Kameel Majdali's Road Ahead

Novak Djokovic, the world’s number one tennis player according to the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), winner of twenty grand slams of which nine were in Australia alone, and on track to be the world’s greatest male tennis champion of all time, returned to his native Serbia. He will not be playing in the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne, as planned. His visa was cancelled and his appeal to the Australian High Court failed. He was immediately deported afterwards and barred from returning to Australia for three years. The reason? Various violations of Australia’s coronavirus restrictions, including his vaccination status. His short-term future and ability to play in other upcoming tournaments in France and America are uncertain, and for the same reasons. The champion’s visa drama commanded world attention. Netflix has announced that a documentary will be forthcoming on this story. Covid-19 is a real public health threat and has already done much harm to global health and the e...

It happened in America. It happened in Sri Lanka. It happened in Israel and the United Kingdom … twice. Now it has happened in Australia. What is the ‘it?’ The ‘it’ is called ‘an upset’ or ‘shock’ election result. All this … and more … within the last four years. Even if you are not Australian or understand Australian politics, there is a lesson for everyone, including in the British, Americans, and the rest of the world. Election 2019 in Australia may be a foretaste of greater shock elections to come. Let’s learn why? Australians went to the polls for the May 18, 2019 federal election. The governing party, the Liberal-National Coalition (from henceforth called ‘Coalition’), which, despite the name, is meant to be the conservative party, was trailing in every poll for the last two years, often by double-digits. The left-of-centre opposition Labor Party was tipped to win the election and form   government. Not only did the regular opinion polls support them but also th...

‘A week is a long time in politics,’ the saying goes. Within less than a week, two internal Federal Liberal Party (equivalent to the American Republican Party and the British Tories) meetings saw the toppling of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. On the same day, 24 August 2018, Australia received a brand-new PM: Scott John Morrison, known by the nickname ScoMo. Since 2010, there have been 6 prime ministers in 8 years. While the internal blood-letting of changing PM’s in the middle of a government term began with the Australian Labor Party (ALP), Malcolm Turnbull challenged Tony Abbott in September 2015 for the Liberal Party Leadership. Now, Malcolm Turnbull has been replaced by Mr. Morrison. Mr. Morrison did not directly challenge Turnbull nor demand a change of leadership. Indeed, he pledged his support to the Prime Minister.Once the second vote came about and Turnbull declined to run again, Morrison put up his hand, and prevailed. Photo courtesy of Creati...