The New South Wales Blues have announced a 19-man squad for Game Three of the 2023 Ampol State of Origin series at Accor Stadium. Looking to avoid a clean sweep in the series on home soil, Blues coach Brad Fittler has made seven changes with Rabbitohs back-rower Keaon Koloamatangi and Knights centre Bradman Best named in the starting side to make their Origin debuts. Rabbitohs playmaker Cody Walker returns at five-eighth for his first game since 2020 while Jacob Saifiti, Clint Gutherson and Reagan Campbell-Gillard have also been recalled. Manly star Jake Trbojevic is also back after missing the first two games with a calf injury. Broncos prop Payne Haas (ankle) and Sea Eagle Tom Trbojevic (pectoral) were unavailable for selection while Jarome Luai, Hudson Young, Stefano Utoikamanu, Junior Paulo and Tyson Frizell have been omitted from the side that lost Game Two in Brisbane. Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater and Panthers enforcer Spencer Leniu have been rewarded for their good form with spots in the 19-man squad. Source: NRL Com

SP PNG Hunters utility Trevor Solu is player to watch for this round 16 of QRL CUP, featuring six times so far, this regular season and is quickly garnering a reputation as a dynamic impact player. With two tries and two assists from his six appearances so far, Solu is providing real X-factor. for the Hunters midway through the contest. Spending most of his playing time at dummy-half or through the middle third, Solu’s ballplaying and support game has been a standout over the last few games. He’s got a wonderful feel for the game and great vision, giving him a knack of popping up in the right places and at the right times. Solu did a wonderful job to support Morea Morea last week against the Falcons, collecting a late offload to dive over beside the uprights and extend the Hunters lead. He is still learning his game and is a work in progress at QRL level, but Solu has shown in limited opportunities so far that he is a genuine player of the future. He will share the hooking role with Judah Rimbu again this week against the Capras and can be a real point of difference around the ruck in how the Hunters work upfield.

A local contractor in East New Britain has thrown its support behind the Rabaul Softball Association [RSA] when it presented K2, 000 as sponsorship to the interim executive committee this week. The donation is timely and will support the interim executive committee in its endeavour to revive the code in Rabaul district. Mengen Limited, an SME Contractor through Managing Director, Ronald Lutulel presented K2, 000 cash as sponsorship to the interim executive committee of Rabaul Softball Association [RSA] on Tuesday at Rabaul Queen Elizabeth Park. Mr Lutulel, on behalf of Mengen Limited and its Board of Directors said he was honoured to come forward and support in a small way to alleviate law and order issues and help to revive the Code of Softball in Rabaul District. He further echoed that Mengen Limited is based out of Rabaul and would continue to come onboard and support sports as part of its social and community obligations. The RSA Interim Executive Chairlady, Bernadette Payao received the cash sponsorship and witnessed by members of the Interim Executive. She acknowledged Mengen Limited for its kind gesture and expressed gratitude for the timely sponsorship towards her committee as they prepare to host the Softball Tournament in July. She appealed to members of softball families, friends, supporters, and business communities to come on board in supporting her executives through sponsorships which will go a long way in reviving softball and successfully staging the tournament.

A vessel that’s set to be the world’s biggest cruise ship has completed construction at a shipyard in Finland and has made its first foray into open water for sea trials ahead of likely delivery in October this year. Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas is a mammoth 365 meters long (nearly 1,200 feet) and will weigh a projected 250,800 tonnes. For comparison, that’s like trying to keep two CN Towers afloat. When it sets sail on Caribbean waters in January 2024, it will comfortably hold some 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew. The boat’s piece de resistance will be the world’s largest waterpark at sea. Named Category 6, it’ll feature six record-breaking water slides, but guests who want a more leisurely experience can also relax in the boat’s seven pools and nine whirlpools. ‘Mind-blowing’ [caption id="attachment_41975" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Icon of the Seas will have 20 decks and eight neighborhoods to explore.[/caption] It’s being built at Meyer Turku shipyard, one of Europe’s leading shipbuilders, in Turku, Finland. At an on-site press panel earlier this year, Royal Caribbean International president and chief executive Michael Bayley told media that the vessel was on track to join the Royal Caribbean fleet on October 26, ahead of its 2024 debut. The current title holder of world’s largest cruise ship is another vessel in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Wonder of the Seas, which made its inaugural voyage just last year and is a slightly teensier 1,188 feet in length, with a mere 18 decks to explore. Royal Caribbean International is pitching Icon of the Seas as the cruise line’s evolutionary peak, using the latest technology and building on 50 years of learnings through the company’s history. "We are positioning it as the ultimate family vacation and when you step back and look at all the energy and time that has gone into creating this ship it is mind-blowing,” Bayley said. The Icon completed its first set of sea trials on June 22, according to a Royal Caribbean statement. “During her first set of sea trials, Icon of the Seas traveled hundreds of miles, during which the main engines, hull, brake systems, steering, noise, and vibration levels were all tested,” the statement said. “Everything was done on time as outlined in the schedule, despite her departure being delayed due to wind conditions.” ‘The perfect home base’ [caption id="attachment_41976" align="alignnone" width="788"] A rendering shows what the ship will look like when finished.[/caption] The ship promises more than 40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained, many of which are included in the cruise fare. With 20 decks and eight neighborhoods to explore, the idea is to cater to every type of vacationer, with everything from areas dedicated to young families, to adults-only spaces such as Royal Caribbean International’s first dueling pianos bar. There are 28 different types of accommodations, with more categories for families, more layouts with ocean views and more space for group travelers. The cruise line says it’s the longest timeframe it’s ever dedicated to “designing the perfect home base.” Icon of the Seas is also Royal Caribbean International’s first ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology, as part of the company’s move to a clean-energy future. 2,600 workers per day Some 2,600 workers have been grafting on Icon of the Seas each day. For the sea trials, hundreds of specialists were on board to assess performance over four days. Royal Caribbean says a second set of sea trials is scheduled for later in 2023. Record-breaking sales Buzz about the ship is such that advance sales have been record-breaking. Michael Bayley is reported to have described Icon of the Seas during the company’s quarterly financial results as “literally the best-performing new product launch we’ve ever had.” Icon of the Seas will sail seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Miami all year round. Every sailing will include a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s award-winning private island destination, as well as its new expansion, Hideaway Beach. Source: CNN News

For you movie lovers, the latest edition of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts has started screening at the Paradise Cinema, Vision City Mega Mall in Port Moresby. Rise of the Beasts is the seven installment in the Transformers live-action film series and is a thrilling addition that will leave fans of the series thrilled and satisfied. Directed by Steven Caple Jr., the film takes place in New York City during the 1990s and follows a new cast of characters as they navigate a world where Transformers, Predacons, and Maximals exist. The film showcases Optimus Prime and the Autobots taking on yet another challenge when a new threat capable of destroying the entire planet emerges, they must team up with a powerful faction of Transformers known as the Maximals to save Earth. The movie features impressive special effects and action-packed scenes that will leave audiences on the edge of their seats. For the fans, "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" introduces new robots and nods to the original series, bringing a sense of reminiscence to the film. The cast, which includes Anthony Ramos, who stars in the film along with Dominique Fishback, and Ron Perlman, delivers strong performances that add depth to their characters. While the plot may feel familiar to fans of the franchise, "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" offers enough new elements to keep the story fresh and engaging. Overall, the film is a fun and exciting addition to the Transformers universe that will leave audiences wanting more. Meanwhile, a private screening was held over the weekend for film reviewers made possible through the support of Coca Cola.

Unforeseen technical difficulties with two of Air Niugini’s Boeing 767 aircrafts have rendered them both temporarily unserviceable in Brisbane. This is according to Acting Chief Executive Officer, Gary Seddon, who stated that a team comprised of highly skilled engineers and technicians has already been put in place and are working tirelessly to rectify the issues and restore these aircraft to full operational capacity as soon as possible. “At Air Niugini, safety is our topmost priority. However, due to the complexity of the required repairs and the availability of spare parts, we anticipate that the restoration process may take longer than initially expected.” “We are hopeful to have one of the wide body aircraft operational by the end of today (Sunday 25th of June). The parts were secured from the US and shipped overnight. The other aircraft will be unavailable for longer than expected, as we are performing an engine change, once a spare engine has been moved to Brisbane.” As a result of both these unserviceable aircraft, Air Niugini had to make major adjustments to their flight schedules, leading to disruptions for the passengers traveling both domestically and internationally. “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by these changes and understand the frustration this may cause our customers.” Seddon said that Air Niugini is actively engaging with affected passengers to minimize disruptions and provide suitable alternatives wherever possible. The customer service teams are working diligently to assist passengers with rebooking, refunds, and accommodation arrangements as required. Seddon expressed on behalf of the airline that they very much appreciate the patience and cooperation during this challenging period whilst in the meantime, they are exploring all available options to alleviate the impact on their operations. “We are working closely with our industry partners and evaluating the possibility of ‘wet leasing’ additional aircraft to supplement our fleet and minimize service disruptions.” However, due to the scarcity of available aircraft across the region, it is unlikely that additional aircraft will be used as a short-term solution. We are committed to ensuring that our customers' travel plans are accommodated to the best of our ability. “The integrity of the schedule has been a cause for concern for many months, which is why we have taken the necessary steps to procure four Q400 turboprop aircraft and 2 larger Boeing 737-800 narrow body regional jet aircraft. All units will be delivered to PNG before the end of 2023. We then expect brand new aircraft to join the fleet from the end of 2024 through to 2028.” Air Niugini understands that their passengers rely on them to provide seamless and reliable air transportation services, and sincerely regret any inconvenience caused. Air Niugini assures all passengers that they are doing everything within their power to expedite the repairs and resume normal operations at the earliest. They remain steadfast in their commitment to safety, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction and will continue to provide regular updates on the progress of the repairs and the restoration of their affected aircraft. “I am incredibly grateful to our valued passengers for their patience during this challenging time. I am also thankful to the dedicated Air Niugini team who are doing everything within their power to assist passengers to get to destinations.”

The Olympic Week celebrations in the lead up to Olympic Day, which took place yesterday Friday 23rd June, was celebrated with a myriad of sports activities centered around the 2023 Olympic Day theme; ‘Let’s Move’. The celebrations took place in Goroka, Kavieng, Port Moresby and other centers in the country in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and ExxonMobil PNG. The initiative was supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) through its partnership with the IOC that combines the power of the Olympics and the WHO’s advice on physical activity to help inspire and motivate people to move for better health. Since Papua New Guinea (PNG) joined the Olympic Movement in 1974, they have been part of the Olympic Day celebrations. The important event in the Olympic Movement calendar has been celebrated worldwide since 1948. It is celebrated to commemorate the establishment of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the Sorbonne, Paris in 1894 where the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, rallied for the revival of the Olympic Games. It celebrates sport, health, togetherness, and help spread the Olympic ideals. Olympic Day provides a platform to inspire people to get active and move more for better health. With the belief that sport can help make a better world, irrespective of whether you are a city, a school, an organization or an individual, everyone has the power to inspire others through movement. Celebrations in the country started off the Let’s Move! Campaign in the Highlands region in Eastern Highlands together with the staff of the Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation arm in the province, the National Sports Institute and the junior-level students of Jolly Bee Day Care Center. Celebrated activities then moved to the Islands region with activities in Kavieng, New Ireland Province. The activities involved senior and junior basketballers of the Kavieng Amateur Basketball Association, including children, youth and adults that joined a beach clean-up, education and awareness on the Olympic Values, a fun game of Basketball and a Basketball Referees Rules refresher session, which was led by Team PNG HERO and Basketball PNG’s Hoops for Health Coach, Jordan Sere. Meanwhile, in Port Moresby, the Olympic Day celebrations continued early this week at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), where the Unity Games were held. Activities included information on the Let’s Move campaign, Olympic Values Education Program and Fun Games. The celebrations ended with a 30-minute workout with PNG Olympians, Team PNG athletes and officials, Board members and staff of the PNG Olympic Committee.

The Church Partnership Program (CPP) recently hosted its annual Forum in Port Moresby which was held on the 20th-21st of June, aimed to foster stronger collaboration between churches, the Government, civil society, and private sector organizations to enhance service delivery in the communities. The forum was hosted by the United Church of Papua New Guinea (PNG) and centered its discussions on the theme; “Rethinking development in PNG, through theological principles and effective governance.” The CPP Forum is an annual event that provides the seven mainline churches the opportunity to reassess and adjust their plans with their commitment to serving communities across Papua New Guinea. The Forum is supported by the PNG-Australia Partnership through the CPP. Representatives from the churches, along with stakeholders from the Government, civil society, and the private sector, convened to explore collaborative approaches in enhancing and strengthening service delivery in PNG. In anticipation of the event, Moderator Reverend Bernard Siai, emphasized the pivotal role of churches in local communities. “Churches have extensive footprints and strong ties in communities and can play a key role in service delivery. This forum is an opportunity to discuss how we all can work collaboratively to bring services effectively to our people.” In addition to this, Phase 4 of the CPP was launched during the forum, which further signifies the Australian Government’s long-standing commitment and support to PNG churches under the PNG-AUS Partnership to promote improved service delivery in PNG through collaboration, capacity building, and evidence-informed advocacy. Following the forum, church leaders will meet to affirm their commitment to collaborative action, addressing crucial issues such as enhancing accountability in service delivery, and utilizing church influence to combat gender-based and sorcery accusation related violence.

The Kokopo Lord Mayor, Isidor Bonga is now calling on all stakeholders in the public sector to work together to address fire hazards in Kokopo town in East New Britain Province. The town recently experienced a spate of fire disasters which had gutted a number of shops in the town. Bonga, who met with the Kokopo Fire Station Commander Steven Ephraim Namur, said that a way forward must be identified by stakeholders to address fire safety issues currently affecting the town. “Fires have gutted a number of shops in Kokopo town and is a wakeup call for the province. This indicates the need to review safety standards of buildings and fire service operations must be properly equipped.” Bonga said Water PNG must have the capacity to put out fires. There should be fire hydrants especially in densely populated areas where time is of great essence during emergency situations such as a fire. He stated that there should be one fire hydrant easily accessible in streets so fire fighters can tap into a water supply. “The Fire Services in the province must seek support from the provincial government if they are facing logistical support. Building boards and people who wanted to construct new buildings must also consult the community safety sections of the fire service.” The Kokopo Vunamami Urban LLG will have monthly meetings with concerned stakeholders to ensure there is routine inspections conducted at business houses and all safety standards and requirements are complied with. Bonga stated that as a matter of urgency, the building board which comprises of staff from Department of Works, PNG Power Ltd, Water PNG Ltd, ENB provincial administration, health inspectors and KVULLG must review the standard (fire safety and other safety measures) for all buildings in Kokopo town. “We need to work together to make sure fire safety is addressed at all levels.”

PNGFM Limited, parent company of NAU FM, Yumi FM and Legend FM, Total Events Company, PNG HAUSBUNG, and Magic Factory is complying with directive from the Censorship Office regarding the temporary ban on songs by artist Jason SuiSui or better known as Jayrex. This follows receipt today of the official notice from the Chief Censor under the Classification of Publication (Censorship) Act, 1989 and the issued Circular instruction to inform the public including media mediums of the directive on the temporary ban issuance. The Notice from Censorship said, “Any person or entity operating the business activities are hereby advised that all publications (songs) composed and published by Artist: JASON SUISUI (JAYREX) are “TEMPORARILY BANNED” from being broadcasted, displayed, or exhibited.” “This is after it was brought to the Censorship Office that Jason Suisui composed publications (songs) causing emotional and psychological issues to a person or certain class of persons, to or for whom, it is published or is intended to be published or is intended to be published and as such, the publications produced by Suisui is found to be “objectionable publications” under the Classification of Publication (Censorship) Act, 1989. (Section 2(1)).” “As stipulated under Section 17(1) (b) and Section 18(1) (b) (d) (e) and 18(2), and Section 34 of the Classification of Publication (Censorship) Act, 1989: Chief Censor under his functions has the power in relation to publication and broadcasting as are conferred on him or obtain expert advice as the Chief Censor to consider appropriate decisions on any matter to be considered by him as the Prescribed Authority.” PNGFM Ltd General Manager Ms Rosemarie Botong said PNGFM Ltd via the 3 radio stations NAU FM, Yumi FM and Legend FM are complying with this directive and have removed all songs from the artist Jayrex from rotation and airplay here on. “We are complying with the directives of the Chief Censor, whereby media mediums were informed to take immediate action and have ceased the artist: Jason ‘Jayrex’ Suisui’s songs from being broadcasted, displayed or exhibited in or on any stated operations forthwith.” It is understood that Enforcement and Compliance officers will be conducting inspections of all stated operations to ensure compliance with the Chief Censor’s directives. Meanwhile, the Office of Censorship has further stipulated that any failure to comply with the directive will result in legal action being taken for breaching the ban.

Theodist Limited recently presented travel vouchers and cash payments totaling K35,000 to the lucky winners of the Lenovo Win a Trip Promotion. The promotion took place throughout the months of March and April, offering our valued customers an opportunity to win travel tickets and extra spending money. The response to this promotion was overwhelming, with an astonishing number of over 200,000 entries pouring in from our branches in Port Moresby, Lae, and Mt Hagen. The 1st prize winner, Mr. Patrick, walked away with a K15,000 travel voucher including K2,000 in spending money, Mr. Yasinga, the 2nd prize winner received a K10,000 travel voucher plus K2,000 in spending money, and Mr. Chen, who won the 3rd prize, was granted a K5,000 travel voucher along with K1,000 in spending money. Kevin Anderson, the National Sales and Marketing Manager of Theodist Limited, expressed sincere gratitude to all the customers who actively participated in this promotion, acknowledging their invaluable contribution to its success. "On behalf of Theodist Limited, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners of this competition.” “We hope you will take this opportunity to travel around the world with your families and enjoy that once-in-a-lifetime experience." "We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to all our customers for their participation in this promotion including our partner, Lenovo, who has played a fundamental role in making this promotion a success," Anderson added. “Continuing our dedication to our valued customers, we are excited to announce our latest promotion.” “Throughout the month of June, for every purchase of an HP Managed Printer, Theodist is giving away three top-of-the-range HP X360 convertible laptops valued at K25,000.” Additionally, customers will receive a complimentary 3kVA Torq UPS with every purchase of an HP Managed Printer. “At Theodist, delivering excellent customer service and creating opportunities to enhance the lives of our customers is fundamental to our values.” “We remain committed to our tradition of bringing remarkable initiatives and promotions to our valued customers, ensuring that their experience with us remains extraordinary.”

A WASH Committee has been established in the Rabaul District of East New Britain Province to help drive projects aimed at improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation needs in the communities of its four local level governments. District Administrator, Benedict Mode, said the establishment of the committee is part of the National WASH policy that requires districts to have WASH committees and is one of the priority of the government of the day to drive WASH projects and programs. The district WASH committee chaired by Mode and comprised of the four LLG managers and sector heads, was established following a training conducted in March of this year in Kokopo and attended by the environmental health officers (EHOs) and Mode himself. “After this training we went as far as establishing the WASH committee which is one of the activities in the district and is also included in the activity program for 2023.” “We have conducted a number of meetings in the last few weeks including a submission to the district management team to endorse the terms of reference and funding allocation of K600, 000 for the committee.” A WASH Technical team under the committee has also been set up specifically to look at improving water supply projects in the wards including schools and health facilities within the district. According to an implementation schedule, a training will be held for ward development officers and EHOs next month (July), which is also a requirement of the policy to come up with a five year implementation plan for the WASH program in the district. “After the training we will then visit the wards and conduct surveys and data collections to help draft the five year plan that will run concurrently with the Rabaul district 5 year development plan, also being drafted. Both plans should be launched before the year ends.” Meanwhile Mode said the committee plans to implement two projects targeting Watom LLG and Gelagela in Kombiu LLG this year.