The Daily Brief: Second Visa Request Denied For Top Ranked Tennis Star, Novak Djokovic
On Friday, the Australian government revoked Novak Djokovic’s visa for the 2nd time, leaving the unvaccinated top-ranked Serbian tennis star to face deportation proceedings and a possible three-year ban following his immigration appeals hearing on Sunday
On grounds of “health and good order”, the Australian government has denied Novak Djokovic’s visa for the 2nd time leaving his chances to participate in the Australian Open, which is set to start on Monday, bleak.
Australian Immigration Minister, Alex Hawke, denied Djokovic’s 2nd visa Friday stating, “Today I exercised my power under section 133C(3) of the Migration Act to cancel the visa held by Mr. Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so.”
Djokovic’s legal team responded to the visa cancellation by stating it is “patently irrational,” and that Djokovic poses no harm to Australia, rather the government is using his case to set precedent to not excite anti-vax sentiments.
Following the visa cancellation, an emergency hearing was held where a government lawyer advised the judge that Australia will not begin deportation processes immediately, rather, they will allow Djokovic to meet his legal team on Saturday to prepare for his appeal hearing that is scheduled on Sunday. However, after Saturday, Australian officials have the right to detain Djokovic at any time.
Unvaccinated, Djokovic’s visa was originally revoked after arriving in Melbourne on January 6th, where Australian border authorities stated that Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to receive a vaccine exemption even though an Australian visa was previously granted prior to the trip.
Djokovic’s intent to participate in the Australian Open caused an uproar from Australian tennis stars and citizens who felt allowing Djokovic to enter Australia unvaccinated was unfair as many have been under numerous strict COVID lockdowns throughout the pandemic.
Although Djokovic has not openly promoted anti-vaccination information, Australians who are against vaccinations, have begun using “#IStandWithDjokovic” to show their support.
Tweets:
PM Scott Morrison took pains to mention “sacrifices” Aussies made during pandemic.
That sentiment was always going to be a huge hurdle for Djokovic to overcome in winning over hearts, minds…and visas.
Novak Djokovic Visa cancelled again by Australian immigration minister. Absolutely insanity. 1 day after the official draw is out. The Australian government must be scrutinized and held accountable for their pathetic actions. pic.twitter.com/RBiXFDMPvh
Amid growing tensions between Russia, Ukrainian government websites were hit by a massive cyberattack on Friday leaving the country’s cabinet, seven ministries, the treasury, the National Emergency Service, and the state services website, where Ukrainians’ electronic passports and vaccination certificates are stored, temporarily unavailable.
The hacked websites contained messages written in Ukraine, Russian, and Polish that stated that the user’s information has been leaked and to “be afraid and expect the worst. This is for your past, present and future.”
Although no one has taken responsibility, Ukrainian officials found evidence that leads them to believe that Russia was behind the attack.
At this time, Ukrainian officials do not believe that personal information was leaked but that an investigation is still ongoing.
Ukraine has been hit hard by cyberattacks in recent months with officials stating they have neutralized over 1,200 cyber attacks in just 9 months.
Tweet:
Investigation is still ongoing but the Security Service of Ukraine has obtained preliminary indicators suggesting that hacker groups associated with the Russian secret services may stand behind today’s massive cyberattack on government websites https://t.co/VaSfPL1RSc@ServiceSsu
According to UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, as of Thursday, freezing temperatures, as well as assets, are the causes of the lethal combination that are causing Afghans to suffer including the act of preventing money that should be used to save lives.
A meeting is to be held among the UN Humanitarian Chief, President Of The International Committee Of The Red Cross, and the US Secretary of State to discuss how to create mechanisms to allow effective injunction of funds into the Afghan economy.
Guterres mentioned the US’s crucial role in the Afghan economy stating, “[the US has] a very important role to play because most of the financial system in the world operates in dollars”. Approximately $7 billion Afghan reserves have been frozen and are being held in the US.
Tweets:
Afghanistan is on the brink of collapse. Today @UNReliefChief and I held positive discussions with @SecBlinken.
To avoid a humanitarian disaster, we must urgently prevent the economy from collapsing and ensure that life-saving humanitarian work and basic services can continue. pic.twitter.com/z7Sk05UGtw
As of Thursday, the Nigerian government has restored access to Twitter after a 7-month ban was imposed when Twitter removed Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s post which threatened a violent crackdown on secessionist groups.
Since the ban was put into place in June, Twitter has agreed to several demands and will now open an office in Nigeria, pay taxes, appoint a representative head, as well respectfully acknowledge Nigerian laws and culture according to a government official.
In the past, several bills had been passed for social media regulation for the sake of security grounds and national unity. Many rights groups argue that none of the measures were approved and violate those that protect freedom of speech.
During the suspension period, many Nigerians still used the platform through VPN sites and are now acknowledging those companies in regards to also causing the country to lose billions of dollars since small businesses used Twitter to reach customers.
El Salvador officials deny hacking into the phones of approximately 35 journalists and activists using the Pegasus Spyware Software.
According to a University of Toronto Research Group, the software was made by an Israeli firm for government clients to hack photo, video, and voice recordings of journalists and activists from 2020-2021.
The use of the Pegasus Software now reveals a new threat in the country according to Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International Americas Director. Guevara-Rosas states that authorities should make the effort to prevent the restriction of freedom of expression and identify those who are involved in this situation.
Julia Gavarrete, an El Faro Journalist states that her apartment was broken into and stated that her computer among several belongings were stolen and suspects it might have something to do with the hackings; she continues that “You can feel fear, but at the end, you know that you are doing things that are correct and you can not give them the power to control your life,”
‘Potentially Dangerous’, Skyscraper Sized Asteroid To Pass Near Earth Next Week
Asteroid 7482 (1994PC1) has been deemed “potentially hazardous” as the asteroid, estimated to be about 3,280 feet tall, is set to pass 700,000 miles away from the Earth’s surface later this week.
The asteroid which is taller than the Empire State Building from base to the antenna in New York and the Burj Al Khalifa in Dubai has been classified as “potentially hazardous” as there is a potential for it to make a “threatening close approach to Earth.”
Although classified as “potentially hazardous,” Asteroid 7482 1994PC1 won’t be the largest to sweep past Earth, since Asteroid 3122 Florence (1981 ET3) passed and missed colliding with the Earth back in September 2007.
Although 7482 1994PC1 is not visible to the naked eye, amateur astronomers say it is still visible to see through a telescope.
Tweets:
Near-Earth #asteroid 1994 PC1 (~1 km wide) is very well known and has been studied for decades by our #PlanetaryDefense experts. Rest assured, 1994 PC1 will safely fly past our planet 1.2 million miles away next Tues., Jan. 18.
Born and raised in the Bay Area, California, Faiza is a mother of two with a degree in Psychology and Paralegal Studies. She is passionate about lending her voice to those who are disadvantaged.
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has landed inTaiwan. Prior to the visit, China’s Foreign Ministry has voiced their disapproval, stating that “China will take resolute responses and strong countermeasures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized in response that “The speaker will make her own decisions about whether or not to visit Taiwan,” and that the US is looking to Beijing to “act responsibly and not to engage in any escalation going forward.”
The US has made it clear that members of Congress routinely visit Taiwan and that this trip is non-threatening and has precedent. Even so, some officials have expressed concern that China may invade Taiwan’s air defense zone or send missiles near Taiwan in retaliation.
Pelosi has criticized China’s leadership and vocalized support for Taiwan in the past. She is currently on her tour of Asia, with scheduled visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.
The US side needs to fulfill President Biden’s commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence” and refrain from arranging for a visit by Speaker Pelosi to Taiwan. pic.twitter.com/hK7PKmuLmz
The first shipment of grain departed the port of Odesa on Monday after Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports for the last six months trapped around 20 million metric tons of wheat and corn.
Russia recently made a deal with Ukraine, brokered by the UN and Turkey, allowing grain exports to resume, appeasing fears of a global food supply crisis and rising prices.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba celebrated the shipment, calling it a “day of relief for the world, especially for our friends in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was more hesitant to celebrate the shipment, stating “it is too early to draw any conclusions and make any forecasts” and he wants to “see how the agreement works and whether security will be really guaranteed.”
Welcome the departure of the first grain shipment from Ukraine & the resumption of the grain trade. Planned departure of more grain should hopefully bring intl. grain prices down, aid humanitarian purchases & have a positive impact on poor people going hungry in poor countries.
The US economy declines for the second quarter in a row, causing, what other countries would consider, an economic recession.
The prices for groceries, gas, and other basics are rising at the fastest pace since 1981. The US Central Bank is quickly trying to raise borrowing costs in order to cool the economy and ease the prices on goods, but with the contraction, at the annual rate of 0.9% in the 3 months to July, many are still getting concerned.
President Biden struggles to convince the public that the economy is sound, with the unemployment rate at a low 3.6%. But with inflation in the US hitting 9.1% in June, the fastest price appreciation in 4 months, consumer spending has slowed at an annual rate of 1%.
Many other countries, such as China and the UK, have been hit harder by the surge in energy prices and the War in Ukraine, causing risks from abroad. Other countries are facing much more serious problems and once they’re hit, their problems can spill over and affect the US.
US Economy in technical recession as GDP shrinks for a second quarter. Q2 GDP fell at a 0.9% annualized rate as inventories, residential investment subtract from growth after a 1.6% decline in the first three months of the year. pic.twitter.com/5cXb6uNyWT
— Holger Zschaepitz (@Schuldensuehner) July 28, 2022
All views expressed in this editorial are solely that of the author, and are not expressed on behalf of The Analyst, its affiliates, or staff.
North Korea could be preparing a seventh nuclear test, especially after Mr. Kim announced that the country is fully ready for any military confrontation with the US at a Korean War Anniversary event.
A US special representative in North Korea states that Jong-Un has tested an unprecedented number of missiles this year—31 to 25. Jong-Un also stated that threats from the US required North Korea to achieve the urgent historical task of strengthening its self-defense.
Jong-un also stated that South Korea is reviving a plan to counter North Korea’s threat by mounting precautionary strikes; in June alone, South Korea launched 8 missiles of its own.
The North Korean regime is especially angry with South Korea’s new president Yoon Suk-yeol and his so-called Kill Chain strategy. This strategy allows South Korea to launch ballistic missiles and air strikes on North Korean targets if it ever feels threatened.
North Korea has also not been getting as much engagement with Washington ever since Biden replaced Trump, and could be hinting at some sort of deliberate escalation by the North, and preparations have been underway at the Punggye Ri test site since March.
All views expressed in this editorial are solely that of the author, and are not expressed on behalf of The Analyst, its affiliates, or staff.
Gazprom, a major Russian energy provider, has stated it will reduce the supply of gas to Germany by half via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline due to repair work.
Germany has said that they see no technical reason for the decrease in gas supply. The European Union continues to accuse Russia of weaponizing energy, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stating, “This is an open gas war that Russia is waging against a united Europe.”
Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement to allow the export of grain via the Black Sea after Russia continued to block millions of tonnes from being exported. The next day, Russia struck missiles at the port, some of which hit the infrastructure of the port.
The US and Ukraine are optimistic that the agreement will still be implemented, with the US State Department stating, “Despite these attacks, we do understand that the parties are continuing preparations to open Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for food and fertilizer exports…we also continue to expect that the Black Sea agreement will be implemented.”
With Nord Stream 1 flowing at just 20% of capacity from July 27, Germany will NOT have enough natural gas to make it throughout the whole winter **unless big demand reductions are implemented**. Berlin will need to activate stage 3 of its gas emergency program #ONGT#EnergyCrisis
Pope Francis traveled to the grounds of a former residential school near Alberta, Canada and formally apologized for the Church’s role in the abuse of indigenous people and erasure of indigenous culture.
The majority of the schools were run by members of the Roman Catholic Church in the late 1800s and 1900s. Around 150,000 indigenous children were sent to the schools and more than 3,000 are estimated to have died.
In his speech, the Pope asked for forgiveness and highlighted the Church’s role in the schools system, stating, “I ask forgiveness, in particular, for the ways in which many members of the Church and of religious communities cooperated… in projects of cultural destruction and forced assimilation promoted by the governments of that time, which culminated in the system of residential schools.”
Indigenous chiefs, survivors of the residential schools, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were some of the few in attendance for the Pope’s remarks.
Dear brothers and sisters of #Canada, I come among you to meet the indigenous peoples. I hope, with God's grace, that my penitential pilgrimage might contribute to the journey of reconciliation already undertaken. Please accompany me with #prayer.
Today in Maskwacîs, Pope Francis recognized the abuses suffered in church-operated residential schools – where more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to assimilate and lose their languages, cultures, spiritualities, traditions, and identities. pic.twitter.com/ZwUm9k2hdH
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