World
Australia might keep borders closed throughout 2021

It might be a while until tourists can visit Australia. Borders might not be fully reopen until at least 2022. Australia is rolling out its immunisation program next month, but even if most of the population is vaccinated against Covid-19, the Australian government says it will probably wait to make sure the vaccine prevents the transmission of the virus before fully reopening borders.
Australia’s borders are only open for citizens, residents, those with family in Australia and travellers who have been in New Zealand for the previous 14 days. All incoming travellers must quarantine for 14 days unless they come from an area classified as a “green safe travel zone.”
There are currently 1,881 active Covid-19 cases in Australia, according to Worldometers. No local Covid-19 cases were reported today. Since the start of the pandemic, Australia has reported more than 22,000 local cases and 909 deaths related to Covid-19.
The state of New South Wales is a main focus for Covid-19 prevention measures at this stage and some neighbouring states have imposed travel restrictions on those from the state. NSW state Premier Gladys Berejiklian floated the idea about allowing venues in the area to ban entry to those who aren’t vaccinated against Covid-19.
“Already airlines have indicated that if you’re not vaccinated you can’t travel overseas and I think that’ll be an incentive to a lot of people… We’ll also consider whether we allow venues … make up their own rules if they have a business or run a workplace about what they feel is Covid safe.”
SOURCE: Aljazeera
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World
Is this the next big change in pop music? The winners of the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award, BTS

2020 IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award. In the past 8 years the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award has been given to Ed Sheeran, Adele, One Direction, and Taylor Swift and Drake. BTS are backed up by ARMY, their huge fanbase.
The power of ARMY. The IFPI represents the recorded music industry worldwide. It’s not a Grammy or a popularity vote. The award is calculated according to an artist’s or group’s worldwide performance across digital and physical music formats during the past year. Everything from streams to vinyl, CDs and downloads…. and covers their entire body of work. The award was announced last week at the culmination of the IFPI Global Artist Chart, which counted down the top 10 best-selling artists of the past year.
And it’s certainly been a great year for music… not so much for going to live concerts but we’ve certainly had a lot more time to listen to our favourite artists and stream their clips on YouTube.
The group that won this year, based on their pure sales, actually came second in 2018 and 7th in 2019, so it isn’t some statistical blip on the music radar.
The win also represents somewhat of a quantum shift in world music… the sort of thing that only happens once in a generation. Rather than the popular cross-over style shift represented by the George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in 1924, the brith of rock with Bill Haley in 1955 or the rise of British pop in the 1960s, personified by The Beatles, this year’s IFPI signals another generational milestone in tastes, method, world reach and engagement with fans.
In all the right-hand turns of the popular music genre, there has usually been a technological breakthrough that has accompanied them, or at least been a key aspect of their success.
In the case of the the Great American Songbook, the foundations of the pop music genre, it was the recorded record and the start of radio-as-entertainment in the 1920s that provided a method to reach a huge audience with the new sounds and tunes for the first time.
Then it was the 7” single that made music cheaper and easier to play, that revolutionised the radio music formats of the 1960s and provided the perfect vehicle of the British pop revolution to spread around the world.
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Myanmar
38 people die “bloodiest day” since Myanmar coup – United Nations

38 people died during Myanmar’s anti-coup protests yesterday in what the United Nations is calling the “bloodiest day” in the country since the February 1 military takeover. UN special envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener said the death toll is “shocking” and that the situation in the Southeast Asian country could lead to a “real war.”
Since last month’s coup, more than 50 people have died while many others have been wounded in protests against military rule. Witnesses say police and soldiers have opened fire with little warning. In a virtual briefing, the UN envoy said experts believe the Burmese police are using 9mm sub-machine guns to fire shots at civilians.
“I saw today very disturbing video clips. One was police beating a volunteer medical crew. They were not armed… Another video clip showed a protester was taken away from police and they shot him from very near, maybe one metre. He didn’t resist his arrest and it seems he died on the street.”
Burmese troops seized power of the civilian government last month, citing what they say was a fraudulent election, although the election commission said the vote was fair. A number of civilian politicians were arrested including democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who had won the November election for state counsellor in a landslide.
Christine says more than 1,200 people are now under detention and many do not know where their loved ones are.
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World
Muay Thai added to European Games 2023

Thailand’s national sport Muay Thai has been added to the European Games 2023, set to be held in Poland. While Asia has been leading the sport for decades, many recent Muay Thai champions are from Europe, according to Sakchye Tapsuwan, president of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations, the governing body for the sport.
“Europe has grown in strength, evidenced at the last two World Championships, where the overall winners were teams from Europe.”
Held by the European Olympic Commission, the European Games is considered a staging post to the Olympics. Thousands of elite athletes from 50 participating nations have the opportunity to compete in one of the 15 sports. Now Muay Thai, an ancient martial art dating back 1,000 years with ties to centuries-old traditions, is included on the list.
The format of the European Games is in line with the Olympic Movement standards for gender equality. The categories are equal for men and women with 7 male and female divisions and 2 coed teams. Creating equal opportunities for men and women fighters is a “vision” both the federation and the European Olympic Committee share, according to director of the federation, Charissa Tynan.
“For IFMA, gender equality is not about ticking the box, it is about ensuring that women and men have the same opportunities to shine together on one stage as one family.”
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dispensed
Monday, January 18, 2021 at 12:17 pm
Imagine how they’ll react when they grow up and realize that people were dying BEFORE 2020.
9 million deaths from hunger
9 million deaths from air pollution
7 million deaths from tobacco
Fear of covid is a sign of low intelligence. These are people who need to be spoon fed their beliefs by the media.
Issan John
Monday, January 18, 2021 at 12:23 pm
In Australia?
I don’t think so … that would be the entire population 🙂 🙂 🙂
Maybe you need to look a little closer to home for a sign of low intelligence if that’s anything to go by 🙁
Jason
Monday, January 18, 2021 at 2:52 pm
Agreed John. I’m still here 🙂 I’m always bemused by these comments. I think they are usually made by 20 somethings who are the most likely to get infected with Covid (also the least likely to die from it) and the most likely to pass it on to their parents and grandparents (because of a cavalier and self centered attitude) who are far more likely to die from Covid.
Deaths from hunger, air pollution and smoking will always be with us….. sadly…so will murders, drink driving and any number of other causes of death.
If the these wise and intelligent persons want to be cavalier, then go somewhere far away from me. I value my life and those whom I love.
dispensed
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 10:19 am
“Deaths from hunger, air pollution and smoking will always be with us….. sadly…so will murders, drink driving and any number of other causes of death.”
Well that was about the least intelligent thing posted on the Lieger yet.
Do you think science will EVER discover a cure for hunger???
I propose scales outside restaurants. “I’m sorry sir, you’re too fat. You can’t come in. It’s for your own safety and the safety of others.”
Jason
Monday, January 18, 2021 at 3:43 pm
I am concerned about Worldometer’s accounting of Australia’s active cases. From memory, it was 1813 “active cases” and yet the reality (backed up by the sources it listed) was less than 300. I’m concerned other countries are led to believe that our situation is worse than it really is.
Issan John
Monday, January 18, 2021 at 3:45 pm
I mentioned this in passing to a local Thai friend who’s married to an Australian and who normally lives in Aus, but she came back here a month ago to see her father.
She had a similar view, that it’s only prevalent among a small minority in Aus and then only in a small demographic while an increasing majority have a lot more consideration for others.
Jack Sombra
Monday, January 18, 2021 at 4:42 pm
“There are currently 1,881 active Covid-19 cases in Australia, ”
If you are using that as a source hand in your journalist credentials. There are currently 203 active cases in Australia according to Australian department of Health, took all of 60 seconds to find that out
Issan John
Monday, January 18, 2021 at 8:58 pm
To be fair to The Thaiger, you’ve edited out “according to Worldometers” from your quote, which is a little bit disingenuous.
Ben
Monday, January 18, 2021 at 10:16 pm
Dispensed – I think you’re an idiot. Is that low enough on the intelligence totem pole?
If this virus was killing younger healthy people at a high rate similar to the Spanish flu of 1918-1920 I wouldn’t be hearing this crap come from you. You’re disgusting.
dispensed
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 10:24 am
Thanks for admitting that this virus doesn’t kill young healthy people. That’s sort of a hallmark of a weak virus.
Did you know that elderly people are at higher risk for… literally everything?
You’re carrying a sad legacy to the grave, kiddo. If I were elderly, I would vehemently protest people like you trashing my legacy by painting me as a selfish brat who wants to destroy the young for a few extra months of life.
Andre
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 3:05 am
Australia – the last climate denier. I wonder how it will go when no one want’s their cold anymore? Ohwww sorry I forgot, China have allready slammed a little “tax” on it.
I just remember a video about a pregnant mom getting arrested in her home in front of her kids for a facebook post about protesting against the restrictions in Australia. Australia..what’s wrong with the people “down under” – too hot “down there”?
Ronny
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 6:49 am
Well Andre most Australians are not climate change deniers and its the govt holding back not the people.
As for China and import taxes.
Thats because our govt is standing up to China and its plan to control of much of the world as possible.
Regarding covid 19 restrictions, its been harsh at times but we are basically free of covid 19 here and now live a normal life with limited restrictions.
The envy of the rest of the world. Suck it buddy.
Kim
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 12:00 pm
You have sold out all your mineral reserves to the china man already and suggest you look at your agricultural exports, so kindly clarify how that is standing up?
".....free of covid"
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 11:31 pm
thats a good one!
Although, I also like very much your “….normal life with limited restrictions”
Unless you are posting from inside high security prison during solitary confinement (sentenced for the crime of questioning climate change)
Carl Desmedt
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 9:04 am
I am Belgian…My thai spouse her daughter is living in Australia…She will have her first baby in March/April…Do you think we can go to visit her…Or maybe my wife alone ?
We live in Thailand…Have been already two years ago in Australia…
Thank you..Carl
The Thaiger
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 9:24 am
You’ll need to contact your local Australian Embassy
Ronny
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 9:46 am
I think it is unlikely Carl.
The Govt here is only letting Australian citizens return at the moment and they have to do 14 days quarrantine. We are not allowed out of the country for recreation at all. Its very stict, the price paid for not having much covid community transmission. At least its summer here now.
As the Thaiger says ask the Australian Embassy on compassionate grounds and see what they say.
Mr cynic
Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 12:35 am
Best you tell the Australian government you are a tennis player and your wife is your coach.you will then be able to visit Australia immediately and also leave the country with the minimum amount of red tape to deal with also.