla on his official Twitter handle.
“Indian-origin women continue to break the proverbial glass ceiling and prove their mettle. On July 11th, Sirisha Bandla with Telugu roots is set to fly to space aboard VSS Unity with Richard Branson and the team marking the dawn of the new space age, making all Indians proud!” Mr Naidu tweeted.
UK billionaire and founder of the Virgin Galactic company Richard Branson announced on June 2 that he will make a space flight on July 11, earlier than Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
“I’ve always been a dreamer. My mum taught me to never give up and to reach for the stars. On July 11, it’s time to turn that dream into a reality aboard the next @VirginGalactic spaceflight,” Branson tweeted.
The company confirmed the information and published a video, presenting six crew members of the next space flight, including Bandla.
“Join us July 11th for our first fully crewed rocket-powered test flight and the beginning of a new space age. The countdown begins,” the company wrote on its Twitter page.
Dr Ragaiah, the grandfather of Sirisha who lives in India said, She is brave, strong in decision making, and has been fascinated by the sky from the beginning.
“I, along with my friends and relatives, wish her a successful and happy return to the land after completion of her journey,” Dr Ragaiah said while speaking to media in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district.
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and his wife Kiran Rao announced a divorce in a joint statement, in Mumbai on Saturday. Picture Source: Twitter
A day after announcing their divorce, Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao shared a video message for fans that said the two are now in a happy space and still consider each other a part of the same family.
“Aap logo ko dukh bhi hua hoga, achcha nahi laga hoga, shock laga hoga. Hum bas itna apko kehna chahte hai ki hum log dono bohot khush hai aur hum ek hi parivaar hai (You all must be shocked by the news. We just want to tell you that we are very happy and we are a part of one family),” Aamir said.
The couple, who had been married for 15 years, share a son Azad Rao Khan together.
They also issued a joint statement on Saturday making the announcement, revealed that they will continue to be co-parents for their son Azad. Aamir and Kiran’s joint statement read,
“In these 15 beautiful years together we have shared a lifetime of experiences, joy and laughter, and our relationship has only grown in trust, respect and love. Now we would like to begin a new chapter in our lives – no longer as husband and wife, but as co-parents and family for each other.”
The ‘Ghajini’ star also opened up on the status of the Paani Foundation. For the unversed, Paani Foundation, which is active in drought prevention and watershed management, was founded by Aamir and Kiran a few years ago.
Maharashtra, July 03 (ANI): Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and his wife Kiran Rao announced divorce after 15 years of marriage in a joint statement, in Mumbai on Saturday. (ANI Photo)
Paani Foundation is like our son, Azad, for us. We will always be family. Please pray for our happiness. This is all we wanted to say,” he added.
The two can be seen holding each other’s hands in the clip, which is doing the rounds on the Internet. The clip is an excerpt from the former couple’s recent interview with one of the media professionals.
Australian shares ended the turbulent week flat last week as virus cases surged in most of Australia. The market however received a boost on Friday after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a four-phase plan to reopen the economy from virus led lockdowns.
The announcement by the Australian Prime Minister in regards to reopening plan, where each phase requires a new vaccine milestone to be hit with a focus of suppressing Covid19 to a stage where it could be managed like any other infectious disease like the flu was seen as a positive even though many analysts agreed that at current vaccine rollout rate it may take forever to achieve.
PM Scott Morrison; Picture Source: The Australia Today
Even though the milestones for each phase have not yet been set and will require modelling from epidemiologists and vaccine experts, the traders seem to have set aside the confusion and frustration surrounding the nation’s handling of pandemic and vaccine rollout and look set to hold up its upbeat mood.
Last week also marked the close of the Australian Financial year. The Financial year 2020-21 marked the best year for Australian shares since 1987. However, the mood was impacted in the end by the rising coronavirus cases in Australia.
Surging oil prices also helped provide a boost to the energy sector with most energy stocks continuing to do well last week. Telstra also had a strong weekly gain last week rising 0.8% to $3.79.
Oil price going up; Picture Source: @Canva
It was shared in English language testing IDP education though that rose by more than 20% after they announced that they will be the sole distributor of IELTS tests in a booming Indian market.
This week we are keeping a close eye on Carsales.com and Domain Holdings as the continuous rise in house and strong demands in car sales provide a boost to these companies.
Having said that, however, all eyes will be on the number of COVID positive cases in Sydney this week. With Australia’s daily vaccination rate remaining low at 0.4% of the population it has left the nation more vulnerable to the latest outbreaks which started in Sydney and Brisbane and spread to other states.
From previous observations, the snap lockdowns have resulted in a rapid bounce back in economic activities due to pent up demands. The long lockdowns on the other hand will have a much wider and deeper impact and may require more economic assistance at the Federal level.
NSW especially is at a bigger risk having started the lockdown a bit later than what virologists suggest as an ideal scenario given the Delta variant, however, the good news is in some of the cases the lockdowns are ending or being wound back.
Gold prices climbed up last week as an increase in the unemployment rate in the USA for the month of June to 5.9% from 5.8% eased concerns about Fed tapering with interest rates any time sooner.
Even though US non-farm payroll numbers showed that there were 850,000+ jobs added in the US instead of the expected 720,000+ the spread was uneven with most job gains being in the hospitality and leisure sector as they return from the pandemic. The labour market in other sectors however was not strong enough to stroke fears that the US Federal Reserve will taper with the rates.
Australian Gold; Picture Source: @CANVA
With Fed tapering fears easing the investors moved back into gold pushing the price higher.
Oil prices continued to rally for the sixth week as OPEC countries and Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, again delayed a decision about removing output curbs that were put in place during the pandemic to stabilise oil prices.
The OPEC+ nations continue to raise concerns about the need to maintain the balance between the impact of variants of the coronavirus in parts of the world and the higher demand in economies that emerge from lockdowns and stay-at-home protocols.
An uneven labour data in the US helped all major currencies recover against the greenback. The Australian dollar bounced back strongly on Friday after hitting seven-month lows against the US dollar. Strong commodity prices may provide a boost to the Australian dollar this week and start a new rising trend for the local currency.
Australian Dollar; Picture Source: @CANVA
The Australian dollar also rose strongly against the Indian Rupee last week as INR was dumped against most major currencies with rising oil prices adding to economic woes for India. India is the world’s second-biggest oil importer and rising oil prices weigh strongly on Rupee sentiment.
The coronavirus cases in NSW may, however, continue to remain an area of concern and may result in vulnerable bouts of uncertainty for the Aussie currency. New Zealand dollar continues to provide a better alternative for traders due to their economy continuing to remain open.
In the world of Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin continues to remain firmly within the trading range which we have been talking about for the past few weeks. However, with each passing week, it looks like eventually, the support will give away.
Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
Global regulatory crackdowns and energy concerns continue to weigh on the digital currency markets and a battle between broader acceptance and greater regulation could continue to stifle any price recovery.
The formation of a head and shoulder pattern on weekly Bitcoin charts is also a matter of concern for technical traders and a sign that bears may take strong control and take prices to as low as USD 24,791 soon. The charts hint strongly towards a change in momentum in favour of the bears and a breakdown of technical support may not bode well. Bitcoin would soon need to take over the critical resistance at USD 38,861 to change the bearish sentiment.
In agricultural products soy meal, barley, wheat and corn all received a boost after Iran issued a tender to purchase 60,000 tonnes for each of the four agricultural products. Record produce of corn in Argentina, the world’s third-largest corn producer and exporter were also not enough to bring the prices down. Argentina is also the world’s top exporter of processed soy and an important producer of wheat and thus stand most to gain from the tender issued by Iran.
A tender by Jordan to purchase 150,000 tonnes of wheat and that for 400,000 tonnes by Ethiopia initially boosted wheat prices, however, this was short-lived as China issued an order to buy 20,000 tonnes of frozen pork.
The price of live hog had fallen 65% since January as outbreaks of diseases resulted in panic selling. China last bought frozen pork in March 2019, when it purchased 200,000 tonnes of frozen pork.
Author: Ateev Dang is a trader and trading coach by profession. He runs Glow trades Pty Ltd where he teaches anyone who is interested in starting on their trading journey on how to trade. He can be contacted at adang@glowtrades.com.au.
Disclaimer:
The writers’ opinions in the above article are their own and do not constitute any financial advice whatsoever. Nothing published by The Australia Today constitutes an investment recommendation, nor should any data or content publication be relied upon for any investment activities.
We strongly recommend that you perform your own independent research and/or speak with a financial advisor or qualified investment professional before making any financial decisions.
Image source: Bowling for CA XI in U17 Championships, 2018-19 / Cricket Australia
Indian-origin young cricket Nivethan Radhakrishnan, popularly known as ‘Nivvi, can spin the ball from both ends.
NSW talent manager David Freedman, who has seen Nivvi’s rise from the U13s, told Cricket.com.au:
“He’s probably one of the more naturally talented and gifted players to have come through our pathway system.”
Image source: John Buchanan – Wikipedia.
Two decades ago John Buchanan declared ambidexterity in cricket was the next natural evolution for elite players.
On his unique style, the 18-year-old response:
“I am not like other kids. I am not like other people. I am not like other cricketers. I’m not better – I’m not worse – but I’m different.”
Image source: Ricky Ponting – Wikipedia.
In 2020, the Delhi Capitals, who had seen him playing for an Australia Under-16 team in Dubai against Pakistan in 2019, had arranged for him to be a net bowler for the duration of the tournament.
Nivvi is happy that he was able to observe the Delhi coach, Ricky Ponting.
“And I was like, ‘Oh boy, I’ve got Ricky Ponting watching me bat! Oh my God – this is peak.”
Right-handed Nivvi started practising bowling with alternating arms to an empty net or to people keen on facing him.
It was Nivvi’s dad who suggested that he try bowling with his left arm.
“I remember the sentence very clearly. ‘No-one has done it – ever. So why not?'”
Image source: Nivvi in action for NSW Metro at the 2019-20 National Championships / Cricket Australia
Nivvi worked hard on his bowling and adopted an attitude that matches some of the stalwarts of this game.
Freedman says:
“The first thing that struck me was his love for the game, even at a young age. He was always very confident and very ambitious, but certainly not in an arrogant way and he always had that wonderful work ethic. He was always prepared to experiment and try new things and make mistakes as he tried to improve. That work ethic was rare in such a young player.”
Image source – Twitter Cricket NSW
Apart from coaches and fellow cricketers, Nivvi also has to deal with comments made about his style obn various social media. He says:
“I’ve had people telling I’m the greatest, I’ve had people telling me, ‘You bowling with both hands is just a gimmick, mate’, I’ve had experienced cricketers I’ve really wanted to make conversation with, famous ones, that told me I was trash and that my skillset was not going to hold. But I’ve also had random people walking through the park see me (bowl) and tell me, ‘Mate, this is the greatest thing I’ve ever seen, and I don’t even know cricket’.”
Now, only time will tell if Nivvi is the next best thing that happened to Australian cricket.
Cultural Change transformed Indigenous tradition; Picture Source: @CANVA
The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries have witnessed a cultural imposition by colonial expansion by British, French, and other imperial powers over the indigenous tradition and culture of the Pacific, Africa and Asia.
The cultural changes were so forceful that they transformed the tradition, culture and values. The story of the resistance to these changes is unheard popularly, but post-colonial literature revisited them in one such novel of Chinua Achebe’s [1930-2013, born in Nigeria] Things Fall Apart (1958) [TFA] who is an African writer (especially Nigeria).
It attempts to decolonize Africa’s culture, identity, history and values; and resist change, colonialism and values imposed by western values. This is writing of a colonial history of Africa through a perspective of African that is a civilised world view. This article provides the snipped view of this novel through historical interpretation and understanding, which implies in every colonised nation during that time and space.
“Things [Tradition, Culture and Values] Fall Apart”
Achebe’s TFA known as a modern classic that gave recognition to African writer’s work in world literature as a colonial encounter. This highlights the manner in which Africa is represented in European-colonial representation.
Cultural Change transformed Indigenous tradition; Picture Source: @CANVA
Africa’s image has been stereotyped as negative in western historical discourse for many centuries; this European stereotype image was countered by TFA. The colonisation of Africa by European powers reached its height in the late nineteenth century where European powers wanted to exploit parts of Africa (1880-1914).
The colonial discourse has constructed the negative image of Africa as a place and also manufactured a negative connotation about the people of Africa, equating it as a dangerous and savagery place in western discourse and mass media.
Cultural Change transformed Indigenous tradition; Picture Source: @CANVA
Another novel, Heart of Darkness (1899) by Joseph Canrad has influenced Achebe and helped him to evolve as a critical writer of Africa, as he criticised the impact of colonialism. But, Achebe also blamed Canrad for denying the identity of Africa in history, language and having civilization, like that of Europeans; while accepting of western representation of Africa by Africans (as inherent racism).
Another work of Achebe Image of Africa: Racism in Concad’s Heart of Darkness (1988), stated the construction of a barbaric, uncivilized, savage image of Africa by Europeans. This was considered to be due to the need of the west or ‘western enlightenment. Thus, Europeans portray themselves as superior in contrast with Africa.
Cultural Change transformed Indigenous tradition; Picture Source: @CANVA
The construction of this negative image of Africa for many centuries by dominant European literature was countered by TFA. The novel postulates the presence of civilization in Africa; and enlighted Africans about their historical past, culture and civilization. He accused colonialism enforced Western culture and values over non-western society as the only accepted vision that disrupted the process of evolution of African culture.
The work analyses the tradition and modernity, as in colonies, it was seen as colonial modernity that is different from European. He attempts to resist the changes and even preserve the traditional values but could sustain himself against change in tradition. He uses a dialogue of the western genre of the novel between indigenous African notions with Western’s expression in colonial English language. The title is taken from Irish Poet William Butler Yeats’ poem titled “The Second Coming” (1919) which talks about the evolution and collapse of civilization.
TFA’s is a tragic story of resistance against cultural changes brought by the colonization, the main character Okonkwo (self-made warrior and manly character, coming from Igbo community in the fictional village of East Africa around 1890s) who rose as a leader among his community due to his hard work in the first part of the novel and later part shows his perishment in context of resisting the variety of changes introduced by Colonisation.
Many of his community members embrace the Christianity of the coloniser to get better standing in the new society. Generally, villagers will in a dilemma between resisting and embracing change brought by the missionaries. This novel shows the Swifty the abandoning of traditional cultural values in favour of British values leads to the extinction of traditional values.
Cultural Change transformed Indigenous tradition; Picture Source: @CANVA
The tragedy is a decline of the traditional way of life, cultural values and community itself due to the superimposition of western culture through colonisation. Similar themes are raised by Achebe’s other early novels No Longer At Ease (1960) and Arrow of God (1964) known, as three of them are known as the ‘African trilogy’.
Counter View ‘White man’s burden’ agenda
The stereotyped Colonised discourse of negative connotations to Africa and Africans of having no culture, history or past, and colonisation of Africa was a part of the ‘civilising mission’ of these savages; this was countered by Achebe. He countered the expression of white man’s burden referred to black African.
TFA emphasis Africa has a long history of rich cultural traditions, and an economically, socially and politically prosperous society way before the contact of Europeans. This work also highlights the inflexible perspective of the main protagonist Okonkwo, who refuse to recognise or resist the changes coming from modern realities that resulted in his sad demise. Achebe tries to bring forward the identity and culture of Africa and Africans in world literature.
Conclusion
Resistance and contestation are applicable around most of the colonised nations, i.e. Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The indigenous cultures these places were forced to change or adjust with coming off their respective colonisers’ values. Africa, known as the Dark continent, Asia related to poverty/uncivilized, and Pacific as Cannibals/exotic have been seen as objects during the colonial times in colonial discourse.
Post-colonial studies and Pacific scholars are trying to revive the lost history and indigenous languages of the Pacific. If these values and customs are not revived, they will become a part of history without any voice. Decolonization of the mind is essential in academia to develop unbiased perceptions. But the mass media has stereotyped these images in the mind that needs deconstruction.
Author: Dr Sakul Kundra, A.HOD Department of Social Science, College of Humanities and Education, Fiji National University.
“Yes, I am a little sad that I lost the record, I don’t want to lie, but at the same time I can only congratulate him and it’s no problem. I hope that he will go on to become one of the top chess players and it will be just a nice start to his big career. I wish him all the best.”
Image source: Photo: Adithya Chandra/Saint Louis Chess Club.
For a grandmaster title, a chess player must score three GM norms and touch an Elo rating of 2500 and above. The norms can be awarded only in tournaments where at least 50% of the opponents are titleholders, and at least one-third of them GMs.
Image source: Abhimanyu Mishra – Twitter.
Abhimanyu has been breaking chess records since the age of 7.
He is the United States Chess Federation’s youngest Expert, the youngest National Master as and also the youngest ever International Master.
“My congratulations to Abhi for this great achievement. He fully deserves this success, as I have seen all of his hard work firsthand. His father also deserves applause for all of the sacrifices he has made for Abhi to reach this milestone. Personally, this is a big moment to see my student become a GM!”
Only five players in history of chess have managed to get the title before their 13th birthday.
Image: Top 10 Youngest Chess Grandmasters – Chess.com
PM Scott Morrison; Picture Source: The Australia Today
Australian National Cabinet met today for the 45th time to discuss its COVID-19 response, recent outbreaks and the Vaccine Strategy.
Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID Response
National Cabinet agreed to formulate a plan to transition Australia’s National COVID Response from its current pre-vaccination settings, focussing on continued suppression of community transmission, to post-vaccination settings focussed on prevention of serious illness, hospitalisation and fatality, and the public health management of other infectious diseases.
Impact on returning International Passenger arrivals
National Cabinet noted that international aviation remains critical to supporting the return of Australians from overseas as well as maintaining freight access (imports and exports) and Australia’s long-term international connectivity.
The Commissioner of Australian Border Force Michael Outram APM presented information to National Cabinet on international passenger arrivals.
Around 83.9 per cent of travellers to Australia during June 2021 are Australian permanent residents and their families.
National Cabinet agreed to temporarily reduce the current international passenger arrival caps by 50 per cent to manage the pressure on quarantine facilities due to the increased risks posed by the Delta strain of the virus.
National Cabinet also agreed that returning Australians will continue to be prioritised as part of these arrangements.
Given the impact of the reduction in current cap arrangements the Commonwealth will fund:
increased number of facilitated commercial (repatriation) flights, utilising capacity at the Centre for National Resilience at Howard Springs; and
extension of additional support through the International Freight Assistance Mechanism to maintain essential freight supply lines.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced, “National Cabinet agreed in principle that the National plan consists of four phases.”
“Each phase will be triggered by the achievement of vaccination thresholds expressed as a percentage of the eligible population (16+), based on the scientific modelling currently being conducted for the COVID-19 Risk Analysis and Response Task Force.”
Phase 1. Current Phase – Vaccinate, prepare and pilot
In this phase, the community needs to continue to suppress the virus for the purpose of minimising community transmission.
Important measures include:
Implement the national vaccination plan to offer every Australian an opportunity to be vaccinated with the necessary doses of the relevant vaccine as soon as possible;
Temporarily reduce commercial inbound passenger arrivals to all major ports by 50 per cent from current caps by 14 July to reduce the pressure on quarantine facilities, due to the increased risks of the Delta strain of the virus;
Lockdowns to be used only as a last resort;
Commonwealth to facilitate increased commercial flights to increase international repatriations to Darwin for quarantine at the National Resilience Facility at Howard Springs;
Commonwealth to extend additional support through the International Freight Assistance Mechanism to ensure maintenance of essential freight supply lines impacted by the reduction of commercial caps at international airports;
Trial and pilot the introduction of alternative quarantine options, including home quarantine for returning vaccinated travellers;
Expand commercial trials for limited entry of student and economic visa holders;
Recognise and adopt the existing digital Medicare Vaccination Certificate (automatically generated for every vaccination registered on AIR);
Establish digital vaccination authentication at international borders;
Prepare the vaccine booster programme; and
Undertake a further review of the national hotel quarantine network.
Phase 2. Moving Post Vaccination Phase
In this phase, state authorities seek to minimise serious illness, hospitalisation and fatality as a result of COVID-19.
Important measures include:
Ease restrictions on vaccinated residents – such as lockdowns and border controls;
Lockdowns only in extreme circumstances to prevent escalating hospitalisation and fatality;
Restore inbound passengers caps at previous levels for unvaccinated returning travellers and larger caps for vaccinated returning travellers;
Allow capped entry of student and economic visa holders subject to quarantine arrangements and availability;
Introduce new reduced quarantine arrangements for vaccinated residents; and
Prepare/implement the vaccine booster programme (depending on timing).
Picture Source: Supplied
Phase 3. No Lockdowns Phase
Manage COVID-19 consistent with public health management of other infectious diseases.
Important measures include:
No lockdowns;
Continue vaccine booster programme;
Exempt vaccinated residents from all domestic restrictions;
Abolish caps on returning vaccinated travellers;
Allow increased capped entry of student, economic, and humanitarian visa holders;
Lift all restrictions on outbound travel for vaccinated persons; and
Extend travel bubble for unrestricted travel to new candidate countries (Singapore, Pacific).
Phase 4. Finally- COVID19 as flu like disease
Manage COVID-19 consistent with public health management of other infectious diseases.
Important measures include:
Allow uncapped inbound arrivals for all vaccinated persons, without quarantine; and
Allow uncapped arrivals of non-vaccinated travellers subject to pre-flight and on arrival testing.
National Cabinet agreed that the COVID-19 Risk Analysis and Response Task Force be tasked to make recommendations on finalising the plan, including recommended vaccination targets for each phase of the plan based on the modelling.
Phases will continue to maintain simple risk mitigation and prevention measures such as hygiene, tracing and testing.
These arrangements will:
commence by 12.01 am Wednesday 14 July and remain in place until 31 August; and
be subject to a review by National Cabinet before the end of August and on a regular basis throughout the remainder of 2021.
National Partnership Agreement
National Cabinet welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s $752 million extension to the National Partnership on COVID-19 Response through to 30 June 2022.
The National Partnership on COVID-19 Response provides Commonwealth funding to support state and territory efforts to address the pandemic, including the Hospital Services Payment, State Public Health Payment, Vaccine Schedule, Aged Care Schedule, and the Private Hospital Viability Guarantee.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 30,685 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 910 people have died. Currently, there are 4 cases in Australia requiring ICU hospitalisation and no cases on ventilators. More than 21 million tests have been undertaken in Australia.
Globally there have been over 182 million cases and sadly over 3.9 million deaths, with 429,948 new cases and 8,360 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in many countries around the world.
Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues to expand. As of yesterday, 7,970,153 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in Australia, including 163,178 doses in the previous 24 hours. Today Australia will reach its 8 millionths COVID-19 vaccination. In the previous 7 days, 807,777 vaccines have been administered in Australia.
To date, 30 per cent of the Australian adult population have now had the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including over 50 per cent of over 50-year-olds and over 70 per cent of over 70-year-olds.
Sulendra Raju, 46 yo, is the owner of All In One Builders Company Ltd, in Papatoeto, New Zealand.
Raju, an Indo-Fijian immigrant, has lived in this community for more than 10 years.
He has been praised as a builder who stepped in to put tarpaulins on more than 60 homes that lost their roofs and windows after a tornado struck south Auckland.
Raju told Stuff.co.nz that he just wanted to lend a helping hand.
Image source: Auckland mayor Phil Goff – Wikipedia.
Auckland mayor Phil Goff has also praised Raju for his heroic efforts.
Raju and his team of 65 men have repaired damaged roofs, windows and fallen fences.
Image source: Facebook.
In the aftermath of the tornado, Raju immediately asked his wife to put up a post on Facebook, offering assistance to anyone affected.
“I left home, told the boys to load up the trucks with tarpaulins, nails, whatever building material we needed to do makeshift repairs. We didn’t know what sort of damages we would expect … it was the worst I’d ever seen from a weather event … we wanted to make sure that people didn’t suffer more damage to their properties.”
The Government and Auckland Council have pledged $200,000 to a relief fund to help those affected by the tornado.
Reprentative picture of Student worker; Picture Source: @CANVA
Basant Vineet Pathak and his wife are on a student visa in Sydney. Like any other couple, they work hard to make ends meet.
In between the COVID19 lockdowns and uncertainty Basant’s wife had an offer to work as an admin staff at a cleaning business/ grocery shop.
Basant’s wife was happy to get ‘admin’ job after months of struggle but her smiles didn’t last for even a day.
He wrote on a Facebook group for Indians in Sydney, “With due respect to all the people of this group, I want to share an incident which happened with my wife today which makes me feel all-time low.”
We are on a student visa and my wife was offered a job in an Indian grocery shop at Homebush west on Parramatta road, he added.
“The role was to look after their cleaning business as an admin and sometimes the grocery shop. Today first day, she was asked to clean all the dust and cockroach-infested shelves etc.”
He wrote in the post, “Calling for an admin and asking her to clean the shop which was never cleaned in a year or so.”
“When she asked for water, she was directed to a water point which she drank and realise that there are cockroaches inside!!! The owner did not even felt sorry about it. Are we so low or are we so inhuman that we don’t even deserve freshwater?”
“She started feeling unwell and had to leave the job.”
The most important thing was that an Indian doing this to an Indian. If we want to work for any Indian to earn our livelihood, does it mean that we don’t have self-respect or dignity? Mr Pathak questioned.
“Please do not misunderstand me for taking down our Indian community, this message is intended for those culprits to read this message and feel ashamed of their act.”
Social media users were quick to empathise with the couple.
One of the group members even suggested to report the business to the authorities.
Few suggested to Basant that he should name and shame the business which allegedly treated his wife inappropriately.
But remember social media posts without substantial proof can lead to defamation suits in court.
Ettika Bahri wrote about the plight of people when they are on student visa. She said, “When people know that you are on a student visa they always treat you different, This has happened with my brother as well.”
However, another member of the Facebook group, Vishal Karpey said all is not lost in Indian Australian society. He wrote about his experience working in an Indian store and gave a piece of valuable advice.
Note: If you have any story you want us to cover, please write to us on admin@theaustraliatoday.com.au
YOGA at Australian Federal Parliament; Picture Source: The Australia Today
The International Yoga Day was celebrated in the Federal Parliament on 24th Thursday by Vasudeva Kriya Yoga in collaboration with the High Commission of India.
India’s Deputy High Commissioner Karthigeyan Subramanyan was delighted to welcome everyone to celebrate the 7th International Yoga Day.
Mr Subramanyan said, “It is also a matter of gratification that this event is supported by Australian Parliamentarians across the political spectrum.”
“We believe, Yoga is universal and in this beautiful country, we have amazing support and wholehearted cooperation from every level of the Australian community including the Australian Government.”
Rajendra Yenkannamoole, director of Vasudeva Kriya Yoga also presented a memorandum to the Federal Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood for government support to promote yoga.
Few important points this memorandum presented were:
• Introducing yoga in the schools as the yoga is for all ages and helps in bringing out the best in them
• Promote yoga and meditation at the workplace to address rampant mental health issues and to increase the productivity
• Give insurance, Medicare, and tax rebate to yoga practitioners as they contribute more to the nation than they draw.
• Promote yoga retreat centres as they promote health rather than firefighting fixing the problems
Addressing the program Federal Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar said Yoga is one that a lot of people understand on a superficial level and probably I am one of those, but it is so much deeper when you scratch the surface.
YOGA at Australian Federal Parliament; Picture Source: The Australia Today
“I want to congratulate all the organisers for this initiative, I am fortunate as someone who was raised with a view of spirituality, faith in my case, and understanding and appreciation that there is more to life and Yoga is a great example of marrying the physical with the spiritual and I really take my hat to each one of you who is involved in this initiative,” Mr Sukkar added.
In an ancient discipline like Yoga, I really implore everyone to do everything they can about spreading the word and seeding it with our younger generation.
Mr Sukkar said, “I take my hat off to the Australian Indian community, I think you probably do that better than others, honouring your culture and honouring your forefathers. You know how to instil in your children an appreciation of the history and where your roots are from and Yoga is a really important part in which we do that.”
Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood even participated in real action.
YOGA at Australian Federal Parliament; Picture Source: The Australia Today
“It’s a very special movement as we celebrate International Yoga Day. Yoga is an incredible spiritual discipline based on extremely subtle science which brings harmony between body and mind.”
Mr Wood said, “I did my 30 minutes Yoga this morning in Parliament House, can I say it is not pretty but it’s pretty effective. It’s incredible to know Yoga is 5000 years old, how many people it would have helped who may be suffering from mental illness or depression just to give them that focus through Yoga. Someone like myself, I have injuries due to playing active sport and I use Yoga to improve flexibility and my wife encourages me to do it.”
YOGA at Australian Federal Parliament; Picture Source: The Australia Today
Liberal Senator James Patterson told the story about his grandmother how she did Yoga even in her nineties.
“My grandmother was a very active Yoga practitioner even in her nineties, she always said that it helped her be healthy, centred and grounded all across her life.”
“I have to say, I have not yet taken it up in her footsteps, but she has always encouraged me to take it up,” Senator Patterson confessed.
‘Vasudeva Kriya Yoga’ was lauded bySenator David Van for serving the Australian and global community for nearly two decades.
YOGA at Australian Federal Parliament; Picture Source: The Australia Today
“Although yoga is an ancient concept, its application is still relevant today and I encourage Australian’s to try out some yoga and experience its many benefits.”
Senator Van said, “I am honoured to celebrate International Day of Yoga with members of the community in the Parliament.
Prominent Indian community leader Rampal Muthyala who facilitated the Federal Parliament Yoga festivities said, Yoga is India’s gift to the world for health n well being. Please practice and promote Yoga where you can.
YOGA at Australian Federal Parliament; Picture Source: The Australia Today
“It’s our immense pleasure to support International Yoga Day celebrations second time at Federal Parliament House proudly organised by Shri Rajendra ji of Vasudeva Kriya Yoga and High Commission of India, Canberra.”
Mr Muthyala explained that Yoga should be promoted to Community to enrich their mental and physical wellbeing.
YOGA at Australian Federal Parliament; Picture Source: The Australia Today
Dy High Commissioner Karthigeyan Subramanyan thanked everyone who attended the program for their high level of acceptance of the ancient Indian practice of Yoga.
India always believes in sharing its knowledge and wisdom and that’s the reason why in 2014 our PM Modi appealed to the UN to make this day an International Day of Yoga. This practice has a home which is India but it’s truly universal, said Mr Subramanyan.
Applicants must have STEMM skills and have a Skill Level 1 or 2 occupations. Applicants for subclass 491 nomination may also have a Skill Level 3 occupation using their STEMM skills.
Victoria is seeking applicants working in designated target sectors with STEMM skills.
Before applying for a Victorian skilled visa nomination, One must submit a Registration of Interest and be selected to apply.
If someone had submitted a Registration of Interest for the 2020-21 program, they must submit a new Registration of Interest for the 2021-22 program.
Selection to apply
To be considered for selection to apply for Victorian skilled visa nomination you must be:
living in Victoria (subclass 491 applicants must live and work in regional Victoria)
To be selected to apply for skilled visa nomination, one must be currently working in one of Victoria’s target sectors using STEMM skills.
If someone is seeking subclass 190 nomination and working in the digital sector, please note that Victoria is currently only selecting candidates working in cyber security.
However, if you are using digital skills in a different target sector (e.g. software developer working in health), you may also be selected.
Applicants using their STEMM skills in a business precinct will be highly regarded. Examples of business precincts are:
The health sector in Victoria consists of professionals providing medical services to Victorians as well as those involved in related education and research and development.
You do not necessarily need to be working in a health occupation (e.g. Nurse) to be considered working in the health sector. For example, a software developer working on software for hospitals is considered to be working in the health sector.
In addition to medical research conducted in universities and research institutes, Victoria’s medical research includes activities such as drug development, clinical trials, health product manufacturing, medical devices and digital health.
If you are using your STEMM skills to support medical research in Victoria, you are considered to be working in the medical research sector.
Life sciences
Victoria’s life sciences sector is composed of many industries such as the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Companies involved in food processing, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals may also be considered to form part of the life sciences sector.
If you are using your STEMM skills to support Victoria’s life sciences sector, you are considered to be working in the life sciences sector. For example, a lecturer in biotechnology working in a university is considered to be working in life sciences.
Digital
The digital sector makes use of technology and innovation to drive economic growth, productivity and competitiveness in Victoria.
Currently we are only selecting applicants with cyber security skills to apply for subclass 190 visa nomination. Applicants without cyber security skills who are seeking subclass 190 visa nomination may still be selected if they are using their digital skills in another target sector. For example, a software engineer working in medical research.
Applicants working in any segment of the digital sector will be considered for selection for subclass 491 visa nomination.
Agri-food
The agri-food sector in Victoria includes highly skilled people working to develop food growth and production as well as the modernisation of Victoria’s agri-food sector. To be considered for selection to apply for nomination, applicants must be using their STEMM skills to innovate within the sector, which could include research and development or advanced manufacturing.
Advanced manufacturing
Victoria’s advanced manufacturing sector includes industries such as defence and aerospace. To be considered to be working in advanced manufacturing, you must be using your STEMM skills to enhance innovation. This could include activities such as research and development, design, supply chain management increasing global competitiveness through the use of technology.
New energy, emissions reduction and circular economy
This sector includes industries such as clean energy, renewable, bioenergy, carbon capture and energy storage. Applicants could be using their STEMM skills to support efforts to reduce waste, cut pollution and protect the environment.
If you submitted a Registration of Interest (ROI) for the 2020-21 program, you must submit a new ROI for 2021-22.
Please note, you must have a valid and up to date Expression of Interest (EOI) submitted on the Department of Home Affairs’ SkillSelect website. It is a prerequisite for submitting a Registration of Interest.
Further information on requirements to be considered for selection to apply can be found on the subclass 190 and subclass 491 pages.
Image source: Brenda Gaddi – Women of Colour Australia
Brenda Gaddi, founder and managing director of WoCA told the ABC that the findings were unsurprising.
“Even if we’re saying 60 per cent, it might be like 70 per cent or 80 per cent in reality,”
WoCA was established in 2020 with the aim of championing Australia’s Women of Colour.
“We exist to champion Australia’s women of colour through programs of education, community support initiatives, and advocacy work.”
Image source: WoCA chair Dr Pilar Kasat – website.
WoCA chair Dr Pilar Kasat told the Mandarin that women of colour continue to experience discrimination and prejudices in the Australian workplace.
“D&I initiatives should explicitly focus on race as well as gender as both combined create specific, unique challenges for women of colour that are too easily overlooked with broad platitudes that seek to advance women’s representation without questioning which women are most likely to benefit.”
543 women completed this online survey and they respondents were mostly white-collar workers – 70% working full-time and 30% earning between $100,000 and $149,990.
Dr Usha Manchanda Rodrigues, who is a Visiting Scholar at ADI Deakin University and Adjunct Professor at Manipal University, feels women of colour suffer from invisibility and stereotype.
“When it comes to increasing or promoting diversity at the workplace, managers first look at gender balance, which happen to be women from Anglo-celtic backgrounds. It is often women at the intersection of gender and race who are overlooked.”
It is not surprising that only 2 per cent of the respondents to this survey said they were their organisation’s leader.
Image source: representative image – Wikipedia.
Dr Usha M. Rodrigues notes:
“The women of colour are often seen as being from eastern cultures, who are compliant and timid. They are not seen as professional, assertive and accomplished leaders. When they do defy these stereotype, women of colour are seen as aggressive rather then assertive as their white counter-parts. To some extent, women of colour face double whamy of being a female and being a coloured person. Then, there is the issue of expected behaviour of them. They are not expected to be professional, ambitious, leaders, but caring and nice, who are not supposed to demand equality.”
The survey revealed that almost 60% of women have experienced discrimination in the workplace based on their identity.
The respondents also cited the following as their top challenges at an Australian workplace: racism, tokenism, sexism, and/or a combination of these.
Dr Usha M. Rodrigues believes that the women of colour are often overlooked at Australian workplaces because no one expects them to actually object to any form of discrimination.
“My view is that often workplaces discriminate because they can. There is very little an employee who is discriminated can do. Going to the regulatory bodies is stressful and can prove to be fatal for a complainant’s career.”
Keeping these views in mind, once again it is not surprising that only 30 per cent of the respondents believed that their identity as a woman of colour was valued in the workplace.
Further, only half of the women surveyed said that their organisations provide cultural or diversity training. This was thought of any use by only 41 per cent of the women surveyed.
ATNC survey too found that 49 per cent respondents experienced subtle forms of discrimination and while 35 per cent said they were unfairly treated in the Australian workplace.
If you feel any form of discrimination, kindly visit Fair Work website: www.fairwork.gov.au. In addition, there are a range of anti-discrimination laws and you may prefer to raise your concerns with the Australian Human Rights Commission on 1300 369 711 or your relevant state or territory anti-discrimination body. If you are a member of a trade union or employee association, they may also be able to help you.
A new survey of religion across India, based on nearly 30,000 face-to-face interviews of adults conducted in 17 languages between late 2019 and early 2020, finds that Indians of all these religious backgrounds overwhelmingly say they are very free to practice their faiths.
The survey was conducted by Pew Research Center and found that Indians see religious tolerance as a central part of who they are as a nation.
The survey finds that Hindus see their religious identity and national identity as intertwined: 64% of Hindus say it is very important to be Hindu to be “truly” Indian and 59% link Indian identity is connected with being able to speak Hindi.
Also, most Indians say it is very important to respect all religions to be “truly Indian.”
Overall, the majority of Indian adults say they are a member of a Scheduled Caste (SC) – often referred to as Dalits (25%) – Scheduled Tribe (ST) (9%) or Other Backward Class (OBC) (35%).
In terms of core values, majority of Hindus (77%) as well as an identical percentage of Muslims believe in karma. A third of Christians in India (32%) – together with 81% of Hindus – say they believe in the purifying power of the Ganges River, a central belief in Hinduism. In Northern India, 12% of Hindus and 10% of Sikhs, along with 37% of Muslims, identity with Sufism, a mystical tradition most closely associated with Islam.
The survey found that majority of Hindus see themselves as very different from Muslims (66%), and most Muslims (64%) also said that they are very different from Hindus.
Roughly two-thirds of Hindus said they wish to prevent interreligious marriages of Hindu women (67%) or Hindu men (65%). Even larger shares of Muslims feel similarly: 80% say it is very important to stop Muslim women from marrying outside their religion, and 76% say it is very important to stop Muslim men from doing so.
Many Hindus (45%) say they are fine with having neighbours of all other religions – be they Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist or Jain – but an identical share (45%) say they would not be willing to accept followers of other groups.
955 respondents from the Muslim community, the second-largest religious group in India, express great enthusiasm for Indian culture: 85% agree with the statement that “Indian people are not perfect, but Indian culture is superior to others.”
65% of Muslims, along with an identical share of Hindus, see communal violence as a very big national problem.
Nearly half of Muslim respondents say partition of India hurt communal relations with Hindus (48%), while fewer say it was a good thing for Hindu-Muslim relations (30%). While two-thirds of Sikhs (66%) say partition was a bad thing for Hindu-Muslim relations.
Overall, the survey found that Indian Muslims are slightly more likely than Hindus to consider religion very important in their lives (91% vs. 84%). Muslims also are modestly more likely than Hindus to say they know a great deal about their own religion (84% vs. 75%).
The Pew survey covered all states and union territories of India, with the exceptions of Manipur and Sikkim, where the COVID-19 situation prevented fieldwork.
Indian Australians participating in Australia Day parade: Picture Source: The Australia Today
In Canberra, the High Commission of India has requested the Indians living in Australia to use the “Global Pravasi Rishta Portal.” portal to register and connect.
This portal was launched by the Government of India launched in year 2020.
“The government recognises the importance of India Diaspora and has been engaging with them in various ways. One such innovative step is the global Pravasi Rishta portal and mobile app through which Government of India aims to connect with the overseas Indian community, not just ceremonially but at every step.”
It is a dynamic portal to establish an effective communication channel to connect with the Indian Diaspora worldwide.
“‘Connecting with the Indian Diaspora’. The diversity and colours of India are its strength, which astonishes to attract the world and connect the Indian Diaspora here to avail the new opportunities being generated in India. The 4 C’s— Care for their safety and security Connect with India, Celebrate their cultural heritage and contribute to the development of the homeland. Over 30 million pravasis now scattered across the globe would be connected through this Portal.”
Image source: Twitter.
High Commission of India released the following press statement:
According to a report by the United Nations, India has the largest diaspora population in the world with 18 million people from the country living outside their homeland in 2020.
Australia’s Indian diaspora numbers approximately 700,000 and it is rapidly growing.
WATCH VIDEO: Launching of Global Pravasi Rishta Portal by Minister of State for External Affairs (MEA, YouTube)
Representative image of human trafficking and forced labour; Picture Source: @CANVA
Investigations began in 2017 when the AFP received a referral from Anti-Slavery Australia regarding an Asian national who travelled to Australia on a three-month tourist visa.
Once her visa had expired, the host couple told the victim she would not be allowed to return to the Philippines and instructed her not to leave the premises on her own, or talk to people outside of the family.
This Sydney couple were recently sentenced for modern slavery offences, after keeping the woman in forced labour for over three years.
In court the couple entered guilty pleas for a range of offences, including the modern slavery charge of forced labour.
Representative image of human trafficking and forced labour; Picture Source: @CANVA
The 39-year-old woman was sentenced to serve three years and three months in prison. The 47-year-old man was sentenced to serve two years and six months, awaiting a home detention assessment to determine whether his sentence would be served in prison or as an Intensive Corrections Order.
The couple together has also been ordered to pay a total of $70,000 in reparations to the victim.
Representative image of human trafficking and forced labour; Picture Source: @CANVA
What is human trafficking and forced labour?
Human trafficking is a very severe form of exploitation and forced labour is a form of slavery.
been deceived about work conditions
been coerced, threatened or forced to work
to work to pay off excessive debt.
What is forced marriage?
A person is in a forced marriage if they did not freely and fully consent to be married. It is illegal in Australia.
Representative image of human trafficking and forced labour; Picture Source: @CANVA
How to get help
Contact Red Cross Support for Trafficked People Program by calling 03 9345 1800
You can also contact Red Cross if you suspect a case of human trafficking or forced labour. If you think someone is in imminent danger please call the police on 000.
To report or discuss a concern call the Australian Federal Police on 131 AFP (131 237).
You can ask the Australian Federal Police to refer you to Red Cross. Participation in the program is voluntary and you can choose to leave at any time.
Representative image of human trafficking and forced labour; Picture Source: @CANVA
If you are not comfortable contacting the AFP, you can contact Red Cross for advice.
If you or someone you know is a victim of modern slavery, help is available.
Contact Anti-Slavery Australia on (02) 9514 8115 for free and confidential legal advice or Australian Red Cross on (03) 9345 1800 or https://www.redcross.org.au/stpp
He was awarded at last months annual conference for his project, “Cervical Spine Ligamentous Injuries Bridging the Gap between Neuroradiologist and Neurosurgeons.”
For the uninitiated, ASNR’s acceptance rate is only 60 percent and there were 457 accepted educational papers.
So, Dr Bhuta got an award after competing with peers from Mayo, Harvard, Hopkins, Yale, etc. He says:
“I would like to thank dept of Neurosurgery and my co-authors for their hard work. ASNR is the biggest and most prestigious organisation in neuro, head and neck imaging and it is unbelievable even to get an abstract accepted.”
The topic of Dr Bhuta’s research paper is relevant to Gold Coast Health.
According to him, the region see a significant spinal trauma from motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, etc.
“With the introduction of new AO classification of spinal injuries, we saw the need for a paper which will influence and streamline the management of spinal injuries as they are time-critical and we hope this will be a good educational resource in managing spinal ligamentous injuries in the future.”
In addition to this, Dr Bhuta was also appointed to two ASNR committees early this year, International Collaborations Committee and the Educational Exhibits Subcommittee.
“It is a massive honour to be selected for these positions and to be the only person from Australia or New Zealand to represent our region.”
Dr Bhuta joined Gold Coast Health’s Neuroradiology department eleven years ago.
He has been a recipient of prestigious awards by Royal Australasian College of Radiology (RANZCR) in 2012 and American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) in 2014.
The latest Australian data indicates that while many Chinese students have been willing to study remotely, Indian student numbers have continuously dropped.
Image source: Department of Education, Skills and Employment
Chinese students have continued to enrol at Victorian universities in 2021 with student numbers declining by only 5.74% in the 12 months to March 2021.
On the other hand, Indian students numbers fell 33%, while commencements fell 56% between March 2020 and March 2021.
Image source: Department of Education, Skills and Employment
A key reason for the decline in Indian student numbers can be the value put on student visa rather than studies itself.
Indian students prefer onshore education as it is traditionally considered a good pathway to live, work and get a permanent residency of Australia.
Image source: Angela Lehmann – LinkedIn.
Angela Lehmann, who is a researcher with international education consultancy firm Lygon Group, told the Age:
“[Indian students] are actively looking at countries where borders are open, so we are right now losing huge amounts of students to the UK and Canada. That’s pure and simply because borders are open, and they want to get out and they want face-to-face learning.”
“There is a big difference between studying online and having a few years here to set themselves up before they enter the workforce, as opposed to having absolutely no idea what the country is like but then be expected to get a job.”
As per the Age, Victoria’s Andrews government has submitted a draft student arrivals plan to the Morrison government but it had not yet been approved at the federal level.
Meanwhile, as of July 5, international students who meet the requirements for fully vaccinated travellers to Canada and have a valid study permit to attend an approved DLI, have been exempted from quarantine requirements.
Carmichael is a thermal coal mine under construction in the Galilee Basin in Central Queensland.
Image source: Wikipedia.
It has been approved by both the Queensland and federal governments.
Bravus Mining and Resources CEO David Boshoff said in a statement that it was an exciting day for the over 2,600 people on the Project.
Image source: Adani.
Boshoff said Bravus was on track to export first coal as promised, in 2021.
“Nearly two years ago today we received our final approvals to develop the Carmichael mine and rail Project. We have faced many hurdles along the way, but thanks to the hard work and perseverance of our team, we have now reached the coal seams.”
The coal mine has been at the centre of several protests and campaigns by environmentalists.
“The project must comply with a strict regulatory framework to ensure groundwater is protected. The State and Federal Government approvals for the Carmichael Mine include around 100 different conditions relating to groundwater.”
The Indian business tycoon also affirmed his company’s commitment to meeting Australia’s strict environmental requirements.
Taking to Twitter, Gautam Adani, Chairman of Adani Group said:
“Proud of my tenacious team who mined Carmichael’s ‘first coal’ in the face of heavy odds. There couldn’t be a better birthday gift than being able to strengthen our nation’s energy security and provide affordable power to India’s millions. Thank you, Queensland and Australia.”
India will be a key customer for the Australian coal mine which is, presently, also the fourth largest global user of electricity.
Boshoff said:
“The coal will be sold at index pricing and we will not be engaging in transfer pricing practices, which means that all of our taxes and royalties will be paid here in Australia. India gets the energy they need and Australia gets the jobs and economic benefits in the process.”
It is beleieved that this coal mine project will contribute to Adani Group’s energy portfolio that includes thermal power, solar power, wind power and gas.
A Tale of International Students Survival in Australia; Picture by Bhavya Pandey
International student Ishaan Singh recalls spending nights outside a restaurant in Melbourne’s eastern suburb Carlton with the hope that he might collect enough money to buy at least one meal.
With one suitcase, pillow and a blanket, Ishaan says, the unprecedented wave of COVID-19 left him with no place to live.
“Sometimes, the restaurant customers gave me a dollar or two. When lucky, few even gave me their takeaway food. The restaurant manager noticed me and it was after a week that I told him about my homelessness.”
Ishaan, came to Melbourne from India in the year 2018 to pursue Bachelors of Information Systems. Being the youngest in the family with two elder sisters to be married off, he relied on his part-time job to take out the majority of expenses.
“My father had already spent all his life savings on my sisters’ marriage and my pre-arrival expenses. I had no courage to ask him for more.”
It was in December 2020 when he lost his job due to the pandemic and hence, was left with no savings to even pay his monthly rent.
A Tale of International Students Survival in Australia; Picture by Bhavya Pandey
“For the first three months, I managed with my savings. I dodged between several jobs, from customer service to hospitality, but the inconsistency of the working hours and sudden lockdowns were always there. I didn’t even have the money to lease a new apartment, pay the bond and the advance rent.”
Ishaan said that it became embarrassing for him to repeatedly seek help from his friends as they were also struggling.
“I was left with no alternative but to sleep in parks, over benches and sometimes, even in parking lots.”
“Worst was, to escape from the freezing winds,” he said.
A Tale of International Students Survival in Australia; Picture by Bhavya Pandey
“I would end up doing drugs every now and then. That helped me stay numb.”
After two weeks of deadly cold, loneliness and hardship, he finally got in touch with Homelessness Support Service. Fortunately, at the same time, a friend agreed to share his room with Ishaan.
“To date, I get chills and tears in my eyes when I think of those times. I have nightmares and have been seeking counselling from my university.”
Ishaan pointed out that the monetary crisis is just one of the multiple problems International students have been facing. Uncertainty still, tops the list.
“Things really hit me hard when I realised I can’t even go back till I didn’t know….. for how long.”
After five months of being ‘homeless’, Ishaan found a stable job. However, to date, he does not have his name on the lease and is living as an unauthorised resident of the property.
Research headed by the University of Technology Sydney revealed that about 21% of overseas students in Australia fear being homeless, the struggles are considerably exacerbated as a result of the coronavirus.
It also revealed that more than half (54%) of respondents were concerned about paying their rent, and a third (33%) agreed that they frequently skipped food in order to pay for their housing.
A Tale of International Students Survival in Australia; Picture Source: @CANVA
“We have come up with several initiatives to help International students going through unemployment and financial crisis.”
Many international students have lost part-time jobs andare relying on relief payments
Over 1,400 individuals who were rough sleeping or experiencing homelessness are presently staying in temporary motels in Melbourne’s CBD and inner suburbs, with another 1,250 across the state.
$30 million is being provided for homelessness and transitional housing to help more Victorians experiencing or at risk of homelessness receive the safe, stable and secure accommodation they need.
Picture Source: Supplied
Manorani Guy, Founder of VicWise Australia is among those few individuals who believe that the issue of homelessness and tenancy should be given more attention.
“The issue is not having a place to live but having the feeling of belongingness,” she said.
In December 2020, Vicwise came up with The International Student Tenancy Outreach Program supported by Study Melbourne’s International Student Welfare Program, a Victorian Government initiative where students could reach for confidential housing advice.
Manorani Guy adds:
“In such unfortunate times, students need to be aware of their possible options and resources for help. We aim to help students with legalities and accessibility when it comes to finding a suitable home.”
Not just onshore students, the horror faced by students stuck overseas who came to study in Australia is no less than homelessness.
Hriti Jerath, another student pursuing her Bachelor of Media from Monash University said that it was her biggest mistake to go back to India.
“My parents were really worried when the sudden lockdown was announced last year. I immediately shifted to my uncle’s place, leaving the student accommodation I was living in as it became unaffordable. The impact of COVID-19 had already brought a downfall in my father’s business.”
Hriti Jerath was just 19 when she came to study in Melbourne and returned backwithin 9 months. Now, she will turn 21 soon; Picture Source: Supplied
After a while, as soon as the charter flights were announced, Hriti returned on 31st July 2020. Little did she know, she would remain stranded there.
“The course structure has been made partially theoretical. I have not been able to use the editing software and technical equipment like professional cameras properly. It becomes extremely exhausting to understand the practical aspect of my course theoretically.”
The time difference results in lack of sleep which has led to her health deteriorating.
“There are days when I regret coming to Australia.”
Hriti has recently registered with the Australian government international student return portal, and believes that its high time that Victoria gets International students back.
“I came into an alien land, thinking I would find my happy place there. I am physically here in India but my heart is in Melbourne. My university, my belongings, moreover, my dreams…..my future is all there. Is feeling lost, not considered homelessness ?
In a recent poll of 607 students stranded overseas conducted by the Council of International Students Australia (CISA), 93 percent admitted that studying online in their home countries had a negative impact on their mental health.
A Tale of International Students Survival in Australia; Picture Source: @CANVA
More than a quarter of students reported periodical thoughts of self harm and over two-thirds had self-diagnosed anxiety or depression at some point.
The CISA has recommended that the Australian government devote more resources to developing innovative methods for delivering online education, as well as laying out a timeline for when students may begin planning their return.
A spokesperson from the Department of Education said that students must be in touch with their education provider as they can assist them best with support services regarding their Overseas Student Health Cover insurance.
He also stated that with NSW already initiating the process, the Victorian government too, is undergoing consultations and is in the process of forming exclusive strategies to combat this multifaceted problem.
“Revealing much will not be in anyone’s favour until things are concrete enough. All we can assure you is that the department is putting in all its effort to ensure student welfare, keeping the public health and safety of citizens into consideration.”
International Student Alliance (ISA) Founder Karan Mehta has been advocating the issue of homelessness for both onshore and offshore students.
A Tale of International Students Survival in Australia; Picture Source: @CANVA
He told The Australia Today:
“It is high time now that substantial solutions are put into place and grievances of international students are heard.”
Thousands of international students, both onshore and offshore, have been questioning the worth of their psychological strain, house hunting struggles and massive financial investments towards their studies.
“The irony is that the statistics show some international students as homeless whereas the truth is, all international students are facing homelessness in some way or the other”,
With the interim heads up on the return of international students and onshore students getting relatively little more support, hopefully they shall get their answers soon.
Mr Mehta adds:
“When we talk about home, we do not simply refer to a physical living structure but a place where voices are heard and people are comforted.”
Hopefully, they shall find their ‘home’ soon.
Note: ‘Ishaan Singh’ is the changed name to protect the identity of the student.
Image source: Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes – Parliament of Victoria.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes congratulated Pardeep Singh Tiwana on his new role as a judge.
“We’re investing strongly and working with the courts to help drive down the backlogs caused by the pandemic – making sure more people can have their cases heard faster.”
Image source: County Court of Victoria – Wikipedia
Judge Pardeep Singh Tiwana’s family originally hail from Kot Kalan village in Punjab.
On hearing the news of Tiwan’s appointment as a judge in the County Court of Victoria, the whole village performed a religious prayer and distributed sweets.
Pardeep Singh Tiwana was born and brought up in the UK and has completed his law degree from the University of Wolverhampton.
He did his barrister study from the bar school of Lincoln’s Inn and was the youngest applicant to get a law degree as a barrister.
Image source: Pardeep Singh Tiwana – CPD in Session.
Pardeep Singh Tiwana previously worked as a law clerk and solicitor at Paul Vale Criminal Lawyers and a criminal barrister at 4 Fountain Court Chambers/Citadel Chambers in the United Kingdom.
He also has two scholarships from bar school and applied in 1993 as a 23-year-old youth. He practised till 2006 there, before moving to Australia.
After doing a 3-month law course from Melbourne university, Pardeep Singh Tiwana started practicing in Australia as a criminal lawyer in 2006.
Australian shares ended their five-week rally to record their first weekly loss in six as surging COVID19 cases in New South Wales kept markets on edge throughout the week.
Even though the stock markets rallied globally after US President Joe Biden embraced a bipartisan Senate infrastructure deal thus raising hopes of a faster recovery in the World’s largest economy.
The infrastructure deal means there is expected to be a whole lot of cash injected into the markets. It also would mean an increased demand for materials which will definitely be beneficial for Australian markets.
The news was typically beneficial for Australian miners as the price of iron ore gained following the news with Rio Tinto recording its best weekly gain since early May. We were bullish on BHP, RIO and Fortescue last week and we continue with our bullish bias with them as iron ore prices continue to rise.
Market Mantra: Nasdaq; Picture Source: @CANVA
The travel stocks, however, took a hammering as COVID cases surged in Sydney. Flight Centre recorded a weekly loss of 6.5% and Webjet lost 4.5% in value last week.
Even though there is a lot of positive sentiment globally on the US bipartisan deal and it seems that where the US goes rest of the world goes, an increasingly concerning COVID situation in Sydney though will do little to improve investor confidence in Australia.
Afterpay rose 12.7% for the week after announcing a digital card strategy, thus opening itself for a wider range of US retailers. However, it may hit the brakes as Australia’s most populous state goes into lockdown.
We will also be keeping an eye on Boral following the takeover bid from Seven Group Holding. Seven Group Holding had previously put in a takeover bid for $6.50 for Boral which the management thought undervalues the company. As the shareholders prepared to reject the deal a twist came in on Friday with Seven Holding raising its offer to $7.30 per share and flagging a second conditional increase to $7.40. This sent share prices from $6.71 at 11:30 am on Friday to $7.34 at the close.
Market Mantra: GOLD; Picture Source: @CANVA
Boral, the building materials company, has had a remarkable turnaround this year rising 47% since January compared to the ASX 20 benchmark which has only risen 9.33% in the same period.
Gold prices stabilised last week as weaker than expected US inflation data and President Biden bipartisan infrastructure agreement with the lawmakers gave a boost to market sentiment. While the bulls have found some momentum to increase the gold prices last week they may struggle around the USD 1789 price level. A break of $1789 may take the price of gold to 1818 an ounce compared to US Dollar, however, if bears oppose the bulls momentum gold prices may go as low as $1680.
This week the gold investors will keep a strong eye on Europe where new rules known as Basil III come into effect from Monday 28 June. While gold has had a decline three weeks in a row on US inflation concerns it would be European banks that may shake up the precious metal market this week.
Market Mantra: GOLD; Picture Source: @CANVA
From Monday gold will become a risk-free tier 1 asset for European banks, meaning gold will have the highest liquidity, on par with cash. While this news is a piece of positive news for gold and shall increase overall liquidity for gold, it only impacts physical gold. As such all eyes will be on European banks on Monday to see if the investment in gold is more prolific at the large and central banks level. A failure to notice an increase in gold sales at the banks level may see gold prices trade sideways till we see real improvements in GDP and unemployment especially in India and China, the two largest gold consumers in the world.
Oil prices continued to rally for the fifth week after reaching their highest price since October 2018. With OPEC+ countries continuing to remain cautious to increase supplies of oil from August 2021 there are expectations that demand will outstrip supplies specially as more economies and countries open up. As such oil prices may continue to rise until unless there is major news that may impact oil demand negatively.
A flat consumer sending data in the US helped all major currencies recover against the greenback. The Australian dollar was especially stronger against all major currencies such as British Pound and Euro. The Australian dollar also gained against the Indian Rupee with 1 Aussie dollar buying 56.31 Indian rupees.
Market Mantra: Picture Source: @CANVA
The rising Coronavirus cases in NSW may, however, start the week in slow motion for the Australian dollar as investors may find a better value in the New Zealand dollar and Canadian dollar with their economies continuing to remain open.
In the world of Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, Ether and most altcoins remained under pressure. However, the good news for crypto traders is that the prices remain firmly established between the previously established trend between USD 30,000 and USD 41,000.
As Iran joined China in the war against digital assets good news came in the form of El Salvador announcing that Bitcoin will become legal tender as of September 7. While the long term trend for Bitcoin still remains bearish there is a wider acceptance that there is a good chance the coin will head higher to the middle of a $31,000 to $41,000 for Bitcoin. The other coins look like following Bitcoin lead at the time being.
Market Mantra: Bitcoin; Picture Source: @CANVA
With China, which accounted for 50% of global bitcoin mining, banning mining it was expected the bitcoin transaction fees will go down. However, this triggered a flash bitcoin mining equipment sale and thus made the cost of bitcoin mining equipment cheaper. The miners are now eyeing Texas as the next mining hub and it would be interesting to see how this will impact digital currencies in the future.
For the time being as more countries look at greener technologies, we are also more positive towards greener coins such as Cardano, IOTA and Sterling Lumens than Bitcoin.
In agricultural products price of most commodities declined during the week except soybean which remained steady due to the large demand for soybean from Mexico. The US traders are keeping a keen eye on China to see if the US Department of Agriculture will report more soybean sales to China this week after a string of deals last week.
Corn prices took a big tumble however last week after a US Supreme Court ruling raised concerns about reduced demands for the crops from the biofuel industry.
Wheat prices also continued to tumble as Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter recorded an excellent year for wheat production. A 400,000 tonnes of optional-origin milling wheat tender from Ethiopia and 395,000 tonnes of red milling wheat tender from Turkey was also not enough to stop the decline in prices as traders are concerned about excess wheat supply. As wheat supplies continue to grow and prices for wheat continue to decline we expect that corn prices will also follow the direction of wheat prices as they both compete for space in animal feed rations globally.
Author: Ateev Dang is a trader and trading coach by profession. He runs Glow trades Pty Ltd where he teaches anyone who is interested in starting on their trading journey on how to trade. He can be contacted at adang@glowtrades.com.au.
Disclaimer:
The writers’ opinion in the above article are their own and do not constitute any financial advice whatsoever. Nothing published by The Australia Today constitutes an investment recommendation, nor should any data or content publication be relied upon for any investment activities.
We strongly recommend that you perform your own independent research and/or speak with a financial advisor or qualified investment professional before making any financial decisions.
The dance teacher, Sonar Chand Ngangom, with ladies elegantly dressed for Garba; Picture Source: Supplied
Indian Diaspora in the Pacific (Fiji) and around the world (Guyana, Mauritius, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago etc.) have transformed into forming a hybrid culture, by adopting many aspects of the host’s culture, rework, reform and reconfigure them to form a hybrid culture.
The notion of ‘hybridity is emphatically raised by postcolonial literature. Postcolonial studies have made an academic rethinking in the arts and humanities, as a process of interpreting and criticising the culture of colonialism and imperialism, reflecting the idea of resistance and anti-empire feeling.
Colonialism was constructed as a ‘civilizing mission’ of the East, this has been revisited by post-colonial theorists to decolonize the legacy of colonisation in the formerly colonised nations.
They have a non-Eurocentric perspective and question the values of imperialism. Post-colonial theorists have analysed this by the colonial powers considered themselves superior over the colonised nation, so tied to dominate and enforce hegemony. Under this movement, the scholars raised a voice against the colonial empire with strong resistance.
A school-based Indo-Fijian dancing troupe performing a Pacific item. Photo: PMC archive; Supplied
‘Holy Trinity’
Major post-colonial studies’ scholars include Edward Said’s Orientalism concept, Gayatri Spivak’s idea of ‘Subalternity’ and Homi K. Bhabha’s ‘hybridity and Mimicry’. These three are together known as the ‘Holy Trinity’ in postcolonial studies.
Here we enlighten Bhabha’s work as a cultural critic and develop a theoretical understanding of postcolonialism, based on his work and other multiple available sources for mass readers. This scholar discussed the marginalisation of natives without any agency and identity of their own. They have been misrepresented and their identity has been distorted.
Bhabha (born in 1949 in India, higher studies in the UK and employed in the US) is a cultural critic, literary and prominent theorist of postcolonial culture. His terminologies are closely related to the ideas and terminologies from Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida and Jacques Lacan (French thinkers).
His text is difficult to understand due to the complex style of writing. He coined a large number of neologisms and key concepts like mimicry, hybridity, ambivalence, difference, dissemination. These terms reflect the manner in which the colonised people have resisted the power of the colonisers.
Overall, postcolonialism studies raised an issue of marginalisation of natives without any voice and identity, thus leading to distortion of native subjects and misrepresentation of native culture.
Neologism Terms
Bhabha’s work The Location of Culture (1994) highlights the negotiation of cultural identity during colonial times prevalent in race, culture and gender. He explains the emergence of new cultural forms from multiculturalism with a theory of ‘cultural hybridity.
Girmit Boat Image: Shyamni. Read more at: https://www.newsgram.com/girmitiyas-from-indenture-labour-to-political-and-economic-scenario/
In simple terms, it means a mixture of two cultures that leads to an emergence of a new culture. The work believes that culture is not a static entity, but it is fluid and in motion; and discourse of colonisation works in two directions, first, establish the colonised as ‘others’ or ‘colonising subject’, while it also abolishes their radical ‘otherness’ understanding by the ‘West’.
The concept of ‘Mimicry’ is reflected in Bhabha’s work Of Mimicry and Man (1985), which beliefs in the process of imitation by the colonised society of the lifestyle of colonisers in terms of culture, education, language, dress and politics. This imitation is done in the hope to have access to the power (colonial) in oneself.
As colonisers have civilised and taught discipline to the indigenous people, but still maintained a significant difference between coloniser and colonised. The reason behind it is to continue their dominance and colonial rule forever.
Colonial mimicry arises due to colonised’s desire to be reformed, recognisable other, but it is “almost the same, but not quite.” He believes the “menace of mimicry is its double vision which in disclosing the ambivalence of colonial discourses also disrupts its authority. And it is a double-vision that is a result of what I’ve described as the partial representation or recognition of the colonial object” (Bhabha, 2001, p. 383).
This mimicry leads towards hybridity. It is described with an example “He states that at the end of the 18th century, the English administration wanted to convert their Indian subjects to Christianity but did not want them to be too Christians or too English as they foresaw that they were simply producing a colonised mimic” (Bhat, 2015).
He postulates the concept of hybridity that negates the concept of purity of race and national identity whereas this hybridity develops in between the real and idealised space called ‘third space’. The notion of pure and uncontaminated culture is a myth for this work. This concept is based on cultural differences between the colonisers and colonised, that noticed cultural exchange between them and leads to the production of hybridity.
This is cross-cultural exchange and it has effects on different ways like social, cultural, political and religious. The coloniser and colonised are not a separate entity, so they are interdependent during the colonial period that even continues in the post-colonial period. He tries to find the location of culture in marginal spaces and believes in the idea of misrepresentation in the postcolonial world.
— Where is Shyamni? (@MaharishiSharon) July 16, 2019
As per Bhabha, ‘ambivalence’ was used that signifies the coloniser’s intention to reform the colonised but did not make a complete transformation. This is a way in which coloniser and colonised regard each other. The coloniser usually regards the colonised as inferior and exotic, whereas the colonised regard the coloniser as enviable and corrupt.
This uncertainty resulted in mimicry when natives try to mimic the colonisers’ culture but fail to realise the power of reform, unable to get recognition and fail to undermine the colonisers’ system. Thus, the process of mimic by natives leads to ridicule.
Conclusion
Peter Burke’s work Cultural Hybridity (2009) stated the process of hybridisation and globalisation are interconnected. As hybridisation has a major impact on the identity of a person, culture and opinion.
The response to cultural hybridity can be accepted, rejected, segregated and adapted. Thus, the Indian Diaspora has resulted in the formulation of a hybrid culture in the Pacific, and this hybridity is further extended when Indians from Fiji move towards nations (majorly have migrated to neighbouring countries Australia and New Zealand).
This mixture led to the development of a new identity and culture distinct in itself but more oriented towards the present homeland since some only imagined/noticed their forefather’s country with stereotypical picture of mass media.
Author: Dr Sakul Kundra, A.HOD Department of Social Science, College of Humanities and Education, Fiji National University.
Dr Sakul Kundra; Picture Source: Supplied
Disclaimer: The views expressed are his own and not of The Australia Today or his employer. For comments or suggestions, email. dr.sakulkundra@gmail.com
Kushagra told ABC Radio Melbourne that his countless cold calls and a few interviews didn’t result in a single job offer:
“I thought OK, nothing was working out, so I should apply my designer skills and mind. I looked at all the stations, how many people were coming through, and figured out where would be the best place to advertise myself.”
Image source: Southern Cross Station – Wikipedia.
So, at the end of March 2021, Kushagra stood opposite Southern Cross and Flinders Street train stations with a sign saying:
“Looking 4 a graduate of architecture? HIRE ME.”
He stood outside the stations for 3 weeks from morning from 8:00 am to 9:15 am.
In April, Metro Trains’ digital engineering manager Scott Poll who was heading to work spotted Kushagra on Spencer Street with his sign.
Scott gave Kushagra a warm smile and tried to figure out if he had a job that could suit the job seeker.
“When I got to the office I thought I need to go back and talk to him, but unfortunately when I’d gone back he had disappeared.”
After a search on LinkedIn, message exchange, conversation and a formal interview process, Kushagra was offered a position as a draftsperson with Metro.
“I thought that’s a young kid with a lot of courage to be able to do that, at one of the busiest intersections in the city,” Mr Poll said.
Scott sincerely felt hopeful the following about Kushagra:
“If he is willing to do that, I know he is going to be willing to be a hard worker.”
Kushagra is now employed with Metro Trains and enjoying his work creating 3D models. His advise to others facing similar situation in Australia is:
“Do not hesitate to do anything to get a job. Put yourself out there. Not necessarily what I did, but you shouldn’t be scared — you can only give your best shot.”
WATCH VIDEO: Kushagra Jhurani’s student project – ‘A Memory Temple’
Image released after man makes sexual comments towards girls at Noble Park; Picture Source: Victoria Police
Dandenong Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives have released a computer-generated image with the hope to identify a man after he approached two school-aged girls and made inappropriate sexual comments in Noble Park last month.
The first incident occurred on Heatherton Road, near Corrigan Road, about 3.45pm on Wednesday, 26 May.
A 16-year-old girl was approached by an unknown man who held out his mobile phone and showed an explicit pornographic video before making sexual comments towards her.
The girl then quickly walked away from the man.
The second incident occurred about ten minutes later when a 13-year-old girl noticed a man following her while walking along Heatherton Road.
The man showed her an explicit pornographic video on his mobile phone before asking her questions of a sexual nature.
The girl ran away from the man who walked away in an opposite direction.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives believe the same man was involved in both incidents and have released a computer-generated image of a man who they believe can assist with their enquiries.
The man is perceived to be of Indian Sub-Continental appearance, aged in his 30s, and had a long black beard.
Anyone who recognises the man or has information regarding the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
NSW Premier’s COVID-19 update; Picture Source: The Australia Today
NSW Premier announced, To protect NSW people from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, current restrictions will be extended to at least midnight on Friday 2 July.
In addition, As per the health advice from the Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant about the growing risk to the community, stay-at-home orders are being introduced for at least one week for those who live in, or whose usual place of work is in, Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney Councils.
Due to the risk associated with an increasing number of exposure venues where transmission has occurred, from 11.59 pm tonight until at least 11.59 pm on Friday 2 July, residents of, or people whose usual place of work is in, the four LGAs must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason.
The four reasons you may leave your home include:
Shopping for food or other essential goods and services;
Medical care or compassionate needs;
Exercise outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer;
Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, “I understand this is a difficult time for everyone, however, we need to take these steps now to get on top of this outbreak.”
People should only enter the four LGAs for essential purposes.
“if you live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra local government areas, you cannot travel outside metropolitan Sydney for non-essential reasons.”
Residents across greater Sydney should also limit unnecessary activity and avoid large gatherings in coming days and comply with the current restrictions.
HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE!!! 
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STAY AT HOME ORDER – ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS
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