Daily Archives: December 25, 2021

The Australian Electoral Commission has launched legal action against Liberal MP Andrew Laming for allegedly failing to disclose his political links on a Facebook page which appeared to be operating under the guise of a grassroots community group.

The federal court proceedings come after Guardian Australia revealed in April that the Queensland MP was operating 35 Facebook groups with at least one for each suburb in his electorate.

The AEC is launching action based on just one of the 35 sites, which was called Redland Hospital: Lets fight for fair funding, set up by Laming ahead of the last federal election to campaign against Labor.

It is the first time the AECs authorisation requirements for social media will be tested in court after disclosure laws were updated following the 2016 election to explicitly include social media posts.

According to the AEC website, the penalty for a breach by an individual can be a fine of up to $26,640.

In a statement, the AEC said it had instituted federal court proceedings against Laming alleging he failed to authorise Facebook posts leading up to the 2019 Federal Election.

The AEC alleges that Dr Laming published unauthorised electoral matter in the form of a Facebook page, Redland Hospital: Lets fight for fair funding and that this contravened the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 requirement that material promoting one candidate or political party over another comply with the authorisation requirements of the Act.

The AEC will not be making any further comment as this matter is now before the Court.

According to the Australian Electoral Commission, political authorisation is required for information that is a matter communicated, or intended to be communicated, for the dominant purpose of influencing the way electors vote in a federal election.

This includes, but is not limited to, a communication that expressly promotes or opposes a candidate, political party, member or senator.

Laming, who holds the bayside seat of Bowman, will not contest the next election after a series of controversies earlier in the year led to him losing preselection in April.

In October, Laming withdrew his apology to two Brisbane women over online comments that he previously acknowledged caused significant distress saying he did not believe the women were genuinely upset.

He was ordered by the prime minister, Scott Morrison, into empathy training in March before returning from personal leave, blaming a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for his behaviour.

Despite some MPs within the Coalition wanting stronger action taken against Laming for the complaints made about his behaviour and the Facebook pages, Morrison has defended the outgoing MP.

In May, Morrison said that Laming had formed a view since [March] that the issues that were the subject of complaints made against him have now altered and there have been new facts that have come forward.

Morrison highlighted the many good things Laming had done as a member of the government, saying he [expects] him to keep working hard for his electorate all the way to the next election.

Laming said in a statement: I respect the AEC decision and I will assist them to resolve the matter by conciliation.

Laming claimed that he was being investigated for five posts which amount to just 2% of the page posts, with an average reach of six people.

The entire page is less than 1% of the reach of my AEC-authorised pages, he said.

The statement said he had consistently acknowledged he has multiple community Facebook pages in order to better tailor information relevant to those communities.

These community pages were in full operation when requirements were tightened for social media authorisation. My office was confident at the time that we were complying by avoiding federal electoral matter.

Where there was perceived doubt at the time, individual posts on this page were correctly authorised. I do not dispute the AEC view that the page did in-effect promote me and was critical of another political party, and for those reasons, page authorisation should have occurred and for that I apologise.

Link:

Liberal MP Andrew Laming to be taken to court by electoral commission over Facebook page - The Guardian Australia

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what's on the radar of our editors for the morning of Dec. 23 ... What we are watching in Canada ...

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what's on the radar of our editors for the morning of Dec. 23 ...

What we are watching in Canada ...

Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced Wednesday evening that his province had recorded about 9,000 new COVID-19 cases during the day, and he said the "exponential" rise in infections over the past week will necessitate new restrictions.

As of Boxing Day, he said, private gatherings in the province will be limited to six people or two-family bubbles. Restaurants, which are already operating at half capacity and have to close at 10 p.m., will also have to limit groups at tables to six people or two families.

Quebec has already requested military help to accelerate the province's mass vaccination campaign.

Meantime, Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, says Omicron is now the dominant variant in several provinces.

"There were over 11,300 new cases yesterday alone," Tam said Wednesday. That was up from an average of just 5,000 cases per day last week. She added, "modelling shows that by the beginning of January we could have very high number of cases, which underscores the need to act urgently now to reduce the acceleration."

To avoid a sudden rush on the health-care system, Tam urged all Canadians to do what they can to lessen the spread of the virus.---

Also this ...

A Liberal MP has found himself in hot water after defying advice not to travel out of the country unless the trip is essential.

Chief government whip Steven MacKinnon issued a statement Wednesday saying he is "profoundly disappointed" that Liberal MP Yves Robillard travelled outside Canada, in contravention of party instructions. Robillard has been censured.

The whip says Liberal MPs were told to avoid non-essential international travel as the COVID-19 Omicron variant increases its grip -- mirroring the government advice to members of the public.

MacKinnon said although Robillard is fully vaccinated, the MP's trip during Parliament's holiday break was not considered essential, and he will be removed from his duties as a member of the standing committee on national defence as a result.

MacKinnon, who did not mention Robillard's destination or reasons for travel, intends to talk to the MP about his decision to leave Canada when Parliament returns. Robillard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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What we are watching in the U.S. ...

WASHINGTON President Joe Bidens message to the American people on confronting the Omicron coronavirus variant comes with a heavy dose of cajoling as some other countries are issuing decrees to their citizens.

America's ideologically-polarized reaction to vaccines and masks, and its federal system in which states have broad authority over health matters, limits some of the options Biden can exercise at least without stoking political flareups that could distract from his urgent public health message.

Jen Kates, director of global health for the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation, says one of the major lessons the U.S. has learned from the pandemic is that politics matters.

We are a big country, we are a complex country, and on every issue, partisans are divided, she said. That, coupled with local control, and we end up with a disjointed response.

France has banned public concerts and fireworks displays at New Years celebrations while calling on people to avoid large gatherings and limit the number of family members coming together for Christmas. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and state governors agreed on restrictions to take effect before the new year, including limiting private gatherings to 10 people, closing nightclubs and holding large events like soccer matches without in-person audiences.

In the U.S., Biden has not issued fresh travel warnings nor urged the cancellation of public events.

On Tuesday, the president seemed to be taking pains to try to connect with viewers on TV. He avoided a catchphrase that he and other members of his administration have often used pandemic of the unvaccinated and instead tried to appeal to vaccine refusers as fellow Americans.

I, honest to God, believe its your patriotic duty, Biden said, urging the unvaccinated to get their shots.

He even invoked his Republican predecessor. Just the other day, former president (Donald) Trump announced he had gotten his booster shot, Biden said. It may be one of the few things he and I agree on.

---

What we are watching in the rest of the world ...

BEIJING China has ordered the lockdown of as many as 13 million people in neighbourhoods and workplaces in the northern city of Xian following a spike in COVID-19 cases, setting off panic buying just weeks before the country hosts the Winter Olympics.

State media say city officials ordered all residents to stay home unless they have a pressing reason to go out and suspended all transport to and from the city apart from special cases. One person from each household will be permitted out every two days to buy household necessities.

Xian on Wednesday reported 52 new locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus over the previous 24 hours.

China has adopted strict pandemic control measures under its zero-transmission program, leading to frequent lockdowns, universal masking and mass testing.

Those measures have been stepped up in recent days ahead of the start of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games on Feb. 4.

The Xi'an restrictions are some of the harshest since China in 2020 imposed a strict lockdown on more than 11 million people in and around the central city of Wuhan after COVID-19 was first detected there in late 2019.

Social media posts recorded panic buying of groceries and household products, with the government saying new supplies would be brought in on Thursday.

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On this day in 1983 ...

Jeanne Sauv was appointed Canada's first female governor general. The former broadcaster and federal cabinet minister had also been the first woman Speaker of the House of Commons.

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In entertainment ...

MINNEAPOLIS Court officials are edging closer to dividing up pop superstar Princes estate.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Wednesday that November tax filings show the Internal Revenue Service and Comerica Bank & Trust, the estate administrator, have reached an agreement in November on the total value of Princes assets.

The specific number hasnt been disclosed but it could be more than $100 million. The IRS last year determined Prince's assets were worth $163.2 million. Comerica put the number at $82.3 million. IRS officials felt Comerica's total was so low they imposed a $6.4 million accuracy penalty on the estate.

The Carver County probate court still must approve the agreement. The court is set to begin discussions in February on how to divide up the assets.

The estate likely will be divided between New York music company Primary Wave and Prince's three oldest heirs or their families. Primary Wave bought out all or most of the interests of Prince's three youngest siblings.

Prince died of a fentanyl overdose at his Paisley Park home in Carver County in April 2016. He didn't have a will.

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ICYMI ...

A University of Calgary paleontologist says she has seen well-preserved dinosaur egg fossils before, but nothing like this.

The fossil, the subject of a new paper published Wednesday, is so detailed it's revealing even more about the deep relationships between dinosaurs and birds, their modern-day descendants.

Darla Zelenitsky says the find is of a 65-million-year-old type of theropod dinosaur called an oviraptorid, a species already on an avian evolutionary path.

First discovered in China about 20 years ago, the specimen is so completely preserved it reveals the posture of the soon-to-be theropod inside its shell. With its back curled up against the broad end of the shell and its head tucked in between its arms and legs, it looks much like an unhatched chicken.

Zelenitsky says "The skeleton is curled up in a birdlike embryonic pose." She adds "birds were thought to have a unique posture within the egg before hatching. It's evident from this fossil that some of these postures seem to have first evolved in their dinosaur ancestors."

It's the first time scientists have been able to see how dinosaur embryos were positioned inside their eggs. Previous egg fossils have been too fragmented. Zelenitsky says "this reinforces the link between those theropod dinosaurs and birds." That link is growing stronger as more evidence comes in.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2021

The Canadian Press

Read the original here:

Quebec's COVID Count Rises and a Liberal MP gets Censured: In The News for Dec. 23 - Coast Reporter

Five years ago, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2334 on Israel and Palestine. The resolution was passed and is binding under international law. It stresses that the status quo is not sustainable and that significant steps are urgently needed in order to stabilize the situation and to reverse negative trends on the ground, which are steadily eroding the two-State solution.

Among other things, the resolution called on States to distinguish between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967. It called on Israel to immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory--including East Jerusalem --and for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians.

New Democrats mark the fifth anniversary of this resolution by urging the Government of Canada to uphold UNSCR 2334 and to call on the Government of Israel to halt all settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. New Democrats also urge Canada to end all trade and economic cooperation with illegal settlements in Israel-Palestine.

Recent comments by Canadas new Foreign Affairs Minister regarding Palestinians are troubling. Equally concerning is her silence regarding Israels designation of six Palestinian human rights organizations as terrorists - an unjustified attack on civil society that will have severe consequences for the children and families who receive critical services from these organizations. We call on Minister Joly to explain how Canada intends to make tangible contributions toward peace and security in Israel and Palestine - rather than supporting the status quo.

The Canadian government should do its part to create the conditions for peaceful co-existence in viable, independent states with agreed-upon borders. By failing to call out Israel for breaching international law and violating the human rights of the Palestinian people, Canada is contributing to the problem.

On the fifth anniversary of UNSCR 2334, we call on the Liberal government do its part for peace and to stand up for international law and human rights.

Original post:

NDP call on the Liberal government to uphold commitments on human rights - ndp.ca

In her Christmas Day address the Queen movingly spoke about her late husband as she empathised with families missing loved ones. But she also gave hope for the future. Here is the Queen's message, which she penned herself, in full: "Although it's a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones. "This year, especially, I understand why. "But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work - from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world. "His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation - were all irrepressible. "That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him. "But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings - and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas. "We felt his presence as we, like millions around the world, readied ourselves for Christmas. "While Covid again means we can't celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions. "Be it the singing of carols - as long as the tune is well known - decorating the tree, giving and receiving presents, or watching a favourite film where we already know the ending, it's no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines. "We see our own children and their families embrace the roles, traditions and values that mean so much to us, as these are passed from one generation to the next, sometimes being updated for changing times. "I see it in my own family and it is a source of great happiness. "Prince Philip was always mindful of this sense of passing the baton. "That's why he created The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which offers young people throughout the Commonwealth and beyond the chance of exploration and adventure. "It remains an astonishing success, grounded in his faith in the future. "He was also an early champion of taking seriously our stewardship of the environment, and I am proud beyond words that his pioneering work has been taken on and magnified by our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William - admirably supported by Camilla and Catherine - most recently at the COP climate change summit in Glasgow. "Next summer, we look forward to the Commonwealth Games. "The baton is currently travelling the length and breadth of the Commonwealth, heading towards Birmingham, a beacon of hope on its journey. "It will be a chance to celebrate the achievements of athletes and the coming-together of like-minded nations. "And February, just six weeks from now, will see the start of my Platinum Jubilee year, which I hope will be an opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness, a chance to give thanks for the enormous changes of the last 70 years - social, scientific and cultural - and also to look ahead with confidence. "I am sure someone somewhere today will remark that Christmas is a time for children. "It's an engaging truth, but only half the story. "Perhaps it's truer to say that Christmas can speak to the child within us all. "Adults, when weighed down with worries, sometimes fail to see the joy in simple things, where children do not. "And for me and my family, even with one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas, as we have the chance to reminisce, and see anew the wonder of the festive season through the eyes of our young children, of whom we were delighted to welcome four more this year. "They teach us all a lesson - just as the Christmas story does - that in the birth of a child, there is a new dawn with endless potential. "It is this simplicity of the Christmas story that makes it so universally appealing, simple happenings that formed the starting point of the life of Jesus - a man whose teachings have been handed down from generation to generation, and have been the bedrock of my faith. "His birth marked a new beginning. "As the carol says: 'The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.' "I wish you all a very happy Christmas." Australian Associated Press

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December 26 2021 - 2:10AM

In her Christmas Day address the Queen movingly spoke about her late husband as she empathised with families missing loved ones.

But she also gave hope for the future.

Here is the Queen's message, which she penned herself, in full:

"Although it's a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones.

"This year, especially, I understand why.

"But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work - from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world.

"His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation - were all irrepressible.

"That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.

"But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings - and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.

"We felt his presence as we, like millions around the world, readied ourselves for Christmas.

"While Covid again means we can't celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions.

"Be it the singing of carols - as long as the tune is well known - decorating the tree, giving and receiving presents, or watching a favourite film where we already know the ending, it's no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines.

"We see our own children and their families embrace the roles, traditions and values that mean so much to us, as these are passed from one generation to the next, sometimes being updated for changing times.

"I see it in my own family and it is a source of great happiness.

"Prince Philip was always mindful of this sense of passing the baton.

"That's why he created The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which offers young people throughout the Commonwealth and beyond the chance of exploration and adventure.

"It remains an astonishing success, grounded in his faith in the future.

"He was also an early champion of taking seriously our stewardship of the environment, and I am proud beyond words that his pioneering work has been taken on and magnified by our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William - admirably supported by Camilla and Catherine - most recently at the COP climate change summit in Glasgow.

"Next summer, we look forward to the Commonwealth Games.

"The baton is currently travelling the length and breadth of the Commonwealth, heading towards Birmingham, a beacon of hope on its journey.

"It will be a chance to celebrate the achievements of athletes and the coming-together of like-minded nations.

"And February, just six weeks from now, will see the start of my Platinum Jubilee year, which I hope will be an opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness, a chance to give thanks for the enormous changes of the last 70 years - social, scientific and cultural - and also to look ahead with confidence.

"I am sure someone somewhere today will remark that Christmas is a time for children.

"It's an engaging truth, but only half the story.

"Perhaps it's truer to say that Christmas can speak to the child within us all.

"Adults, when weighed down with worries, sometimes fail to see the joy in simple things, where children do not.

"And for me and my family, even with one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas, as we have the chance to reminisce, and see anew the wonder of the festive season through the eyes of our young children, of whom we were delighted to welcome four more this year.

"They teach us all a lesson - just as the Christmas story does - that in the birth of a child, there is a new dawn with endless potential.

"It is this simplicity of the Christmas story that makes it so universally appealing, simple happenings that formed the starting point of the life of Jesus - a man whose teachings have been handed down from generation to generation, and have been the bedrock of my faith.

"His birth marked a new beginning.

"As the carol says: 'The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.'

"I wish you all a very happy Christmas."

Australian Associated Press

Originally posted here:

The full text of the Queen's Xmas message - Daily Liberal

US airlines have cancelled more than 900 Christmas flights, the second straight day of massive disruption as surging COVID-19 infections sideline flight crew. The widespread cancellations on Saturday have upended plans for tens of thousands of holiday travellers over the holiday weekend. A total of 913 Christmas Day flights, domestic and international, were cancelled, up from 690 on Christmas Eve, according to a running tally on flight-tracking website FlightAware.com. More than 1100 flights were delayed. The Christmas holidays are typically a peak time for air travel, but the rapid spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 has led to a sharp increase in infections, forcing airlines to cancel flights as pilots and crew need to quarantine. United Airlines cancelled 230 flights, a company official said. "The nationwide spike in Omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation," spokeswoman Maddie King said. "We are working hard to rebook as many people as possible and get them on their way for the holidays." FlightAware data showed Delta Air Lines scrubbed 301 flights as of 6am AEDT, while American Airlines said they had to call off 90 mainland flights. Globally, more than 2590 flights were called off on Saturday, with 5438 others delayed. Among the most impacted US airports were Atlanta's Hartford-Jackson International, New Jersey's Newark Liberty International, Los Angeles International and New York's JFK International. The Omicron variant was first detected in November and now accounts for nearly three-quarters of US cases, and as many as 90 per cent in some areas, such as the eastern seaboard. The average number of new US coronavirus cases has risen 45 per cent to 179,000 a day over the past week. While recent research suggests Omicron produces milder illness and a lower rate of hospitalisation than previous variants of COVID-19, health officials have maintained a cautious note about the outlook. Ahead of the Christmas holiday, Americans scrambled for COVID-19 tests and many went ahead with their travel plans. US officials have said people who are fully vaccinated should feel comfortable proceeding with holiday travel. Australian Associated Press

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December 26 2021 - 6:38AM

US airlines have cancelled more than 900 Christmas flights, the second straight day of massive disruption as surging COVID-19 infections sideline flight crew.

The widespread cancellations on Saturday have upended plans for tens of thousands of holiday travellers over the holiday weekend.

A total of 913 Christmas Day flights, domestic and international, were cancelled, up from 690 on Christmas Eve, according to a running tally on flight-tracking website FlightAware.com.

More than 1100 flights were delayed.

The Christmas holidays are typically a peak time for air travel, but the rapid spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 has led to a sharp increase in infections, forcing airlines to cancel flights as pilots and crew need to quarantine.

United Airlines cancelled 230 flights, a company official said.

"The nationwide spike in Omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation," spokeswoman Maddie King said.

"We are working hard to rebook as many people as possible and get them on their way for the holidays."

FlightAware data showed Delta Air Lines scrubbed 301 flights as of 6am AEDT, while American Airlines said they had to call off 90 mainland flights.

Globally, more than 2590 flights were called off on Saturday, with 5438 others delayed.

Among the most impacted US airports were Atlanta's Hartford-Jackson International, New Jersey's Newark Liberty International, Los Angeles International and New York's JFK International.

The Omicron variant was first detected in November and now accounts for nearly three-quarters of US cases, and as many as 90 per cent in some areas, such as the eastern seaboard.

The average number of new US coronavirus cases has risen 45 per cent to 179,000 a day over the past week.

While recent research suggests Omicron produces milder illness and a lower rate of hospitalisation than previous variants of COVID-19, health officials have maintained a cautious note about the outlook.

Ahead of the Christmas holiday, Americans scrambled for COVID-19 tests and many went ahead with their travel plans.

US officials have said people who are fully vaccinated should feel comfortable proceeding with holiday travel.

Australian Associated Press

Continue reading here:

Omicron grounds hundreds of US flights - Daily Liberal

Canadian tennis star Denis Shapovalov has announced he has tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Sydney. The 22-year-old is one of the first overseas players to arrive in Australia and is part of Canada's team for the ATP Cup in Sydney from January 1-9, ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne starting on January 17. Former world No.10 Shapovalov played last week at the World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, where he beat 20-times major winner Rafa Nadal in the third-place playoff match. Nadal, Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and Tunisian Ons Jabeur all tested positive for the virus after playing the tournament. Shapovalov said he is experiencing minor symptoms. "Hi everyone, just wanted to update you that upon my arrival in Sydney, I tested positive for COVID," Shapovalov tweeted. "I am following all protocols including isolation and letting the people who I've been in contact with know. "Right now I am experiencing minor symptoms and look forward to getting back on the court when it safe to do so." All players have to return negative tests 72 hours before flying to Australia. They also have to undergo testing upon landing in Australia and, while waiting for the test results, have to remain in isolation. Meanwhile, Serbian daily Blic is reporting that world No.1 Novak Djokovic will not travel to Sydney for ATP Cup. Djokovic was named in Serbia's team for the ATP Cup, although the 34-year-old has yet to commit to the Australian Open following the COVID-19 vaccination mandate agreed by Tennis Australia and the Victorian Department of Health. Djokovic has declined to disclose whether he is vaccinated, citing privacy concerns. Serbia have been drawn in Group A - along with Norway, Chile and Spain. Canada are in Group C with Germany, Britain and the United States. - with Reuters Australian Associated Press

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December 26 2021 - 8:18AM

Canadian tennis star Denis Shapovalov has announced he has tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Sydney.

The 22-year-old is one of the first overseas players to arrive in Australia and is part of Canada's team for the ATP Cup in Sydney from January 1-9, ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne starting on January 17.

Former world No.10 Shapovalov played last week at the World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, where he beat 20-times major winner Rafa Nadal in the third-place playoff match.

Nadal, Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and Tunisian Ons Jabeur all tested positive for the virus after playing the tournament.

Shapovalov said he is experiencing minor symptoms.

"Hi everyone, just wanted to update you that upon my arrival in Sydney, I tested positive for COVID," Shapovalov tweeted.

"I am following all protocols including isolation and letting the people who I've been in contact with know.

"Right now I am experiencing minor symptoms and look forward to getting back on the court when it safe to do so."

All players have to return negative tests 72 hours before flying to Australia.

They also have to undergo testing upon landing in Australia and, while waiting for the test results, have to remain in isolation.

Meanwhile, Serbian daily Blic is reporting that world No.1 Novak Djokovic will not travel to Sydney for ATP Cup.

Djokovic was named in Serbia's team for the ATP Cup, although the 34-year-old has yet to commit to the Australian Open following the COVID-19 vaccination mandate agreed by Tennis Australia and the Victorian Department of Health.

Djokovic has declined to disclose whether he is vaccinated, citing privacy concerns.

Serbia have been drawn in Group A - along with Norway, Chile and Spain.

Canada are in Group C with Germany, Britain and the United States.

Australian Associated Press

Read this article:

Tennis star COVID positive in Sydney - Daily Liberal