Brittney Griner is opening up about her return home for the first time. The WNBA star, who returned to the U.S. last week after a prisoner swap with Russia, was detained in the country for 10 months. On Friday, Griner shared a long Instagram post about her return to the U.S. and her plans for the future. "It feels so good to be home! The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn," she wrote. "I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone for your help." Her post included photos of her stepping off the plane and embracing her wife, Cherelle. Griner, a center for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, said she intends to return to play for the team this season. She was in Russia to play in the country's basketball league during the WNBA offseason when she was detained at an airport in February. She later pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the discovery of cannabis-derived oil cartridges in her luggage. Griner said she didn't mean to bring the cartridges with her when she traveled to the country, but was sentenced to nine years in prison. She was released last week in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer Viktor Bout, bringing an end to an ordeal that sparked intense high-level negotiations between the Washington and the Moscow to secure her freedom. In her Instagram post, Griner thanked her wife, family, lawyers, the WNBA and its players, the Biden-Harris administration, as well as the activists and organizations who helped campaign for her safe return from Russia. To secure Griner's release, President Biden signed a commutation order for Bout, cutting short his 25-year federal prison sentence. CBS News was first to report the swap, which took place in the United Arab Emirates. On Friday, Griner thanked Mr. Biden for not only bringing her home, but for being committed to bringing home Paul Whelan and other Americans detained overseas. She vowed to use her own public stature to assist in that effort. "I will use my platform to do whatever I can to help you. I also encourage everyone that played a part in bringing me home to continue their efforts to bring all Americans home. Every family deserves to be whole," Griner wrote. Whelan, a Marine veteran, has been held in Russia since 2018, and efforts to include him in the swap with Griner were rebuffed by Russia. When Griner first arrived back in the U.S., she was taken to San Antonio to be assessed by doctors, and she expressed thanks to them in her statement as well. "As I transition home to enjoy the holidays with my family, I want to acknowledge and thank the entire PISA staff and medical team at the San Antonio Fort Sam Houston Base. I appreciate the time and care to make sure I was okay and equipped with the tools for this new journey," she said. Griner concluded by saying: "I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say 'thank you' to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon." The WNBA star has already started getting back to playing basketball. She shot hoops at Fort Sam in Houston just a couple of days after her return, and according to ESPN, her first move was a dunk. Source: CBS News

A rare edition of the first Harry Potter book, never released to the public, has been auctioned for £8,000. The copy, which was signed by author JK Rowling, was one of only 15 produced for a competition to mark the 15th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It was awarded to entrant Chloe Esslemont, then aged 16, from Cumbria. Auctioneers had described it as "particularly scarce" as there was no record of similar copies being sold. Publisher Bloomsbury organised the competition in 2012 and asked fans of the series to write a colourful letter explaining why they loved it. Entries could only be submitted through specially-designed post boxes at participating bookshops and libraries. The overall winner received one of the leather-bound books and a holiday to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Universal theme park in Florida. Ms Esslemont, then 16, was one of the runners-up who also received a book. She said she had "kept the book wrapped up in the attic for years" but had decided to part with it as "the money would be useful now". The book, which contained a dedication to her, was sold along with her original competition entry which was in the form of a folding document inspired by the series' magical Marauder's Map. Hansons Auctioneers, in Staffordshire, said there had been "lots of interest". Speaking earlier this month, the firm's book expert Jim Spencer gave a guide price of £5,000-£10,000.   Source: BBC

In the span of three weeks, shootings in Atlanta have killed four children between the ages of 11 and 16, and Mayor Andre Dickens said Sunday the recent trend is unacceptable. “A week before Christmas, families should be preparing to celebrate,” Dickens wrote in a statement. “Instead, we have parents in Atlanta doing what no parent should ever have to do: laying their children to rest.” Dickens wrote these last few weeks “have shown all too clearly that Atlanta is not immune from this unacceptable trend.” The most recent shooting took place Saturday evening at an apartment complex when two teens were killed and three others were injured, according to Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. with the city’s police department. Hampton said the shooting appeared to start as some sort of dispute on social media that escalated into gunfire between two groups. One group of individuals came to the apartment complex with guns. However, it was the second group at that location who opened fire on the first group of individuals, according to Hampton. The victims in this shooting were identified as two boys – ages 14 and 16 – who were dead when police arrived on scene, Hampton said. The injured victims included an 11-year-old boy, a 15-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy, who were all taken to a local hospital. Police are currently interviewing several individuals to see what their involvement was in the shooting. “This should be a time where we all should be getting ready for the holidays, but we have at least two families that will be planning funerals,” Hampton said. This follows the shooting at Atlantic Station, a popular shopping district, on November 26 that left two boys dead. Those victims were identified as Zyion Charles, 12, and Cameron Jackson, 15. Police said that shooting occurred after a “group of juveniles” were escorted off Atlantic Station property for “unruly behavior” and violating the retail district’s curfew. The group then moved to 17th Street, where the dispute occurred and gunfire erupted. Zyion died at the scene. But it was Cameron, who succumbed to his injuries several days later, who was the intended target of the shooting, police said. Two boys, ages 15 and 16, were arrested in connection with this shooting. Each of them face two murder charges along with charges of aggravated assault and criminal gang activity, Hampton said. Source: CNN News

Kiribati's transport boss says his ministry aims to re-establish air service connections to the Line Islands. The Minister of Information, Communication and Transport, Tekeeua Tarati, said part of the work is to upgrade the runways in Fanning and Washington islands. Radio Kiribati reports the minister saying the Ministry for Line and Phoenix Islands Development has said it will assist to clear trees and cut the lawn on the islands' airstrips. Once these runways are certified by relevant authorities, the government will send one Twin Otter aircraft to station on Christmas Island. Meanwhile, the Government's new barge has undertaken its maiden domestic voyage to Maiana to deliver cargo. A report from the Kiribati National Shipping Line said unloading of cargoes from the barge was easy and fast because the ramp is landed on the beach. This should ensure there are no more problems with the loading and unloading of cargoes in the outer islands with the arrival of the new barge Te Motinnano. Source: rnz.com

The highly anticipated “Avatar: The Way of Water” took in $134 million at the US box office, giving director James Cameron his first $100 million opening weekend — despite falling short of analyst predictions. Although notching the second highest world-wide opening this year didn’t quite match expectations, the film’s ultimate success will depend on its long term appeal, a notable attribute of many of Cameron’s movies. “Avatar: The Way of Water” has so far earned $435 million at the global box office. Though Cameron hasn’t revealed exactly how much it cost to make the “Avatar” sequel, one answer isn’t in doubt: a lot. Or in Cameron’s own words to GQ Magazine, “very f***ing expensive.” The star director estimated to industry executives that in order to break even the movie has “to be the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history.” That means it needs to make more than $2 billion. Earning nearly $3 billion, “Avatar” is the highest-grossing film of all time. And only one film during the pandemic era, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” has even come close to that mark, raking in nearly $1.9 billion. But for Cameron it’s all about the marathon, not the sprint. “The future of the Pandora isn’t going to be determined this weekend,” Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian said. “It’s going to be determined over the next many weeks as the film plays, and we’ll have, I think, strong week after week numbers.” The film might also be at the top of the list for viewers over the busy holiday period, which also won’t include any major blockbuster competition, Dergarabedian noted. However, the movie’s running time, 190 minutes, reduces the number of daily showings for theaters. The film could be a turning point for the movie theater industry too, which had been decimated by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The film’s success will also depend on whether audiences will pay for the immersive 3D experience, which has decreased in popularity over time, along with dwindling ticket sales. In 2009, “Avatar” earned $77 million in its opening weekend and collected 80% of its gross from 3D showings. That film revolutionized 3D viewing — and for its sequel, premium formats such as IMAX and 3D accounted for 62% of the domestic box office haul. “The Way of Water” notched the second highest all-time IMAX global opening weekend and the biggest IMAX December global opening ever. “I think people are on the fence about 3D,” Dergarabedian said. “But with ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ the 3D part of it is as woven in to its appeal as the movie itself.” Disney has placed a huge bet on the “Avatar” series. “The Way of Water” is one of four planned sequels, with a third installment set for release on December 20, 2024. The stars from the first film, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana, returned as Jake and Neytiri. In the sequel, they live on Pandora with their family. – CNN’s Oliver Darcy contributed to this report. Source: CNN News

According NPC Sport Performance Director Paul Bannister the trials for both para and able bodied will be held in NCD at the Sir John Guise stadium from 10am – 2pm on the 12th of January 2023. A similar program will also be held at the National Sports Institute in Goroka also from 10am – 2pm on the 17th of January 2023. Bannister said the main focus is for Para Athletes but also there will be testing for able bodied athletics to include people who couldn’t make it for the 2022 National Athletics Championships or simply want to try out. He added that while the trials are open to all ages he is encouraging Para Athletes within the age range of 14-18 years old. He said the focus is on international competitions like the Youth Commonwealth Games and the Pacific Games 2023 in Solomon Islands. The NPC will be trialing for sports like Para Archery, Para Badminton, Para Table Tennis and Para Powerlifting. Interested participants are encouraged to inquire with Paul: 72606043 or Susanne: 78127983 for more information on the trials.

Chairwoman of Nasfund, Tamzin Wardley today announced the appointment of Mr. Rajeev Sharma as the new Nasfund CEO to replace current incumbent, Ian Tarutia after he retires on the 31st March 2023. “The Nasfund Board at its meeting on 8th December 2022 resolved to promote the current Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Rajeev Sharma, to the CEO role from 1st April 2023. The Board and its Remuneration & Nominations Committee conducted an exhaustive and high calibre recruitment process that attracted nearly 100 candidates from both international and domestic markets before selecting Mr. Sharma. Mr. Sharma is a permanent resident of PNG and has been working in the country for over 20 years, with eight of these being as the Chief Financial Officer at Nasfund. He has understudied with our current CEO during the last few years and his promotion ensures the stability of our transition and continuity of our operations with minimum disruptions. He is extremely well qualified for the role and has a passion for the industry which we look forward to sharing with our members and stakeholders.” Mr. Sharma has over 30 years of experience in the financial sector having worked in India, Middle East and PNG. He is a Chartered Accountant, a CPA in both PNG and Australia and holds a Bachelors degree in Commerce (Honours) from the Delhi University in India. He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a professional member of the PNG Institute of Directors. Outgoing CEO Ian Tarutia said “Mr. Sharma is known to all staff and key stakeholders and has worked closely with me. Seven years as my Chief Financial Officer and recently since February 2022 as Chief Operating Officer. I am confident Rajeev will lead the Fund and all our staff well with the support andguidance of the Nasfund Board over the next phase of the Funds growth”. The Board will continue its succession planning program for the CEO and senior management positions to ensure the Fund has a strong pipeline of competent professionals to assume leadership roles of key functions into the future.

A busy year of competitions for Athletics PNG came to a close on December 11 with the completion of the 61st National track and field championships sponsored by PNG Air. With the Pacific Games in Honiara in November next year the 2023 PNG Games and National championships will be more important in selecting the team than the 2022 Championships. This event was more about providing good competition for the PNG based members of the squad and identifying new talent to add to the development squad. President Tony Green said that the event was made possible through the support of PNG Air and through funding support and in kind support from many other organisations. These included World Athletics , PNG Olympic Committee , Prima Smallgoods, Hohola Apartments,  National Sports Institute , PNG Sports Foundation and the HP Unit. The event was not without its challenges, with travel difficulties resulting in some key officials arriving later than planned, and some weaknesses in the organization of the event,  resulting in final preparations for the event being rushed. The Port Moresby based throws group assisted greatly with the conduct of the throwing events which was a big help due to a shortage of experienced officials. Nonetheless President Tony Green was impressed with many of the performances especially in the track events and in spite of the long delays the athletes faced. The big upset of the weekend was Pais Wisil upstaging Leroy Kamau in the mens 100m to win with an excellent personal best time of 10.69 secs. Coach Samu Sasama was pleased with Wisil’s improvement and said that he was beginning to cope better with the pressure of big competitions. In fact the NSI team showed the benefit of a good preparation and regular competition as their athletes coped better with multiple events than most of the other teams. PNG’s depth in the mens 400m was evident in the 4*400m where the NCD team which included national reps Leroy Kamau , Eldan Toti and Benjamin Aliel as well as young Paul Mea Gabara had to fight hard to hold off the NSI team of Pais Wisil , Timothy Tuna, Adolf Kauba and Jobbie Kinzu. In the womens sprints Edna Boafob dominated the 200m and 400m whilst NSI’s Salome Yaling showed considerable improvement to clock a huge personal best of 12.65secs in the 100m to win the race ahead of National Rep Monica Korowi. A number of the male middle distance runners identified by Athletics PNG from  the NGI Regional event and brought to Port Moresby ahead of the championships for lead up races performed very well including Juteis Robinson , Willie Kalai  and Kevin Livai, though it was disappointing that Kalai ran with the U18 instead of the open. In the womens middle and long distance events Christina Moiyang and Miriam Toby posted strong performances and it was very encouraging to see  the two Oro runners (Esmie Isoroembo and 17 year old Ray Kumala  Heru)  complete the demanding 3000m steeplechase event in respectable times of 13min 38 and 13:32 respectively. Scholastica Herman was as expected in scintillating form in the 800m (2min 15secs) and 1500m ( 4min 47 secs)  coming close to the national junior records in both events. Adolf Kauba is another athlete who has improved in his one year in Goroka training at the national Sports Institute, pushing Benjamin Aliel all the way in the 400m final and running 48.92secs. he also clocked a personal best 1min 55 in the 800m. In the field events , national record holders Lakona Gerega , Sharon Toako and Rellie Kaputin were all in action and throwing events for the  para athletes were included in the Championships for the first time. New talents that emerged from the championships include 15 year old  Judy Mitchell who won the U18   100m and 200m ; as well as young sprinters Emmanuel Mamei , Gerson Tinut and Paul Mea Gabara.

Headquarters Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) has been made aware of the incident involving drunk soldiers at the Port Moresby General Hospital on Sunday 18th of December 2022. Those soldiers involved in this incident had caused damages to the country’s biggest referral hospital. The damages are worth thousands of Kina at the Accident and Emergency Department. The PNG Defence Force does not condone such behaviour by soldiers in public. The Chief of Defence Force has ordered an urgent investigation into this matter and to ensure those involved are dealt with under the Code of Military Discipline and appropriate actions taken to ensure no repetition of such ill-discipline behaviour occurs again. PNGDF sincerely apologizes to the public for the inconveniences caused and the disruption to health services at the Accident and Emergency Department that may have taken place as result of the incident.

The Parramatta Eels are delighted to announce Dylan Brown has agreed to a multi-year extension to remain at the Club until at least the end of 2025 with an option to remain an Eel until 2031. Dylan has progressed through the Eels Junior Pathways system since 2016 and has made 82 first grade appearances for the Club following his NRL debut in 2019 at just 18 years of age. Dylan has also represented New Zealand in 5 Test matches. “I left New Zealand to pursue an NRL career when I was 15, and the Eels have been home for me ever since. It’s been an amazing journey so far, and the Club has an exciting future that I want to be part of for a long time,” Dylan said. “I’m grateful to be a part of this Club, from Brad and the coaches to my teammates, all the staff, our members and fans, I couldn’t picture myself anywhere else.” Parramatta Eels General Manager of Football Mark O’Neill said, “Dylan has just played the best season of his career helping us reach the Grand Final and earning him a representative spot for the Kiwis at the World Cup, and at just 22 years of age his best footy is still ahead of him. “He’s a wonderful contributor to our Club both on and off the field and we’re excited that he’ll continue to be an integral part of our organisation for many years.  As valuable as Dylan has been to the team’s performances, he’s already a great role model for other players through the way he connects with our community partners, our members and our fans.” The Club worked with Dylan and his agent following his return from the World Cup to lock in his future at the Club. “Dylan and I discussed his journey so far and what he wanted to achieve both on the field and off the field in the future.  The Parramatta Eels provides him the greatest environment to achieve these goals” said Dylan’s agent PSM Director Gavin Orr. Parramatta Eels CEO Jim Sarantinos said Dylan’s extension adds to the strong nucleus of players who have already signed long term deals with the Eels including co-captains Junior Paulo and Clint Gutherson, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Ryan Matterson and Shaun Lane. “It has been exciting to watch Dylan’s game progress since he joined our junior ranks in 2016. We have a strong forward pack for our halves to play behind, we’ve made some great new additions to our squad including a world class hooker, and we’re excited about the young talent coming through our pathways system," said Sarantinos. “Brad and the coaching staff did a wonderful job last season, and with their track record of developing players we’re in a position to compete for premierships each year, and Dylan’s commitment to the Club is a key part of that. “Dylan is a great ambassador for our Club and is loved by everyone at the Eels.  We are so fortunate to have a person like Dylan being a big part of our future – we hope he stays in the Blue and Gold for life”. A fan favourite, Dylan Brown won the Blue & Gold Army Award at the annual Ken Thornett Medal presentation this year, as well as the Ray Price Community Medal for his work with our community partner Ronald McDonald House. Source: NRL.Com

Trukai Industries Limited donated 3 tonnes of rice to assist 3 villages that are being affected by drought along the Markham district, Morobe Province. Representatives from Kukuc, Waritsian and Mamaringan Villages were pleased to receive Trukai's timely donation. Kukuc village leader, Michael Som, thanked Trukai Industries for helping the many families during their time of need. "Trukai will always be a part of our lives and a part of this country, it is through Trukai's quick intervention in places that need help that really demonstrates its strength as the only iconic brand in the country," said Som. Trukai has assisted many rural villages affected by natural disasters throughout the country in the past decade through its donation of rice, the biggest was in 1997 when areas of the Highlands were affected by frost making food scarce. A study conducted by Neville Whitecross and Philip Franklin in the early 2000s described Trukai's assistance as the only viable donation for any natural disaster relief in the country. It showed that at a time when nothing could grow, rice proved to be the only food supply that people could eat. Trukai Industry Limited’s Marketing Manager, Maryanne Tom said that the company will continue to assist the country's people during their time of need. "Trukai remains one of the country's iconic brands and it does so through its Corporate Social Responsibility program where the company assists charity organizations, hospitals and prisons through monthly rice and cash donations, agricultural programs to assist local rice farmers, and our commitment to helping villagers affected by natural disasters," said Tom

Six members of the PNG distance squad left for the Gold Coast on Sunday to join Siune Kagl and Dilu Goiye for two months intensive  preparation for the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst NSW. Scholastica Herman, Ongan Awa , Mary Tenge, Israel Takap, Aquila Turalom and James Gundu were joined by all rounder Edna Boafob who is resuming her own training programme towards the Pacific Games. The team were disappointed that Wilford Baia was not able to travel with them for medical reasons , however Abel Siune is expected to join the team this week when his travel documentation is in  order. The male athletes will stay at the Oceania Athletics Association House at Varsity Lakes whilst the female athletes will be at the Gold Coast Performance Centre, Runaway Bay. Coach Bernard Manau was unable to travel and a replacement coach will join the athletes immediately after Christmas. Athletics PNG President Tony Green said that it was important to keep the momentum going with the programme so it was decided last month that the athletes would not return home after the PNG Air National Championships, but travel to Brisbane. T here will be a variety of different training and plenty of competition opportunities , which will be very stimulating for the athletes Green added. Finding accommodation at this peak holiday time was difficult and he thanked the Oceania Athletic Association for their offer to house the athletes at an affordable cost. Green also thanked the PNG Olympic Committee for its support through the team preparation budget towards the 2023 Pacific Games