TikTok Ceo resigns from US crackdown
Tensions between Washington and Beijing have caused Chinese-owned video platform TikTok CEO - Kevin Mayer - to resign. Amidst a recent crackdown from the US government over claims that the social media phenomenon can spy on Americans, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 6 demanding Americans stop interacting with the company within 45 days. Mayer’s resignation came in response to Trump’s decision which flips his role into jeopardy and cuts the flourishing American business off.
Thailand to turn prisons into tourist attractions
In international news Thailand has announced plans to turn it’s prisons into tourist attractions as a method of economic recovery from the coronavirus outbreak. The South-East Asian nation will pilot the tourist scheme in 5 prisons and hopes an influx of tourists will prepare inmates for a normal view of society in preparation of their release. However, human rights advocates voice their concerns as to whether Thailand’s prison overcrowding is acceptable to present to the public if it is not addressing wider health concerns.
Ipswich Councillor faces criticism for sexist meme
In local news Ipswich councillor, Paul Tully, faces criticism for posting a sexist meme on his personal Facebook page. The meme has spiked public concern of Councillor Tully’s lack of respect for women and reinforcement of negative gender stereotypes. Councillor Tully has been contacted via Ipswich City Council for comment as it is clear stereotypical comments are unacceptable on behalf of political leaders.
Adani intimidation and harassment claims
Adani and their rail network, Carmichael, have applied for a search order against activist Benjamin Pennings earlier this year. Having provided inadequate justification to proceed with the search, the court ruled Adani’s claims of intimidation and harassment rejected, leaving political activists the ‘Galilee Blockade’ left unintimidated. Pennings stated that he and his team will not be intimidated by “Adani’s attack dog strategy” and their ongoing attempts to persecute him.
NSW almond farm sells for $98m
In national news… A New South Wales almond orchard farm sells for $98 million to a North American investment group. With 9 kilometres of water entitlements tied in the contract, it is confirmed this is what spiked the price. Investors and listing agents are unable to comment at present time in regards to the sale.
Mental health awareness prevents spike in suicides
Content warning: the following article makes reference to mental health and suicide.
The Coroner’s Court of Victoria have released new statistics indicating that the current culture of promoting mental health awareness has prevented a spike in suicides throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington: Batflowers
<p><span><span><em>- </em>You would be hard pressed to find someone who is more “all over it” than Brisbane’s Megan Washington. Given her trajectory across the last decade has gone through jazz, blues, roots and indie-pop, her fourth album <em>Batflowers</em> shouldn’t display any missteps or unsure direction; and it doesn’t. Along with that, Washington has pulled the whole album’s look together herself, right down to the art direction, photography, hand-assembled animation, even the A&R.
Private Function: Whose Line Is It Anyway?
<p><span><span>- I will happily die on the metaphorical hill of proclaiming -in a <strong>Louis Farrakan </strong>kind of fashion- that Private Function<strong> </strong>are the single best punk band in the country, if not the world, at the time of this review. Their reign of terror cracked open with two bombastic, barn-burning tapes, a little prelude nestled away in those as to what their debut album would be called…and then came through with an album title homage to the Rad Metal Dads and Their Music Piracy Sads.
Scattered Order: Everything Happened In The Beginning
<p><span><span>- After over forty years in the business of making electronic-punk-noise, Scattered Order is</span></span><span><span> a group still overflowing with new ideas. All that was contained in the primordial soup of their early discography has evolved with endless intricacy through ages and albums, but it all feels contemporaneously summarised on their new record, <em>Everything Happened In The Beginning</em>.
Bright Eyes: Down In The Weeds, Where The World Once Was
<p><span><span>- Historically, Bright Eyes have eschewed pigeonholing by continually releasing drastically disparate albums. Over their critically-acclaimed career, they’ve made orchestral, electronic, rock, and folk albums, but despite their inability to stick to a genre, they have always managed to make an album that is, somehow, quintessentially Bright Eyes. While the sobriquet Bright Eyes was formerly synonymous with <strong>Conner Oberst</strong> himself, they are in fact a band of three key elements.