How multicultural is your suburb? – By Charis Chang, Ken Macleod Source : sbs Australia is becoming even more multicultural. Search for where your neighbours were born, what language they speak and what religion they follow. In today’s Australia, about 28 per cent of people were born overseas and almost half have a parent who was born overseas – but in some places, that percentage is much higher. The  2021 Census results , released this year, revealed more than one million new migrants have been welcomed into Australia since 2017, and around 220,000 came from India – the largest increase in country of birth outside of Australia. India has now overtaken China and New Zealand to become the third largest country of birth behind Australia and England. Search the map below to see the top countries of birth in your suburb (not including Australia) and read on to explore two more ...

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South Indian band from NZ ready with its album – By Prakash Swaminathan Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com The Moksha Base band, based in New Zealand, released their new Tamil single En Uyirae recently. Musicians Shankar Narayanan and Sivakumar Sangameshwaran, who migrated to New Zealand from south India, started off as individual performers back in 2010 and formed a band in 2012. They have performed at Tamil Community events in Auckland and in over 100 shows, which include their own live concerts, music festivals, community gatherings and more. En Uyirai is composed by Shankar Narayanan and guitarist Prasanna Kumar. Lyrics written by Dinesh Kumar and Aswathy Sasidharan take the center stage with a melodious lullaby-like tune. “We’ve had the opportunity to get Keba Jeremiah involved by contributing classical guitar and bass in this track. We feel we’ve finally hit the sweet spot with this track and are happy to share this with all ...

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Significance of Antarctica to Australia – By Arundathie Abeysinghe   There are some regions in the world where there has never been a war and the environment fully protected, instead has priority for scientific research. Antarctica is one of the most remote locations on Earth, the southernmost and fifth largest continent, twice the size of Australia Antarctica is the only continent without a permanent native population and there are no countries in Antarctica, although seven nations claim different parts of it: Australia, France, Norway, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina. The only permanent human settlements are scientists and support staff approximately 1000 people who live for many months of the year on a rotating basis. Yet, during summer, there approximately 5000 people (excluding hundreds of tourists who briefly visit in tourist ships). The British Antarctic Survey maintains eight research stations and operates several field camps during summer, every ...

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Furano – for lavender and melons – GEORGE BRAINE Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, Japan’s northern island, is a flat, sprawling city, surrounded by low hills. The downtown area, with classy department stores, high end dining, and tree lined boulevards, is lovely. But the outskirts are not attractive: mile after mile of car dealerships, used car lots, and pachinko (gambling) parlors. Beyond the city, Hokkaido’s countryside is breathtaking. Forests, rolling hills, farms, salmon streams, fast flowing rivers, crystal clear lakes. The forests are rich in bear, deer, foxes, and smaller creatures. The beaches are clean, and although too cold for bathing most of the year, are deserted and ideal for beach combing. The surrounding seas supply plentiful fish and crustaceans, which the Japanese love to eat raw, steamed or grilled. We were hunkered down in Sapporo for months, first by winter and then by Covid-19, and were impatient to travel. ...

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At Lords: Man of the Match to a Cricket Ball … Good Lord!@!@! – By Dr Michael Roberts Source:thuppahis.com My Man of the Match over the years has often been a Man.  Sometimes a bowler, batsman or fielder.  Also perhaps an umpire or even a third umpire.  Possible even a selector, coach or psychologist. This time,  after yesterday’s Lord’s Test match, my Man of the Match ….. aka MOM ….. was the ball. Short and sweet, clear and simple , it was the actual BALL !  You will remember that at the end over 55 Captain Kane and Southey showed umpire Rod Tucker the ball, claiming that it had gone out of shape. Sure enough it was stuck in the gauge and New Zealand were able to choose a replacement ball. They smiled happily but did not realise that it would be the BATSMEN who would soon be smiling. At ...

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Alumex Awarded as an Integrated Reporting Leader in Asia Sri Lanka’s largest aluminium extrusion manufacturer Alumex PLC was recently recognized for its strong commitment towards transparency and governance at the Asia Integrated Reporting Awards. Alumex was honoured with a Bronze award in the Integrated Report (SME) category for clearly and concisely communicating its value creation to stakeholders via integrated reporting. Value creation is at the heart of integrated reporting, which helps companies to embed long-term sustainability into their business model. Integrated reporting goes beyond the conventional approach to communicating value creation and encompasses other forms of value created within the organization through the change or transformation of its capital. Alumex, for example, engages in value creation beyond the purely financial, encompassing both social and natural capital. Thus, the purpose of an integrated report is to provide the kind of information that enables the reader to more accurately assess the organization’s ...

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Australia pulls off breathtaking win over Pakistan to reach final – by Sunil Thenabadu (Sports editor – eLanka)    Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade combined together with an unbeaten 81 run partnership for the sixth wicket when defeat was staring at them to direct Australia to a fantastic five-wicket win to play New Zealand on Sunday who also won in spectacular fashion in an identical impossible run chase in pursuit against favourites England..In both games played to almost full houses the supporters of favourites England more particularly Pakistan were  made speechless and dumfounded..  Both Stoinis and Wade played some well-calculated shots and took the game deep to launch an assault late in the run-chase against Pakistan pacers. Wade finished the game with three back-to-back sixes off Shaheen Shah Afridi two of them the last two balls of the penultimate over scooping over deep fine leg  to finish the game with an ...

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Spectacular run pursuit directs Kiwis into their first T-20 World Cup final on Sunday – by Sunil Thenabadu (Sports editor – eLanka)  Match Highlights: England v New Zealand A dazzling run chase in Abu Dhabi  in pursuit of a formidable and not easy to defend England total of 166 for the loss of only four wickets last night saw New Zealand stealing a triumph from the jaws of a definite defeat. It was thanks to some terrific big hitting by Darryl Mitchell who never contemplated to open open the innings and James Neesham who was pondering retiring in year 2017. Chasing a rigid total target of 167 to win, New Zealand were reduced to 13 for two losing dependable Guptil and skipper Williamson for just 13 runs.Williamson looked very dejected as his reverse sweep paid a rich price were then in a losing precarious position. when a solid third ...

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Sri Lanka and West Indies need to play in qualifying round at ICC T 20 WC 2022 in Australia – by Sunil Thenabadu (Sports editor – eLanka)   The Eighth edition of the ICC T20 WC  2022will be held in Australia but surprisingly both West Indies and Sri Lanka will both have to play an supplementary qualifying round in order to be included  to  the super 12’s  Many will ponder when reaching the news that Sri Lanka and West Indies having won two and one match in the ongoing Super 12 ICC T20 tournament have to play in qualifying matches as in this edition to be in the Super 12’s.This is as in ICC world T 20 rankings both Sri Lanka and West Indies are having low ICC T 20 rankings. Bangladesh and Afghanistan however are assured of direct entry.  Cricket fanatics would contemplate why another ICC T20 WC is held ...

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Why not being able to travel stings me so much By Wendy Squires Travel is my reason for living. All I have ever wanted is to do, from the moment I could stand upright, is to explore this world.CREDIT:ISTOCK Source:-smh.com.au Normally I would laugh, but lately I just can’t. I’m talking about the memes my friends are sending me, knowing that I am clawing at the walls in desperation to get out of the suffocating confines of my house. You have probably been sent the same. There’s the mock subway map with destinations changed to bed, toilet, fridge and letterbox. Or the fantasy holiday list: February 2020 – Europe. February 2021 – New Zealand. April 2021 – Tasmania. August 2021 – the Aldi six kilometres from home. Those who know me really well are even meaner. Take, for instance, the video I received of a suitcase on a treadmill with ...

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