PNG Women National Team manageress Deslyn Siniu has called on all Papua New Guineans to get behind the team as they go into the third and final camp in New Zealand for the FIFA Inter-Continental Play-off next month. The team left yesterday for Auckland via Brisbane on a Qantas flight. She said the camp in New Zealand is part of the on-going preparations for the opening match against Panama on February 18, 2023. “We have a young team and they need all the support from everyone despite people having different opinions on the make-up of the team,” she said. The former PNG women’s captain said this is first time in the women football history. it’s a milestone of women football and we must get behind and throw our support for the team. Siniu said this is the dream that former players were dreaming to play in a world cup but that did not come about during their term. Now is the team and it is a dream come true for the current crop of players. She said they are the role models for young girls who can aspire as future players. “We need their prayers and support which is all we can ask for,” she said. In terms of development, she said this is a benchmark and WNT hopes to go one better by qualifying for one of three spots in the FIFA WWC in New Zealand 2023. Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso was on hand to bid farewell to the women's team at the Jackson's International Airport before their departure. Travelling Team: Faith Kasiray, Betty Sam, Margaret Joseph, Charlie Yanding, Lucy Maino, Isabella Natera, Olivia Upaupa, Rumona Morris, Daisy Winas, Asaiso Gossie, Gloria Laeli, Kesai Kotome, Michaelyne Butubu, Shalom Waide, Calista Maneo, Ivonne Gabona, Philis Pala, Ramona Padioa, Nenny Elipas, Karen Kalapi, Anasthasia Gunemba, Rayleen Bauelua. Management: Edna Thomas, Susan Watpore and Deslyn Siniu.  

Harley Smith-Shields is ready to make his NRL return 18 months since he last stepped onto the field – and this time a piece of his brother will be running out with him. The 22-year-old was told he needed to find someone with a healthy hamstring if he wanted to ever run at top speed again after rupturing his ACL during pre-season training in February this year. Having played just nine NRL games or the Green Machine, the rookie outside back turned to his older brother Jese to ask for the ultimate favour. "The doctors needed a good hamstring muscle for a knee graft and the problem was I've had trouble with my hamstrings ever since I was a little kid," Smith-Shields told NRL.com "I like to try and run fast, even if I’m not that fast, and I didn’t want to have that [thought of my slow hamstring] in the back of my mind. "I didn’t even know a hamstring donor was a possibility until my physio ran it by me. "So I decided to ask my brother and at first, he actually thought I was joking and started laughing at me. "But when he realised I wasn’t joking, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He said he’d help me out with whatever I needed which was pretty cool." Rugby league has long been the sport that has united the Smith-Shields brothers  Harley, Jese and older brother Dale. The three siblings made history in 2017 when they all played first-grade for the Gungahlin Bulls together while Jese also represented the Raiders in the Harold Matthews competition in 2014. I’ll always owe him one, not that he’d ever ask for it. Harley Smith-Shields “Jese came through the grades in Canberra here as well but he got a few injuries which sort of put an end to that for him,” Smith-Shields said. “But we all grew up playing footy together and it’s always been a big part of our life, so I guess that’s why Jese was happy to help me out with my knee. "We’re only 18 months apart so we’ve always been close but I think this has brought us even closer." Smith-Shields will be looking to pick up where he left off in 2021, where he ran in a total of three tries and two try assists, in a bid to get into Ricky Stuart's side in Round 1. With Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker, Kiwi international Seb Kris and Matthew Timoko all vying for centre spots, Smith-Shields is set to bring more healthy competition to the outside backs in 2023. “Seb (Kris) and Mokes (Timoko) both killed it towards the back end of the year and really found their form in first grade," he said. “I’ve just got to do what I can to earn a spot but I’m also just happy to play wherever I can. It doesn’t matter what position, coming off the bench or even in NSW Cup. “I just want to play some consistent footy, get some games under my belt and just play some footy again.”   Source: NRL.Com

Emotional crowds bid Brazil soccer legend Pele a final farewell, lining the streets of Santos to watch his coffin taken to its final resting place from the city's stadium where 230,000 mourners had filed past his open casket. Young and old embraced as the funeral procession wound its way through the costal city's streets for hours, with some fans in tears and others cheering and drumming for a national hero who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the greatest and best-known athletes in modern history. "It's an irreparable loss for Brazil," said Brazil's newly sworn-in President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. "Pele, in addition to being the best soccer player in the world, was a humble, simple man." Pele died last week at the age of 82 after battling colon cancer for a year. He was laid to rest at the city's Ecumenical Memorial Necropolis, a 14-storey vertical cemetery with views of the soccer field in Santos that made him a star. Pele's funeral procession had left the city's Vila Belmiro stadium, home of Santos Football Club, on Tuesday morning. Pele played from 1956 to 1974 for the team, scoring more than 1000 goals. During a 24-hour wake, fans queued for hours to pay their respects, even overnight. One of Tuesday's most moving moments came when the firetruck bearing his coffin halted outside the home of Pele's 100-year-old mother. Crowds there applauded and chanted "Pele is our king," before holding a minute's silence. Pele's sister Maria Lucia Nascimento, 78, watched in tears from a balcony and thanked the crowds in a brief TV interview. [caption id="attachment_33726" align="alignnone" width="788"] Fans queue to see and give their last tributes and farewell to Pele at the Vila Belmiro stadium, home of Santos Football Club. Photo: NurPhoto via AFP / Gustavo Basso[/caption] Pele's son, Edson Cholbi Nascimento, addressed the crowd by the cemetery as fireworks greeted the arrival of the coffin and mourners sang the Santos anthem. "I wanted on behalf of the whole family to thank you for all the love, the respect," he said. "It's an honour, it's a great pride. Once again thank you. Now he will rest." The mausoleum where Pele now lies will be open to the public within seven days, the cemetery said. On the streets of Santos, the city of 430,000 where Pele lived for most of his life, some struggled to come to terms with his loss. "I'm still trying to get my head around this. No matter how much we prepare, we are never ready for the farewell," said Pele fan Marcelo Caverna. "We are not just saying goodbye to our king, we are saying goodbye to a genius, a legend of the Brazilian people." "You can see that the whole city has stopped. The whole world stopped," said mourner Ezequias Leonardo. Stadium wake FIFA President Gianni Infantino was one of the first to attend the stadium wake and said he would ask football associations around the world to name a stadium after Pele, the only man to win the World Cup three times as a player. [caption id="attachment_33743" align="alignnone" width="650"] Ecumenical Memorial Necropolis[/caption] Some soccer stars attended the wake, including former Brazil midfielder Ze Roberto, who helped place Pele's coffin in the center of the field. "Long live the king," read a giant banner inside the stadium. Lula had stood for about 30 minutes next to Pele's casket, draped with a Brazilian flag, in the center of the soccer field and he comforted Pele's family members. Former soccer player Clodoaldo, who played alongside Pele at Santos and with the Brazilian national team told reporters, "I went to the mourners... and I kissed them all, as if Pele was here. I am sure that's what he would do." "I kissed each one of them on the head. It's a way for Pele to give thanks for all that is happening today." -Reuters

The authorities in Malawi have suspended primary and secondary schools opening in two major cities following a cholera outbreak that has so far killed 595 people. Schools in the capital, Lilongwe, and the commercial hub, Blantyre, will remain closed for at least two more weeks after the Christmas holidays. The cholera outbreak began in March 2022 but has become acute lately. Nineteen people died on New Year's Eve alone. Cholera is contracted by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It can affect children and adults, causing severe diarrhoea, and can kill within hours if left untreated. Health authorities say that the onset of the rainy season could be making the situation worse as flood waters mixed with waste pollute water sources. A lack of proper drainage in both cities is also a factor. The outbreak has spread to nearly all of Malawi's 28 districts. The Africa Centres for Disease Control says it is concerned about the rise in cholera deaths in Malawi, which it attributes to patients not getting treatment in time. Monday's announcement has angered some parents who say their children were already on their way to school, which had been due to reopen on Tuesday. Health Minister Khumbize Chiponda said the government regretted any inconvenience and that "the late advice was taken solely in the interest of the safety of our learners". She said that school reopening will be delayed for at least two weeks, but further advice would be given.     Source: BBC

Cristiano Ronaldo will pocket a whopping £177 million a year (more than K500 million) salary at Al Nassr and become the highest-paid athlete in history. The 37-year-old’s move to the Saudi Arabian side was confirmed last Friday with the Portuguese superstar penning a deal until 2025. The former Manchester United forward says he is thrilled about the new experience in a different league and a different country. Ronaldo says he is excited to join his teammates and help his team to achieve more success. Ronaldo will earn more than boxing world champions Canelo [£74m] and Tyson Fury [£51m] combined. Other notable athletes Ronaldo will earn more than include NBA stars LeBron James [£100m], Steph Curry [£76.7m] and Kevin Durant [£76.1m]. Meanwhile, speaking on his decision to join Al Nassr, Ronaldo says the vision with which Al Nassr operates is inspiring and is excited to join his teammates and help them to achieve more success. Source:talkSport

Venus Williams won her first tour-level singles match in a year and a half on Monday, defeating fellow American Katie Volynets 7-6(4) 6-2 in the opening round of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. The 42-year-old Williams, who won the ASB Classic in 2015 and gained a wild card entry for this year’s tournament, came back from a break down in the first set against Volynets to set up a meeting with China’s Lin Zhu in the next round. In a close first set, Volynets was serving to take an early lead in the match at 5-4, but Williams hit back by breaking her opponent to love before going on to take the tie break. She then raced into a 5-0 lead in the second set and had the match wrapped up three games later – her first singles victory since defeating Romania’s Mihaela Buzărnescu at Wimbledon in 2021. “This is one of my favorite places to come, I was so excited that I made it here … I’m happy to get a win today against a great opponent,” Williams, a former world No. 1 and seven-time grand slam champion, said in her on-court interview. Last month, it was announced that Williams, who made her professional debut back in 1994, had received a wild card for the main draw of the upcoming Australian Open, which begins on January 16. Source: CNN News

Jeremy Renner is in critical but stable condition in the hospital after becoming injured while plowing snow outside his Lake Tahoe home. The 51-year-old Marvel star was airlifted to hospital on Sunday after police were called to his rural mansion Lake Tahoe. The circumstances surrounding the accident remain unclear but police described it as a 'weather-related' incident involving a snow plow. A winter storm in the area left 35,000 people without power amid heavy snow fall and winds. Renner was alone at the time. 'We can confirm Jeremy is in critical but stable condition with injuries suffered after experiencing a weather related accident while plowing snow earlier today. 'His family is with him and he is receiving excellent care,' a spokesman said in a statement. Washoe County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Kristin Vietti added: 'Upon arrival, deputies coordinated with Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and REMSA Health to arrange for medical transport of Jeremy Renner via care flight to a local area hospital. Renner tweeted about the huge amount of snow at his US ranch in December, writing: 'Lake Tahoe snowfall is no joke.' His home is in a secluded mountainous area and he has shared numerous social media posts showing snow encasing his cars and even reaching his first floor windows. Fans have said they are praying for the two-time Academy Award nominee, best known for playing Avenger Hawkeye in the Marvel universe, Aaron Cross in The Bourne Legacy and William Brandt in the Mission Impossible movies. It came as dozens of people were killed across the US amid blizzard conditions. The Arctic blast stirred up heavy winds and snow, trapping some residents inside their houses with snowdrifts and knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses. The scope of the storm has been nearly unprecedented, stretching from the Great Lakes near Canada down to the Rio Grande along the border with Mexico. In a video posted to his Instagram account last December, the actor could be seen enjoying driving his industrial-sized snow thrower. 'I have so much respect for Mother Earth, and Mother Nature … I expect to lose the fight but I'll always give it my best shot,' he wrote. Several other pictures and videos posted to social media show him enjoying driving heavy machinery with everything from plows on caterpillar tracks to massive snow plows and other winter weather buggies. In the past Renner has also openly told of how he often spends time working with local fire departments, helping their teams, and has even bought a spare fire engine. 'I work with the fire departments up there and they are pretty awesome. They are teaching me and helping me, and I still have to get some more hours in with them.' Fans took to Twitter to wish for Renner a speedy recovery. 'I hope he pulls through. That's horrifying,' one person tweeted. 'Praying for Jeremy Renner,' said another. 'Sending up prayers for his swift recovery' wrote another well-wisher. The Avengers actor spends time at the ranch with his nine-year-old daughter Ava, who he shares with his ex-wife Sonni Pacheco. Renner and Pacheco wed in 2014 and split later that year, with their divorce finalized the following year. Their split made headlines after Pacheco leveled a number of claims at the Hawkeye actor amid their custody battle for Ava. Pacheco in 2019 said in court docs filed in Los Angeles that Renner had threatened he would fatally shoot her and himself, TMZ reported. She claimed that the actor had been verbally abusive to her and had issues with drug abuse, which Renner denied. A rep for the Mayor of Kingstown actor told US Weekly in October of 2019, 'The well-being of his daughter Ava has always been and continues to be the primary focus for Jeremy. This is a matter for the court to decide. 'It’s important to note the dramatizations made in Sonni’s declaration are a one-sided account made with a specific goal in mind.' The couple's public clash made headlines last year at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, when Renner submitted court docs in an effort to have his child support payments lowered, citing a lack of work as the studios had shut down at the time. She subsequently told Page Six in a statement, 'It is very disheartening that in a time of global crisis there is yet another attempt to reduce funds I rely on to provide for our child.' A powerful storm has brought heavy rain and snowfall to much of California, causing traffic jams and closing major roads as the state prepared to usher in a new year. In the high Sierra Nevada, where Renner's home is located, about 2ft of snow fell on New Year's Day - but as much as 5ft was predicted. The Sacramento agency released a map of 24-hour precipitation showing a wide range of totals in the region, from less than an inch in some areas to more than 5in in the Sierra foothills. The US National Weather Service in Sacramento had warned about hazardous driving conditions and posted photos on Twitter showing traffic on snow-covered mountain passes, where vehicles are required to have chains or four-wheel drive. A so-called atmospheric river storm was pulling in a long and wide plume of moisture from the Pacific Ocean.  Near Lake Tahoe, dozens of drivers were rescued on New Year's Eve along Interstate 80 after cars spun out in the snow during the blizzard, the California Department of Transportation said. The key route to the mountains from the San Francisco Bay Area reopened early Sunday to passenger vehicles with chains. 'The roads are extremely slick so let´s all work together and slow down so we can keep I-80 open,' the California Highway Patrol said on Twitter. Several other highways, including State Route 50, also reopened. More than 4ft of snow had accumulated in the high Sierra Nevada, and the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area said heavy, wet snow would cause major delays in chairlift openings. On Saturday, the resort reported numerous lift closings, citing high winds, low visibility and ice. Flooding and rock slides also closed portions of roads across Northern California. It was the first of several storms expected to roll across California over the next week. Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Sacramento, said the current system is expected to be warmer and wetter, while next week's storms will be colder. Renner is a two-time Oscar nominee, scoring back-to-back nods for The Hurt Locker and The Town. Source: dailymail.com

The Western Pacific University management announces that our 2023 tuition fees are K12,000.00 for all students. In order to be registered for the 2023 academic year and during registration week, both self-sponsored students (continuing and new in-takes)and TESAS students (continuing and new intakes) are required to pay 75 % of the 2023 annual fee for semester one under each respective student category they fall under during registration week in February 2023. Please refer to the fee structure in the table below. Acceptance letters have already been emailed to successful applicants, with relevant information including our account details. Should you have any further questions or need clarification on the tuition fees, contact registrar@wpu.ac.pg . We also encourage successful applicants to respond to their acceptance letter by 31st January 2023 We also take this opportunity to send a reminder to those continuing students with outstanding tuition fees to settle these before the start of the 2023 academic year. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. The Western Pacific University was established by an Act of Parliament in 2014 and is one of the major impact projects initiated by the O’Neill Government to address access issues faced by the Higher and Technical Education Sector, the issue being the annual increasing influx of Grade Twelve (12) students. It became imperative to address the urgent needs of human resource capacity building in Papua New Guinea. Western Pacific University is also a testament to the Department of Higher Education Research Science and Technology’s (DHERST) commitment to the roll-out of the i-PNG strategy of creating a network of closely linked higher education institutions through digitalization, with each institution providing access and quality through digital education service delivery.    

Melbourne fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen will join Sea Eagles ace Tom Trbojevic in the United States over the pre-season as they look to recover from ongoing knee and hamstring injuries. Both Papenhuyzen and Trbojevic will follow the path of Latrell Mitchell in heading to Philadelphia to work with reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles, who helped the Rabbitohs star get back on the field after his own hamstring setbacks earlier in 2022. Trbojevic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain at training in December with a two-month recovery period expected. The star fullback was otherwise progressing well from shoulder surgery that cut his 2022 season short and remains on track for the season opener against the Bulldogs on March 4. Papenhuyzen, meanwhile, has been sidelined since picking up a knee injury against Canberra in July, and will look to return from the United States in time for the second week of Melbourne's annual pre-season camp in Geelong. Meanwhile, Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton underwent minor ankle surgery following his return from the World Cup but will return to full training in January. Broncos forward Kobe Hetherington is "out for an extended period" after he ruptured his biceps during a training session in December. Hetherington underwent surgery immediately and will aim to return to the field in the middle of 2023.  Source: NRL.Com

Some parts of Western Division are flooded as heavy rain has continued from the weekend. National Disaster Management Office says access along the Kings Highway is currently limited due to flooding of several main access routes. The Ba Main Street and bus stand area is flooded. Western Division Command Centre confirms Varadoli Cemetery Road, Toge Bridge and Manitawa Bridge are flooded. The Yaladro and Balata flats and Qalela Bridge in Tavua are also flooded. Fiji Roads Authority says Navula Road in Lautoka is flooded and currently closed to all traffic. They say parts of Rakiraki including Katudrau Crossing, Drana Crossing, Narara Road, Narara Road Crossing No 1 and Vatukacevaceva Road are flooded. Source: FijiVillage

Youths of Rakival ward on the island LLG of Watom in Rabaul District of East New Britain surrendered six sets of homebrew equipment to police during the special operations currently being conducted in the district. Team leader for Watom festive operations, Francis Tatau said on Monday, January 2nd that he is very happy with the change of mind shown by youths, for a better life. He said social problems witnessed in the communities were a result of homebrew consumption. “This is the way forward as people are supporting the special operations supported by the Rabaul District Administration and Watom LLG Administration in addressing law and order,” he said. Mr. Tatau said for Watom LLG their focus during the special 14 days operation is more on ensuring a safe, peaceful and harmonious festive season. “On Boxing Day, youths from Rakival ward surrendered the homebrew kits to us (operation team) signifying a stop from this illegal activity,” he said. Mr. Tatau said during the operation, they conducted more awareness on homebrew consumption and law and order issues within the wards, including police patrols and also working with ward development committees to collect outstanding fines. “As for the safety of the people, we encouraged boats owners and operators to depart the mainland at Raolo beach by 5pm. Boats caught not adhering to operational orders are charged,” he said. Mr. Tatau said however overall the festive period is trouble free unlike previous years. “This, I believe is due to the collaborative effort by wards through their ward development committees,” he said. The special festive operation for Rabaul District will end on Wed Jan 4.

The Port Moresby General Hospital Labour Ward delivered forty (40) babies during New Year’s Day, Sunday, the 1st of January, 2023. Of the 40 babies, 25 were male and 15 were female; three deliveries were via Cesarean section and the rest were normal births. A set of twins was also delivered where one baby was delivered through normal childbirth but the mother was assisted via vacuum to deliver the second baby. Mother from Simbu, Susan Michael, delivered the heaviest baby for New Year’s Day, a bouncing baby boy weighing a whopping 4.3 kg who was born at 1:10 pm. Dilala Kiniwi, 31, from Southern Highlands Province who delivered her baby girl weighing 3.75 kg said in 2016, she had delivered a set of twins, a boy and a girl on Christmas Day so she’s happy to have another special baby again. “I feel it’s a blessing to me because it’s a double celebration for me. When we are celebrating Christmas, I will also celebrate the birth of my twins and when we celebrate the New Year, I will be celebrating my daughter’s birthday too. So it’s a double blessing with double celebrations for me and my family,” said Ms. Kiniwi. Betty Will, 34 from Enga who gave birth to a baby girl weighing 3.7 kg at 7 pm said that her water broke after the turn of the New Year; however, because they resided at Morata 2, it was difficult to come quickly to the hospital. She said she was in a lot of pain and they had called the St John Ambulance for assistance but due to fighting and rowdy celebration going on in the area, the ambulance team was not able to go in to assist her. “Long moning, mipela kalap long taxi na polis eskotim mipela kam lusim mipela long Waigani na mipela kam long hausik (We got on a taxi in the morning and the police escorted us to Waigani and then we came to the hospital),” said Ms Will. It is believed that the PMGH Labour Ward had the highest number of babies born on New Year’s Day. Photo Captions: 1. Betty Will, 34 from Enga Province with her daughter who was born on New Year's Day around 7 pm weighing 3.7 kg. 2. Dilala Kiniwi, 31 from Southern Highlands Province pictured with her daughter who was born during the early morning of New Year's Day. 3. Olivia Amos, 22, from Western Highlands Province looks lovingly at her baby girl who was born at 1:15 am. Her baby was the first to be recorded being born on New Year’s Day.