The Smashing Pumpkins: Shiny & Oh So Bright, Vol 1. / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.

- It's probably going to be useful for this review to define what sort of Smashing Pumpkins fan I am. I'm the sort of fan who, nearly two decades after the end of the initial iteration of the band ceased, will still get the urge every year or so to listen to all of their albums over the span of a week or two. The sort of fan who enjoyed virtually everything they released in that initial run, even the 28 B-sides from the already overblown Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness double album.

Olga Solar: Antilullaby

- I’ve always thought there’s a lot to be said for a solid grounding in all the fundamentals of music if you want to go ahead and try to rock. Olga Solar clearly got that message, better than most. Her training at the Sydney Con and subsequent experience in penning musicals -amongst, apparently, many other things- her most recent being The Detective’s Handbook,  has allowed her to crouch and spring, fully-formed and with incredible confidence out of the orchestra pit and on to the proscenium, guitar in hand.

Denmark withholds aid to Tanzania following homophobic comments

Denmark is withholding US$9.8 million in aid to Tanzania after "unacceptable homophobic comments" from a senior politician.

Last month, the Commissioner for Dar es Salaam, Paul Makonda, urged the public to report suspected gay men to the police.

Denmark Development Minister Ulla Tornaes, said she was "very concerned" by the comments.

 

Garima Arora becomes the first Indian woman to win Michelin star

Chef Garima Arora, has become the first Indian woman to win a Michelin star for her restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand. 

After leaving her job as a pharmaceutical journalist to pursue her dream of being a chef, Arora has worked with celebrated names such as René Redzepi and Gordon Ramsay.

Her restaurants offer an eclectic mix of Punjabi and international cuisines. 

Federal Government plans to force India to end subsidies for its sugar exporters

The Federal Government will move on with plans to force India to end subsidies for its sugar exporters.

The Commonwealth has lodged a counter notification with the World Trade Organisation whereby a member details subsidies of a foreign nation, outlining the extent of government interventions.

The move represents the first step in the process of seeking to overturn a fellow WTO member's subsidy policy.

 

Labor vows to provide free female sanitary products in school toilets

The Victorian Government has pledged to provide free tampons and pads in Victorian state schools if it wins the next election. 

Health Minister Jill Hennessy, said this is about giving female students the dignity they deserve, whilst also helping families with the financial cost. 

Ms Henessy also compared pads and tampons to hand soap and toilet paper as basic bathroom necessities. 

Refugees Welcome in Noosa

Two Councillors and the Mayor have led conversation to pass a resolution that will declare Noosa Shire a refugee welcome zone. 

The purpose of the refugee welcome zone is to make a public declaration and commitment to welcoming refugees into the community, upholding the human rights of refugees and demonstrating that Noosa Shire is an inclusive and tolerant community. 

Pool Upgrade at Aramac Aquatic Centre

The Palaszczuk Government has pledged $1.9 to upgrade the Aramac Aquatic Centre.

State Minister Cameron Dick, says that the pool is a key piece of community infrastructure in the region where temperatures soar to over 35 degrees.

The upgrade features a six-lane, 25-metre pool, a 10-metre kids splash pad, and associated treatment plants.