Gentlefolk,
This post describes some of our activities during the period 1 - 27 February 2024 (we will visit Adelaide for a few days, hence the earlier date of this post).
The contents of this post are in the following sequence:
Photos of our activities during 1 - 27 February 2024.
News items which caught my eye in period 1 - 27 February 2024.
Herewith photos of our activities in February:
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| Yuni Ryan's 60th birthday party was great fun. I met Peter when we both worked at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in 1988-91. He was in the Defence Section, while I was in theTrade Section. |
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| Some of the guests wore fancy dress. |
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| A group of musicians entertained with Indonesian songs. |
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| Vera & Ketut Nanik at Yuni's birthday bash. |
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| Fun concert by Shortis & Simpson, with Nigel and Beth (owner managers of Smith's Alternative Cafe). Wonderful entertainers, we are S&S groupies! |
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| I attended Thomas McCoy's U3A creative computing training course on Scratch 3, used to teach kids coding and software. Will it help me communicate with grandkids Eddie and Jay? |
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| Tending my parent's graves at Gunghalin Cemetery. |
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| U3A Australian History course started again; organiser Judy Bentley. |
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This month several activities related to Chinese New Year on 10 February; welcome the Year of the Dragon.
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| The ACFS's Carol and Angela selling lanterns at Dickson. |
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| President of ACFS Carol Keil welcomed guests at the lunch for CNY. |
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| Indonesian music group performed at Canberra's Multicultural Festival; Vera played ukulele. |
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| Musicians Yetty, Marcia, Betsy, Marioleyn, and Vera |
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| Indonesian dance group Borobudur Dancers at the Multicultural Festival. |
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| Indonesian dancer at Multicultural Festival. |
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| Lunch with Jim O'Callaghan and Patrick O'Hara. |
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| We had 46 participants at the Lantern-making Workshop this year (21 adults and 25 children). |
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| Vera & Jean at the Lantern-making Workshop. Jean is the main organiser and does a great job. |
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| Lunch with former AUSTRADE colleagues: Jim Enright, Pat Stortz, Geoff McKie, Pater Kane, me, Brendan Dyson, and Ian Ffrench. |
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| The Lantern Festival is held 2 weeks after Chinese New Year and marks the end of these celebrations. It is the main public activity organised by the Australia China Friendship Society (acfs.org.au) every year. There is a lot of organising involved. Carol Keil does an amazing job, assisted by, among others, Jean Norman, Brian Keil, Neil Birch, Vincent Wong, and Tanja Naeher & Michael. |
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| A good crowd, estimated at 600+ people, attended the Lantern Festival. It was entertaining watching all the performances of Chinese music and dancing. The highlight was the Lion Dance followed by the lantern parade around the Beijing Garden. We were blessed with nice weather this year. |
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| Cost of fuel has increased since last month. Costco is usually the cheapest in Canberra. |
News items which caught my eye 1 - 27 February 2024.
($ are US
dollars unless otherwise shown)
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Global
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Lunar New Year (Feb 10) was
celebrated in many Asian countries. USA struck dozens of Iran-associated
targets in Syria and Iraq, in retaliation for attack on Tower 22 US military
base in Syria. USA & UK continued attacks on
Houthi sites in Yemen. Farmer protests in several EU
countries and India. Shell reported a profit in 2023 of
$28B (down from $40B in 2022); paid UK tax of $1.1B. Michelle O’Neill (Sinn Fein) inaugurated as First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly, following end of a
boycott by DUP of the May 2022 election. F1: Lewis Hamilton (39) will join
Ferrari after 11 years with Mercedes. Extensive wildfires in Chile, 130+ dead. Pakistan elections: although he
was locked up, Imran Khan’s party PTI won 93 seats (of 336). Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles
is being treated for cancer. Ukrainian born Karolina Shiino
(26) controversially crowned Miss Japan (she lived there since 5); but later
resigned following revelations of an affair with a married man. Current world record Marathoner
Kelvin Kiptum (24) 2 hours 35 seconds died in a car crash in Kenya. Indonesian election was won by
Prabowo Subianto (72) and running mate Gibran (36) (Gerindra Party) with 58%
of vote. They will be inaugurated in October. Japan and UK economies both
entered technical recessions with two consecutive quarters of negative
growth. Putin’s main political rival,
Alexei Navalny (47) died in a Siberian prison. The German Parliament (407-226)
passed a law decriminalizing the personal use of cannabis. Sweden will become the 32nd member of NATO (Hungary & Turkey dropped opposition). Finland joined a year ago.
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Israel – Hamas (Gaza) |
Israel – Hamas/Gaza: Now an
estimated 30,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, majority women and children;
another 70,000 injured (with little medical help available, many will die).
UN repeated warnings of widespread hunger./disease. Several countries (incl US) expressed
concern at plans by Israel to attack Rafah which houses around 2M Palestinians
(many fled from the north). USA sanctioned 4 Israeli Settlers
for violence n the West Bank. USA vetoed a resolution in the
Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza (13 members
supported the motion, UK abstained). 800+ serving officials in the USA
and Europe signed petitions calling for more balanced policies related to
Gaza. A Dutch court halted the export of
F35 jet parts to Israel. Big demonstrations in several cities around the world calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Brazilian President Lula accused
Israel of genocide in Gaza. WFP stopped deliveries of food aid to Gaza due to chaotic situation.
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Russian invasion of Ukraine |
24 February 2nd
anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia – Ukraine prisoner swap,
195 each. EU leaders agreed on non-military
aid package to support Ukraine’s budget: $33B loans and $17B grants. Ukraine sea-drones attacked ships
in Russia’s Black Sea fleet (estimated 20% of the fleet has been destroyed or
damaged). Ukrainian missiles shot down a
Russian A-50 surveillance plane (the second). Military chief General
Zaluzhnyi was replaced by General Oleksandr Syrskyi. Ukrainian troops pulled out of
Avdiivka, Dontesk. President Zelensky said that Ukraine had lost 31,000 military since the Russian invasion (US intelligence agencies put the figure much higher).
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USA
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Federal Appeals Court (3 judges,
unanimous) rejected Trump’s claims of total immunity – they said that he can
be prosecuted on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. Trump won the South Carolina
Primary for GOP presidential nominee (beat Nikki Haley by 20 points) The HoR voted 214-213 to impeach
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (first Cabinet Secretary to be
impeached since 1876). NYC Judge Arthur Engoron fined
Trump $355M for fraudulently inflating the value of his properties - he is appealing, but in the meantime interest charges are accuring. Trump was
also fined $83M for defaming the reputation of E Jean Carroll. On Trump’s instructions
Republicans blocked the bipartisan Border deal, and the foreign aid package
for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Trump expressed anger that only 11
(of 31) NATO members have reached the target of 2% of GDP spending on defence
(Poland 3.9%, USA 3.5%). Trump launched sneakers and
cologne made under license using his name. Democrat Tom Suozzi won the NYC
HoR seat vacated by George Santos. A US drone killed leader of Kataib
Hezbollah in Baghdad. NFL 58th Super Bowl
played in Las Vegas on Sunday 11/2 was watched by an average of 123M. San
Fran 49ers were leading at half time, then KC Chiefs came back to tie the
score, taking the game into overtime. Chief’s quarterback Mahomes threw a
touchdown with 3 seconds to go to win the game 25-22. Singer Usher starred in
the half-time show. There was a shooting during the victory street parade in
Kansas City (1 dead 30 injured). US inflation rate was 3.1% (down
from 3.4%). 20th anniversary of
founding of Facebook. Meta (FB, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus) reported Q4 2023
revenue of $40B and profit of $14B. Elon Musk announced that his
company Neuralink has completed the first implant of a wireless chip in a
human brain. Trainers worn by Michael Jordan
during his 6 NBA Championship wins sold for $8M. A 500km-wide “atmospheric river” hit
California, caused widespread damage (strong winds, mud slides, flooding). Jennifer Crumbley (45) mother of
school shooter Ethan (he killed 4, wounded 7 at Oxford High School,
Michigan), found guilty of 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter (“gross
negligence”). Ethan’s father James will face trial in March. American TV host Tucker Carlson
interviewed Pres Putin in Moscow. The FCC banned AI generated scam
robo calls. The Supreme Court of Alabama’s
decision that frozen embryos are children is expected to have a huge negative
impact on IVF treatment. American company Intuitive
Machines successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon, the first by a
commercial firm, but it tipped over on touchdown. Valuation of Silicon Valley
chip-maker Nvidia passed $2T (behind Microsoft, Apple, and Saudi Aramco).
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Australia |
Prime Minister Albanese (60) and
partner Jodie Haydon (45) announced their engagement. Australian citizen Dr Yang Heng jailed
in China in 2019 given death sentence for spying (but can be commuted). He
decided not to appeal. Construction giant St Hilliers in
receivership. Indigenous activist Dr Lowitja
O’Donoghue, died aged 91; she was “Australian of the Year” in 1984. Brumby rugby player Rob Valetini
won the John Eales Medal for Best Player. Govt’s industrial relations
changes were approved by Parliament; minimum standards for gig workers; right
to disconnect without prejudice. Report by former ACCC head Alan
Fels uncovered price gouging by big business (banks, supermarkets, airlines,
energy companies). The Aust Parliament voted 86-42 to
call for Julian Assange’s return home (his final appeal against extradition
from the UK to the US is imminent). American singer Taylor Swift
played to huge sell-out crowds in Melbourne and Sydney. 39 illegal immigrants from India,
Pakistan and Bangladesh were apprehended in the far north of Western
Australia and sent to detention camp on Nauru. Australian Navy (above water) to get $11B increased funding over ten years. The price of nickel has fallen sharply in the last year, putting in doubt the future of mines and BHP's nickel smelter in Kalgoorlie.
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE
My 30 year career as an Australian Trade Commissioner gave me an interest in matters related to international trade. I subscribe to Bloomberg's excellent daily newsletter "Supply Lines - tracking Covid-19's impact on trade" (former title 'Trade Matters').
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A bit of fun:
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| If only it were that simple.... |
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| Barnaby Joyce (National Party MP) was found in this state last week. |
