A man who "jumped at the chance" to join a drug trial after being diagnosed with cancer and given 12 months to live has said "getting the all-clear was overwhelming". Robert Glynn was diagnosed with a form of bile duct cancer in 2020 after going to the GP with severe shoulder pain. He went on to join an immunotherapy trial at Manchester's The Christie. The 51-year-old from Worsley, Salford, said he was "very lucky as I had the cancer for two years and had no idea". Mr Glynn, who works as a welder, was diagnosed after suffering severe pain in his shoulder which left him unable to sleep. He visited his GP and underwent scans and blood tests, but his cancer was only picked up by chance when he got an infection in his gall bladder. 'Do anything you can' The day before his 49th birthday, in August 2020, he was told he had intrahepatic bile duct cancer, which was at an advanced stage and had spread to his adrenal gland. About 1,000 people a year are diagnosed with the cancer every year in the UK. He was referred to The Christie where he was offered the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial of an unnamed experimental immunotherapy drug, combined with standard chemotherapy. The treatment led to a tumour in his liver shrinking from 12cm to 2.6cm, while the one in his adrenal gland shrank from 7cm to 4.1cm. This meant Mr Glynn was able to undergo surgery in April. During the operation, surgeons found only dead tissue, which meant the treatment had killed off all the cancer cells. Mr. Glynn said when he was "given the option to take part in research, I jumped at the chance". "You do anything you can to extend your life," he said. "I feel very lucky as I had the cancer for two years and had no idea, so getting the all-clear was overwhelming. "I wouldn't be here today without the trial." 'Life is for living' Since his operation, he has had no further treatment and his three-monthly scans showed he was completely clear of cancer. The trial was run by The Christie's Prof Juan Valle, who said the results of the research and another larger study had been "keenly anticipated by colleagues worldwide as it could lead to a change in how we treat patients like Robert in the future". "Robert has done very well on this combination due to his tumour having... a high number of genetic mutations," he said. "Most patients with this diagnosis do not have as many mutations in their cancer cells, so the treatment won't be as effective, but it does highlight the importance of personalized medicine." Mr. Glynn said he had changed his lifestyle after being diagnosed, cutting out "all processed foods" and losing about five stone (31kg). "I realized you can't just rely on the doctors to help you, you need to help yourself too," he said. "It's also important to remain positive and not give up. It's never over until it's over." He said he was now looking forward to the future. "In an odd kind of way, having the diagnosis has turned my life around," he said. "With my partner, Simone, we get out in nature and walk loads. "When something like this happens, you realize life is for living." Source: BBC

A 90-year-old woman will finally walk across the stage and receive her diploma, 71 years after she first enrolled in college. Joyce DeFauw, then Joyce Viola Kane, started her freshman year at Northern Illinois University in 1951 with a plan to graduate with a degree in home economics. But those plans changed when DeFauw met a special man at church who stole her heart, she told CNN Thursday. “I went to school for three and a half years, but decided to leave after I met him.” DeFauw said. The special man was Don Freeman Sr. The two got married in 1955, and had three children together before Freeman passed away, leaving her widowed for about five years. DeFauw eventually got remarried to her late second husband, Roy DeFauw. Together they had six children, including two sets of twins. Throughout the years her family grew, and she now has 17 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. Flash forward to 2019 when DeFauw showed interest in the college education she left behind. “I guess I mentioned I was upset that I didn’t finish school and my children encouraged me to go back,” she said, so she enrolled back at Northern Illinois and began taking classes. [caption id="attachment_33418" align="alignnone" width="906"] Joyce DeFauw's student ID from 1951 with Northern Illinois University.[/caption] Jenna Dooley, one of DeFauw’s 17 grandchildren and an alumnus of NIU, told CNN it was more about the ‘why not’ versus the ‘why’, when DeFauw decided to go back. Dooley said when she was growing up she’d visit her grandmother in her farmhouse where DeFauw would always be baking or cooking. DeFauw used to be a Sunday school teacher as well. “She’s always had that love of teaching and learning,” Dooley said. “When we made calls to the school about a previous enrollment, they were shocked to hear we were asking about a student from the 50s,” Dooley said. But this time around, things were much different for DeFauw. Instead of walking to campus to attend class, she did so behind a computer screen from her retirement home. “It was my first computer,” DeFauw said, “My children had to teach me how to use it.” [caption id="attachment_33419" align="alignnone" width="906"] Joyce DeFauw's senior photograph from 1955, left, and the when she visited campus in August 2022.[/caption] Dooley added her uncle Don, DeFauw’s oldest son, helped set up the computer, get a camera for the computer and taught her how to navigate her school email. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, she was thankful for the computer, Dooley said. “It worked out really well that she was already set up online,” She added. She was on her own during that time and could have no visitors, Dooley said. “At times she’d get frustrated, but I kept reminding her that this was all a part of the process.” She added. “At times I wanted to quit, but I didn’t.” DeFauw said. She said she had plenty of encouragement from family, friends and the school. Director of Bachelor General Studies, Judy Santacaterina, was a huge help for DeFauw. Dooley said she took on the role of helping her grandmother get her degree and the entire family is grateful for Santacaterina. DeFauw took one class each semester, including during the summer. “She’s very organized,” Dooley said, “She has a routine. She wanted to keep taking classes so she wouldn’t fall out of that routine.” Now, three years later, she’ll put on the cap and gown and receive a Bachelor of General Studies degree from the university this weekend. DeFauw is thankful she had the opportunity to get to go back to school and get her degree. “It’s nice to finish something you started,” she said. Her piece of advice to those who may be in a similar situation: “Don’t give up,” she said, “I know it can be difficult, but everything in life has its ups and downs.” “She has a gift of learning and teaching, so to be able to celebrate this with joy is the icing on the cake.” Dooley said. Source: CNN News

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is “lucid and vigilant” but his condition remains serious, the Vatican said Thursday in an update on the former pontiff’s health. “He is absolutely lucid and vigilant and today while his condition remains serious, the situation at the moment is stable,” Vatican press office director Matteo Bruni said in a statement. “Pope Francis renews his invitation to pray for him and accompany him in these difficult hours.” Pope Francis announced Wednesday that his 95-year-old predecessor was “very sick” after a deterioration in his health. “I want to ask you all for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict who sustains the Church in his silence. He is very sick,” Francis said during his general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday. “We ask the Lord to console and sustain him in this witness of love for the Church to the very end.” A Vatican spokesman confirmed later Wednesday that Benedict’s health had worsened “in the last few hours” and that Francis visited Benedict at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in Vatican City. In 2013, Pope Benedict XVI shocked the world by making the almost unprecedented decision to resign from his position, citing his “advanced age.” Benedict’s announcement marked the first time a pope had stepped down in nearly 600 years. The last pope to resign before his death was Gregory XII, who in 1415 quit to end a civil war within the Catholic Church in which more than one man claimed to be pope. Benedict’s health has been in decline for some time. In 2020, the Vatican said Benedict had suffered from a “painful but not serious condition,” following reports in German media that he was ill. Two years earlier, in a rare public letter published in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Benedict wrote that “in the slow waning of my physical forces, inwardly I am on a pilgrimage toward Home.” Benedict has been a powerful force in the Catholic Church for decades. Born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany in 1927, he was ordained as a priest in 1951, made a cardinal in 1977, and later served as chief theological adviser to Pope John Paul II. He was elected as the 265th pope in April 2005, following John Paul II’s death. Benedict became pontiff at the height of the global sexual abuse scandal involving Catholic priests, as complaints of sexual abuse and related lawsuits tore at the church and threatened its moral standing around the world. His legacy has been clouded by recent scrutiny of his time as Archbishop of Munich and Freising, between 1977 and 1982, after a Church-commissioned report into abuse by Catholic clergy there was published in January. The report found that he had been informed of four cases of sexual abuse involving minors – including two during his time in Munich – but failed to act, and that he had attended a meeting about an abusive priest. Benedict later pushed back against those allegations, admitting he had attended the meeting but denying he intentionally concealed his presence. In a statement on Wednesday, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) said many people would have “mixed feelings” about the life of Benedict. “Sadly, many clergy abuse victims are not out of the woods in terms of healing from their wounds and getting the justice they deserve,” SNAP wrote. Source: CNN News

Joseph, “Jo Mersa” Marley, a Reggae artist who followed in the footsteps of father, musician Stephen Marley, and grandfather, the late Reggae star Bob Marley, has died, Miami police told CNN. He was 31. Marley was found deceased inside his parked vehicle in Miami on Monday night. Police are investigating his death but said they do not suspect foul play. The Miami-Dade coroner is conducting an examination to determine his cause of death. Marley, a native of Jamaica who grew up in Miami, was mourned by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Tuesday. “This is truly sad news; sending strength to the Marley family at this time,” Holness wrote in a tweet. Jamaican opposition leader Mark J. Golding tweeted, “The loss of a child is a devastating blow no parent should face, my condolences to Stephen & the entire family.” CNN has reached out to a representative of Marley. A reggae artist in his own right, the young Marley released his first EP, “Comfortable,” in 2014. He came out with another EP, titled “Eternal,” last year. His is most known for his hit “Burn It Down” from 2016, as well as “Rock and Swing” off the “Comfortable” EP. According to WZPP Radio, Marley is survived by his wife and daughter. Other surviving relatives include his father Stephen and several siblings. Source: CNN News

A Kabul professor tore up his diplomas live on television in Afghanistan in protest over the Taliban’s barring of women from higher education. The man, named Ismail Mashal, is founder of the private Mashal University in Kabul and also a lecturer at Kabul University. With tears in his eyes and his voice quivering, he ripped up the diplomas during an on-set appearance for the country’s Tolo News on Monday. “From today, I don’t need these diplomas anymore because this country is no place for an education. If my sister and my mother can’t study, then I don’t accept this education,” he said. He added that the diplomas were for his multiple Masters and Doctorate degrees, and that they were the originals. The clip of his appearance has since gone viral, including being retweeted by Shabnam Nasimi, the former policy adviser to the Minister for Afghan Resettlement & Minister for Refugees, based in the UK. “Astonishing scenes as a Kabul university professor destroys his diplomas on live TV in Afghanistan,” tweeted Nasimi, alongside the clip. The Taliban announced on December 20 that university education for all female students had been suspended. This follows the government barring girls from attending secondary school in March of this year. It also comes on the heels of many other limitations placed on women’s freedoms, including their access to public spaces. In November, women were banned for entering all parks in Kabul. The same month, a Taliban official in Kabul announced that women would be barred from using gyms across the country. Women are also required to wear the hijab and dress modestly in public under the Taliban rule Source: CNN News  

Reaching the milestone of providing support to over 15,000 cocoa, vanilla and fisheries-dependant households in the Sepik region in the first nine months of 2022, was the highlight of the Programme Steering Committee’s (PSC) meeting held in Wewak, East Sepik Province. The PSC meeting, attended by high officials from the PNG Department of National Planning and Monitoring (DNPM), Department of Agriculture, Department of ICT, Provincial Administrations of East and West Sepiks, the European Union, and representatives from five involved UN agencies, also highlights the need to further strengthen the partnership between implementing partners, counterparts, and stakeholders at national, provincial, and local levels. The high level Programme Steering Committee convenes every six months to review progress and accomplishments and take decisions on the next steps and work plans. Wesley Wellie, the head of DNPM’s National Authorising Officer-Support Unit, in his remarks during the meeting, highlighted the EU-STREIT PNG Programme as “an important investment made by the EU in partnership with the Government of PNG, FAO, ILO, ITU, UNCDF, and UNDP.” He added: “This meeting is convened to review where we currently stand and where the Programme is heading.” Explaining the importance of the Programme, the DNPM Official mentioned that “there are high expectations in the Programme in terms of target outcomes and also sustainability of the results, and we need to focus on strengthening partnership, coordination, and cooperation between all stakeholders.” Wellie concluded his remarks by acknowledging “the support and cooperation from the European Union and the UN implementing partners, which involves extensive dialogue and consultations towards joint decision-making. The EU Ambassador to PNG, His Excellency Jacques Fradin, in his address at the PSC Meeting, also underlined the fact that “the EU-STREIT PNG Programme is an initiative that aims to empower the people of East and West Sepiks to help improve their cocoa, vanilla and fisheries value chains.” Mentioning the way forward to tackle the existing challenges in the Programme’s implementation, the EU Ambassador highlight “the need to move collectively to solve issues.” The UN Resident Coordinator a.i. in PNG, Marielle Sander, in her speech stated that “the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, as a UN joint project, benefits from the convergence of expertise from the five UN agencies involved in its implementation and also benefits from the experiences and capacity of the PNG partners at the national, provincial and local level government.” She further stressed that “the project is a great opportunity to work together for the benefit of the people of the Sepik and Papua New Guinea.” Mentioning the PSC Meeting, Sander added, “this meeting is to review the project progress and achievements and also to set an agenda and work plan to speed up the delivery.” The FAO Regional Programme Leader, Takayuki Hagiwara, in his address at the PSC Meeting, reassured the participants that FAO, as the lead agency in implementing the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, “has a strong commitment to keep the EU-STREIT PNG Programme on the right track and to speed up delivery in a joint work plan.” Addressing the PSC Meeting, Xuebing Sun, the EU-STREIT PNG Programme Coordinator, emphasised that “the Programme made good progress in 2022 compared to the progress made in 2021.” Adding, “Thanks to strategic guidance and technical support received from all partners and stakeholders, the Programme was able to overcome some remaining bottlenecks and constraints that slowed down the Programme’s implementation progress in the last year.” Sun further emphasised that “the Programme is currently in good shape in terms of picking up progress and delivering the anticipated impacts and desired results.” Rabi G. Rasaily, the FAO Senior Agricultural Officer and Programme Coordinator a.i. in his concluding remarks acknowledged the valuable feedback received from the Co-Chairs and the PSC members for further enhancement in the Programe tailord support to promote and develop inclusive agri-food value chains and agri-enterprises in the Sepik. Rasaily called on all partners, stakeholders and interested partners to join the hands and seize the opportunity to work together to uplift the living conditions of the people through triggering transformative change and sustainable progress in agri-food sector. The EU-STREIT PNG Programme, since January 2022, has reached out and provided technical assistance and support to 15,069 households (90,414 individual beneficiaries) in East and West Sepik provinces. These supports include: Built the capacity of 9,500 cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries farmers. Organised one exposure visit to an international trade show for PNG agribusinesses. Launched an Innovation Fund and received 65 proposals. Developed legislation on Geographical Indication and drafted a manual for the Certificate Authority. Started distribution of 1,400,000 Cocoa Pod Borer (CPB) tolerant seedlings. Capacitated 157 nurseries. Distributed 785 cocoa nursery shed clothing. Distributed 2,000,000 polybags. Rolled out support scheme for 900 fermentaries. Trained 400 fermentary owners on cocoa quality assessment. Established a partnership with the New Guinea Binatang Research Centre. Established 13 vanilla vines treatment sheds. Ensured the availability of 130,000 high-quality vanilla vines. Provided 273 sets of vanilla planting and harvesting tools. Established 72 vanilla farming groups. Procured 40 outboard motor engines with the boats for distribution among target groups. Supported 150 fisheries groups. Launched an Agri-MSME Challenge Fund. Established 100 financial services access points. Opened 60,000 financial services accounts. Developed two e-agriculture strategies. Rehabilitated 83.7 km of rural roads. Selected 6 public facilities for the installation of Solar Powered Renewable Energy The EU-STREIT PNG Programme, being implemented as a UN Joint Programme (FAO as the leading agency, and ILO, ITU, UNCDF and UNDP as partners), is the largest grant-funded Programme of the European Union in the country and the Pacific region. The Programme aims to help improve the lives of the people from East and West Sepik provinces, by focusing on increasing sustainable and inclusive economic development of rural areas through improved economic returns and opportunities from cocoa, vanilla and fishery value chains while strengthening and improving the efficiency of value chain enablers, including the business environment and supporting sustainable, climate-proof transport and energy infrastructure development.

Trukai Industries recently donated K5,000 to help purchase a CT Scanner for the Buka General Hospital. This assistance demonstrates Trukai Industries’ support for community activities under its health initiatives which is a part of its corporate social responsibility program. This donation was presented to the Bougainville Charity Foundation’s (BCF) fundraising drive to purchase a cancer detection equipment. BCF has helped many remote communities throughout Bougainville in various aspects, which include education and health with its recent fundraising appeal to purchase the cancer equipment for Bougainville’s main hospital. BCF’s Chairman Romulus Masiu described Trukai’s timely donation as a blessing to the people of Bougainville. “I open heartedly accept Trukai’s willingness to assist us and I am very much thankful for this donation,” said Masiu. He added that Trukai rice is a vital food source for areas in AROB where food can be scarce. “Trukai Rice has become a staple food in most households in Bougainville, especially in most outlying Atolls of the Region, and even on mainland Bougainville whereby garden produce is not easily available and comes in seasons. Weather patterns play a very big role in how the people cultivate their land and rice comes in to sustain the people during their time of need.” Trukai Industries’ CEO Alan Preston said the company will remain committed to helping the people of PNG. “Our partnership with Bougainville Charity Foundation shows our commitment to help health facilities like the Buka General Hospital. It is through partnerships like this, that we can be able to assist communities that need that added support,” said Preston. “Trukai, as a part of its corporate social responsibility program is committed to assisting the people of this country and we’ve successfully demonstrated this, not only through cash donations, but primarily through our monthly donations. These donations reach more than 10 different charity organizations, prisons and hospitals nationwide, in turn, this helps the people that truly need our support,” he added.

The Lovongai Peacemakers and Warlords marked the first anniversary of their Declaration of Peace invoked at the Peace and Reconciliation ceremony at Lavongai Catholic Mission last December 2021 to end the terror of warfare and killings on New Hanover at a three-day Retreat held last week at the Ranguva Solwara Skul outside Kavieng. The leaders joined with community elders in prayer and worship and discussions to assess and evaluate the outcome of the ceasefire and the attacks on villagers and killings that flared in some areas of the north after the Lavongai Mission peace ceremonies. The Special Peace Officer and Mediator, John Aini, drew the praise and admiration of the warlords to convene the roundtable meeting for an objective review process despite the threat and terror that appeared to water down the one-year-old Peace initiatives. Aini who mediates between all warring factions has been handling the Lovongai issue delicately and objectively. It’s an issue that is very close to his heart. Every time he talks about troubles on the Island, he always sheds tears. The Peace anniversary consolidates the firm stand by Governor Sir Julius Chan for a Resolution for Peace to be brokered from within the ranks of the warring factions and leaders. The culmination of the exchange of customary offerings and bonfire of dangerous arms and fighting weapons at the Peace and Reconciliation at Lovongai Catholic Mission cemented the leadership and trust as we continue with the Peace process in spite of continuous fighting, commented Sir J in Brisbane who learned of the Peace Retreat. The Retreat held from the 21st to the 22nd of December was the 3rd Commanders meeting attended by seven of the 12 warlords and Lovongai elders and leaders. “These commanders are heads of all the warring tribes and the ethnic groups that were involved in the Lovongai Ethnic crises which started in 2006. “In our search for long lasting peace for Lavongai we continue to hold dialogue. This is one of the ways I reach out to our elders in trying to work with them to find solutions to help us lay peace on our Island,” said Aini. Peace on south west Lovongai is encouraging because the fighting in the north is relatively small and isolated meaning that the peace effort is holding out and eventually must come to an end, was the observation of the Retreat. “There are obstacles and its expected. The fight has been going on for a very long time. It will take time for wounds to heal and so I’m not expecting a miracle. But we are trying.” Aini said the ethnic clashes stem from a number of issues including simple relationship affairs, and then escalated from a number of other complicated issues involving pay back and quarrels over land. Commander Igua Kara of the Metemaran army recalled that he was automatically thrown in as a commander when war broke out in his community in 2017. “We were on the Island when they told us that fighting would begin. So I stood up as commander to set up our boys, and organized all our mothers and fathers to ensure they were protected. I told our people, “We would fight and never allow our enemies entry into our village. We stood our ground. We did that so many times, that it became our normal routine.” Igua Kara said John Aini was the one who laid the path for peace by simply asking them to stop fighting. “ John Aini provided the leadership we needed. My house boy was the first place he visited. Then he went over to the commander of the other army and also asked them to stop fighting. He later came back to us and told us that the other army also accepted peace.” Kara said Commander Lamis Silau of the Tovotakalas army is the champion of peace. He set up a Peace and Good Order committee and we all agreed to contribute five mise, two pigs, and 10 bundles of Taro. We broke spears and burned them and the fight has stopped since then. And we are waiting for other communities to make the same move,” shared Kara. It was also agreed at the Ranguva Solwara Skul Retreat that Lovongais who fled their homes and residing in other parts of Kavieng must return home. Peace talks and reconciliations will continue on the Island. While Former ward 6 member James Matsaling called on the New Ireland Government and the Open member to set up economic opportunities for the people. He said right now the cash flow on the Island is a big problem and the people need economic enabling incentives like transport subsidies and market opportunities to help sell their products and make money. “ We need strong leadership on the Island to drive New Hanover to the next level. ” The New Ireland Government has always stood for peace and understands that lasting peace can only be achieved if the people themselves chose peace for New Hanover. It has contributed to a number of reconciliation ceremonies and is always monitoring the peace process. New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan thanked John Aini for his leadership in the peace process and encouraged all commanders to continue their peace talks and reconciliations for a better New Hanover for future generations.

Robin Fleming is no Stanger to Papua New Guinea and the banking Industry in the Pacific. A well-respected figure in the executive circle hangs his boot after 42 years in the Banking Industry. Originally, from Australia, Robin is a devout man in a deeply Christian country of which he has become a citizen. He lives in PNG with his wife Dora, and three children Cassandra, Liam and Joshua. The Queensland-born is known by his trademark handlebar moustache and mullet hairstyle, but says less about him than it does about PNG’s business community. He is known by many on the streets of PNG as the “BOSSMAN BILONG HAUSMANI” which simply means the “BANK BOSS”. He may be described as a private person and one who recognizes the little things and is attentive to detail. Interestingly, Robin never made it to a university. He only completed college at the St Laurence’s College in South Brisbane, Australia, a Christina Brother’s college. In fact , he tells us of an interesting part of his life where he went out in search of finding himself and ended up homeless and eventually in the ‘land of the Unexpected’. “I wanted to run away from home that is why I came to PNG,” he retells. He started with the commonwealth bank as a teller after college and worked his way up. Robin now holds a MBA and a Master of Management from Charles Sturt University. In 2015, he was made a Companion of the Star of Melanesia (CSM) for his services to banking. More recently, the University of Papua New Guinea School of Business and Public Policy has accorded him the honorary title of Professor for his contribution to the country and the communities. Fleming first came to PNG from Brisbane in 1980 on secondment from Australia’s then government owned Commonwealth Bank, which sent staff to BSP’s state-owned forerunner Papua New Guinea Banking Corp (PNGBC), which Commonwealth once owned. Then in his early 20s, Fleming says he had a choice of working at PNGBC or in a Commonwealth branch in outback Queensland. “I decided that if I was going to do a hardship post, at least have something a bit more exciting and get paid a little bit more,” he recalls. “There was a sense of adventure.” Over the years, he has garnered skills in technical and financial knowledge worthy to that of any tertiary level executive. He has had adventures in spades in PNG. An early posting with PNGBC was to Bougainville, where separatist tensions in the 1980s escalated into a civil war, which has kept closed what was then the country’s biggest earner, the Panguna gold and copper mine, for 28 years. Fleming has led BSP since 2013, taking over from Australian emerging market specialist Ian Clyne. Although he has been BSP boss for ten years, he has invested great values in the bank as well as the communities. It has always been simple for him, treat everyone with respect, give everyone credit they deserve and recognise the business objectives especially in a developing economy. “It isn’t all about profit, it is also about assisting communities and that resonates with staff because they often come from disadvantaged backgrounds, from village. I know what it’s like, the struggles they had to go through so that they can see that,” says Robin. Before appointed as BSP Group CEO, he had been Deputy Group CEO and Chief Risk Officer since 2009. Prior to that, he held senior executive roles as Chief Risk Officer, General Manager Corporate & International, and Head of Risk Management with BSP. He has spent his entire working career as a banker for 42 year, 35 of which he spent working in PNG. In the recent months before his exit, Robin made his final visits to each BSP branches around PNG, the Pacific and Aisa. From the most remote branches of Telefomin in Western Province and Buin in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville to the towns and cities and the countries where BSP operates in, staff farewell him goodbye with gifts and gatherings. He made his last stop in Kimbe with his wife Dora for the last time, visiting the place where it all began for him, his family and career. It was an emotional moment for all, as both set foot once again on the street and the house where it all began for them. Robin Fleming was officially farewelled by BSP Staff & Management today Thursday 29th December, 2022 at the Waigani Head Office , in Port Moresby, PNG. Thank you Robin Fleming. You are certainly leaving behind one of the most difficult personality of a CEO for the staff, management and the industry. Thank you Champ! Your story will live on.

Pelé, the Brazilian soccer legend who won three World Cups and became the sport’s first global icon, has died at the age of 82. “Everything that we are, is thanks to you,” his daughter Kely Nascimento wrote in a post on Instagram, under an image of family members holding Pele’s hands. “We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.” Pelé was admitted to a hospital in São Paulo in late November for a respiratory infection and for complications related to colon cancer. Last week, the hospital said his health had worsened as his cancer progressed. He died on Thursday from multiple organ failure due to the progression of colon cancer, according to a statement from Albert Einstein Hospital. For more than 60 years, the name Pelé has been synonymous with soccer. He played in four World Cups and is the only player in history to win three, but his legacy stretched far beyond his trophy haul and remarkable goal-scoring record. “I was born to play football, just like Beethoven was born to write music and Michelangelo was born to paint,” Pelé famously said. Portuguese star forward Cristiano Ronaldo sent his condolences to Brazil in a post on Instagram, saying “a mere “goodbye” to the eternal King Pelé will never be enough to express the pain that currently engulfs the entire football world.” Kylian Mbappé of Paris Saint-Germain said of Pelé’s death: “The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten.” Former English soccer player Geoff Hurst wrote on Twitter of his memories of Pelé, calling the late star “without doubt the best footballer I ever played against (with Bobby Moore being the best footballer I ever played alongside). For me Pele remains the greatest of all time and I was proud to be on the the pitch with him. RIP Pele and thank you.” Pelé’s wake will be held at Vila Belmiro, the headquarters of the Santos FC in São Paulo state, a spokesperson told CNN. The time and date of the event has yet to be announced. Dazzling ability Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in Três Corações – an inland city roughly 155 miles northwest of Rio de Janeiro – in 1940, before his family moved to the city of Bauru in São Paulo. The genesis of the nickname Pelé are unclear, even to the footballer. He once wrote in the British newspaper The Guardian that it likely started with school classmates teasing him for mangling the nickname of another player, Bilé. Whatever the origin, the moniker stuck. Tributes have been pouring in for the soccer legend. Pelé’s first club, Santos FC, responded to the news on Twitter with the words “eternal” shared next to an image of a crown. [caption id="attachment_33381" align="alignnone" width="906"] Exactly how many goals Pelé scored during his career is unclear, and his Guinness World Records tally has come under scrutiny with many scored in unofficial matches.[/caption] As a child, his first taste of soccer involved playing barefoot with socks and rags rolled up into a ball – a humble beginning that would grow into a long and fruitful career. But when he first took up the game, his ambitions were modest. “My dad was a good football player, he scored a lot of goals,” Pelé told CNN in 2015. “His name was Dondinho; I wanted to be like him. “He was famous in Brazil, in Minas Gerais. He was my role model. I always wanted to be like him, but what happened, to this day, only God can explain.” As a teenager, Pelé left home and began training with Santos, scoring his first goal for the club side before his 16th birthday. He would go on to score 619 times over 638 appearances for the club, but it is his feats in the iconic yellow jersey of Brazil for which he is best remembered. The world first got a glimpse of Pelé’s dazzling ability in 1958, when he made his World Cup debut aged 17. He scored Brazil’s only goal in the country’s quarterfinal victory against Wales, then netted a hat-trick in the semifinal against France and two in the final against host Sweden. “When Pelé scored the fifth goal in that final, I have to be honest and say I felt like applauding,” said Sweden’s Sigvard Parling. For Pelé, the standout memory from the tournament was putting his country on the sporting map. “When we won the World Cup, everybody knew about Brazil,” he told CNN’s Don Riddell in 2016. “I think this was the most important thing I gave to my country because we were well known after that World Cup.” Another World Cup victory came in 1962, although an injury sidelined Pelé for the tournament’s later stages. Further injuries hampered his next campaign in 1966 as Brazil exited the competition after the group stage, but redemption came in 1970. “Pelé was saying that we were going to win, and if Pelé was saying that, then we were going to win the World Cup,” Brazil’s co-captain Carlos Alberto said about the tournament. That team – featuring the likes of Jairzinho, Gerson, Tostão, Rivellino, and, of course, Pelé – is regarded as one of the greatest ever assembled. In the final – a 4-1 victory against Italy – Brazil scored arguably the most famous World Cup goal of all time, a sweeping, length-of-the-pitch move involving nine of the team’s 10 outfield players. It ended with Pelé teeing up Alberto, who drilled the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Brazil’s mantra of jogo bonito (the beautiful game) has never been better encapsulated. Pelé, who had considered retiring before the 1970 World Cup, scored a goal of his own in the final and a total of four over the course of the tournament. “Before the match, I told myself that Pelé was just flesh and bones like the rest of us,” Italian defender Tarcisio Burgnich said after his side’s defeat in the final. “Later, I realized I’d been wrong.” The tournament capped Pelé’s World Cup career but not his time in the spotlight. In 1975, he signed a $1.67-million-a-year contract in the United States with the New York Cosmos. One of the greatest players With his larger-than-life personality and extraordinary dribbling skills – a trademark of his game – Pele’s helped the Cosmos win the North American Soccer League championship in 1977 before officially retiring from football. The league, which attracted further big names like Giorgio Chinaglia and Franz Beckenbauer, wouldn’t last, ultimately folding in 1984. But around the world, Pelé’s influence endured. He remained in the public eye through endorsement deals and as an outspoken political voice who championed the poor in Brazil. He served as a Goodwill UNICEF ambassador for many years, promoting peace and support for vulnerable children. Health problems persisted for much of Pelé’s later life. He got around with the support of a walker – an item he was filmed shoving around with disdain in a documentary released last year – and in September 2021, he underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his right colon. [caption id="attachment_33382" align="alignnone" width="906"] Paris Saint-Germain and France national football team forward Kylian Mbappe (R) and Brazilian football legend Pele take part in a meeting at the Hotel Lutetia in Paris on April 2, 2019.[/caption] Pelé’s cancer treatment continued over the past year. He was hospitalized in Sao Paulo in November as the 2022 World Cup was being played in Qatar, prompting an outpouring of support from the global soccer community and beyond. Debate will inevitably rage about whether Pelé is the greatest player of all time – whether it is possible to compare Pelé’s achievements to those of Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, who have rewritten soccer’s record books over the past 15 years, or to Diego Maradona, the late Argentinian star who captivated the footballing world in the 1980s and 90s. In 2000, FIFA jointly named Maradona and Pelé as Player of the Century, but to some, the outright winner of the award should have been obvious. “This debate about the player of the century is absurd,” said Zico, who represented Brazil in the decade after Pelé’s retirement. “There’s only one possible answer: Pelé. He’s the greatest player of all time, and by some distance, I might add.” Exactly how many goals Pelé scored during his career is unclear, and his Guinness World Records tally has come under scrutiny with many scored in unofficial matches. In March 2021, he congratulated Portugal’s Ronaldo for passing his “record of goals in official matches” – 767. There is little doubt, however, that Pelé was, and always will be, football’s first global superstar. “If I pass away one day, I am happy because I tried to do my best,” he told The Talks online magazine. “My sport allowed me to do so much because it’s the biggest sport in the world.” Source: CNN News

Trukai Industries has donated 13 tons of rice this festive season through its annual Christmas donation drive to hospitals, prisons and charity organisations. Through its corporate social responsibility program, the company has been able to assist and support these institutions by collaboratively working with NGOs like Save the Children, The PNG Cancer Relief Society, The Salvation Army and with influential industry bodies like the Young Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Trukai Industries CEO Alan Preston said this annual donation drive was to support the less fortunate during the festive period. “Our aim during this donation drive is to show our support by giving back to the community in which we live and operate in,” said Preston. “By working closely with NGOs and other corporate organisations, Trukai Industries helps these groups progress the good work that they are doing in their respective communities and at the same time expand our reach to the disadvantaged communities,” reiterated Preston. The company donated a total of 2.5 tonnes of rice to Port Moresby General Hospital, Angau Memorial Hospital, Mt Hagen General Hospital, Goroka Base Hospital and Nonga Base Hospital. Acting CEO for the Mt Hagen General Hospital Janet Yamu when receiving their donation expressed gratitude for the 50 bags of Trukai Rice. “We are happy to receive this donation again this year and this rice will be stored away to feed the inpatients during the coming weeks. As this festive period is a time to share with family, we know the food we prepare using your donation will help to bring some Christmas cheer to our patients and we are grateful for that,” said Yamu. Trukai Industries also donated 100 kilograms of rice each to Bomana, Buimo, Baisu, Bihute, Boram, Vanimo CS, Kerevat, Giligili, Biru, Barawagi, Biate, Bueibi and Lakiamata prisons. A total of 1.2 tonnes of rice was donated to the prisons which was served as contribution towards their Christmas Day kaikai. Other rice donations were made to corporate organisations for their Christmas drive to feed the less fortunate. While other donations were made to communities impacted by natural disasters and charity organisations who receive a monthly donation from Trukai Industries.

Acting PPC Central Senior Inspector Patterson Birigi said a prison escapee, jailed for killing his pregnant wife was recaptured by Central Police, in Nabuaka village along the Hiritano Highway on Christmas Day. He said police also arrested several suspects along the Hiritano Highway for drunk and disorderly behaviour, but most of them were cautioned and discharged. He said while patrolling along the Magie highway from Hula to Gabagaba Junction and into Kwikila Station, members of Romeo 500 unit arrested two suspects for drunk and disorderly behaviour and grievous bodily harm. The acting PPC said apart from these arrests, no major traffic accidents or criminal activities were reported along the Magie and Hiritano highways, over the Christmas period. The acting PPC said members of Central Police went into some of the communities and worked with the councillors and village court officials to maintain peace and good order over the Christmas period and they will maintain the same spirit into the New Year and beyond. He said the Chiefs in Kairuku have also initiated a program in which, the youth were expected to surrender home brewing equipment and firearms. Mr Birigi said a report on the progress of this peace and good order initiative would be released to the media after New Year. Mr Birigi said the escapee, arrested by police in Doa is 36 year old Au Keta of Mou village in Bereina, Kairuku district. Mr Birigi said Keta was jailed for killing his pregnant wife but escaped from the Bomana prison, until his recapture. The acting PPC said two home made guns were also recovered in the Magie highway operations and the policemen will remain in this part of Central Province until and after the New Year period. Source: Police NCD/Central Divisional Command