Over the past two years, nine out of 10 countries have slid backwards on the UN's Human Development Index. Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and the impact of climate change are blamed for putting global development in reverse. The Human Development Index was launched in 1990 in an effort to look beyond GDP as a measure of well-being. Switzerland sits at the top of the index this year with a life expectancy of 84 years, an average of 16.5 years spent in education and median salary of $66,000. At the other end of the scale is South Sudan where life expectancy is 55, people spend just 5.5 years in school on average and earn $768 a year. Setbacks in a majority of the 191 countries included in the index, especially in life expectancy, have taken development levels back to those seen in 2016, reversing a 30-year trend. In the US, for example, life expectancy at birth has dropped by more than two years since 2019. In other countries the decline is much higher. Over the years since the index was introduced, many countries have faced crises and slid backwards, but the global trend consistently moved upwards. Last year was the first time the index declined overall since calculations began and this year's results solidified that downward trend. The impact has been uneven though. Two-thirds of rich countries rebounded last year while most others continued to decline. This year's index is based on data from 2021. "But the outlook for 2022 is grim," says Achim Steiner, one of its authors, who points out that more than 80 countries are facing problems paying off their national debt. "Eighty countries being one step away from facing that kind of crisis is a very serious prospect," he says. "We are seeing deep disruptions, the tail end of which will play out over a number of years." Source: BBC News

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has welcomed foreign investors into Papua New Guinea, as he launched the K130 million Paga Hill Paradise project in Port Moresby this week. He said the 22-storey luxury apartments project, besides Fairfax Harbour, was at the heart of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) earmarked by Government in the National Capital District and would be completed over two years. Present with PM Marape were NCD Governor Hon. Powes Parkop; Moresby North-East MP Hon. John Kaupa; Sarawak (Malaysia) Minister for Tourism Creative Industry and Performing Arts His Excellency Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; Malaysian Ambassador His Excellency Mohamad Nasri Abdul Rahman; Chinese Embassy representative Jiliang Chen; developers of Paga Hill Paradise and members of the private sector. PM Marape thanked the investors for having faith in Port Moresby and PNG by investing K130 million. “My Government – regardless of colour, political divide, religion or tribe – encourages business investments,” he said. “This is a country that has shown its ability to repay its investors with a substantial return on investments. “Going forward, you will not be discouraged if you invest in our country, you will have a good return on your investment. “In 1975 we had an economy that was under K5 billion, in 2011 we had an economy of K44.4 billion, in 2019 when I took over from Government we had an economy of K79.6 billion, today after three hard years – and endorsed by International Monetary Fund and World Bank – our economy is peaking at K110 billion. “We are a nation that is growing. “My generation of leaders envisages growing our economy to a K200 billion economy over the next eight years. “This time, 10 years from today, our economy would have gone past K200 billion. “As the economy expands, there’ll be a lot of room and need for services, infrastructure, buildings, entertainment precincts. “Special economic zones are meant to be places of investment, expansion, and I thank the investors for choosing to invest here.” PM Marape said the Port Moresby SEZ was one of many that would be established in all 21 provinces and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. “The special economic zones must attract investments, and we invite investors to go into those special economic zones,” he said. “Paga Hill Precinct in the city centre has been ticked by Government as a special economic zone, with the support of the National Capital District Commission, and investors must come here to this all-inclusive ‘city within a city’ and business centre. “This area must be given a modern outlook in line with Governor Parkop’s ambitious, but achievable, plan to deliver Port Moresby as the ‘amazing city’ of the Pacific.”

Parramatta's win over the Storm has set up a tantalising showdown against defending premiers Penrith tonight to open the Telstra Premiership Finals series. The Panthers were beaten just four times all season on their way to claiming the minor premiership, and the Eels own two of those victories over Ivan Cleary's men - winning 22-20 in Round 9 and 34-10 in Round 20. With a preliminary final berth on offer, the two western Sydney rivals will rip in from the opening whistle and the forward battle is sure to rock the foundations of BlueBet Stadium. The Eels would love nothing better than to avenge their loss to the Panthers in last year's semi-finals, when the intervention of a trainer at a critical moment late in the game robbed the blue and golds of momentum and left a bitter taste as they succumbed 8-6 in a bruising encounter. The Panthers went on to beat the Storm in an epic preliminary final and the Rabbitohs in a tense decider to claim the club's third premiership and they have given themselves a great shot at becoming the first back-to-back premiers since the Roosters in 2018-19. Source: NRL.com

It is with the greatest sadness that I heard of the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. This is indeed the end of an Era, an Era that will surely be known as the Second Elizabethan Era. Her Majesty was and is a towering figure in the history of Great Britain, indeed in the history of the world. She presided over a tumultuous and quickly evolving period of history, and she did so with grace and dignity. Her strength and the esteem in which she was held by the world is unequalled. This was never so clear as in the way she presided over the dissolution of the British Empire. I can think of no greater acclamation, no greater tribute to any monarch than the fact that essentially the entire former colonial empire of England, of Great Britain, voluntarily – and even eagerly – chose to remain tied to the former colonial power through the Commonwealth of Nations. I give Her Majesty full credit for that achievement, an achievement never equaled in the history of nations, the British Commonwealth above all is the child of Her Majesty. Having had the honour of private meetings with Her Majesty twice at Buckingham Palace, I also remember well the visit of Her Majesty to Papua New Guinea in 1974 to commemorate the granting of Self-Government to our country, and again in 1977 to celebrate her Silver Jubilee. I would later, in 1981, become a member of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, a privilege I consider to be the greatest of my life. I cant to convey the profound sadness of myself, my family and all the people of New Ireland at this terrible loss. But at the same time I want to thank the House of Windsor for the remarkable gift we were given in the form of the reign of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. She was a Queen, a Monarch, who will never be equaled

PNG Air wishes to advise passengers and the travelling public that flights into Wapenamanda, Enga Province have now resumed. This following a suspension that was placed on the 12th July due to safety concerns over vandalism of airport property and suspension of services by the National Airports Corporation in Wapenamada. Passengers can now book tickets to travel online at www.pngair.com.pg or at your nearest PNG Air, Post PNG Sales Office and Travel Agent. We thank you for your continued understanding and look forward to welcoming you onboard soon.

Papua New Guineans from the mountains, valleys and coasts rose up this morning to the news that our Queen has been taken to rest by God. She was the anchor of our Commonwealth and for PNG we fondly call her ‘Mama Queen’ because she was the matriarch of our country as much as she was to her family and her Sovereign realms. God bless her Soul as she lays in rest. May God bless also King Charles III. Her Majesty’s people in PNG shares the grief with our King and his family. James Marape MP Prime Minister of PNG PC:

The University of Papua New Guinea and the Remington Group witnessed the commissioning of a new Konica Minolta Accurio C4070 four-colour press by the University Printery yesterday. The new press is one of the most modern production presses in Papua New Guinea and will enable the Printery to produce high quality four-colour publications for the students in its five Schools, the Open College, and the other services and support divisions. “The acquisition of this press will mean that the University Printery will be able to produce its high quality four-colour publications, such as the Annual Orientation Week Programs Student Handbooks, and Graduation Programs, in house, which will be a major cost saving for the University”, said Pro Vice-Chancellor, Vincent Malaibe. In his response, the CEO of the Remington Group, Mr. Peter Goodwin congratulated the Printery on their new acquisition and emphasized its capabilities. “This Konica Minolta C4070 is the best four-colour production press available on the market and will certainly enhance the presentation of the University textbooks, resource books, and other quality four-colour publications, to support the University’s teaching and learning activities. The Remington Group will always give sound support to the education of all Papua New Guineans”, said Peter Goodwin. The commissioning of the four-colour press included a demonstration of the long-term capacity and capability of the press to achieve the technical production goals that have been set by the Printery.

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years. She died peacefully on Thursday afternoon at her Scottish estate, where she had spent much of the summer. The Queen came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change. Her son King Charles III said the death of his beloved mother was a "moment of great sadness" for him and his family and that her loss would be "deeply felt" around the world. He said: "We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother. "I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world." During the coming period, he said he and his family would be "comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held". The King and his wife, Camilla, now Queen Consort, will return to London on Friday, Buckingham Palace said. Senior royals had gathered at Balmoral after the Queen's doctors became concerned about her health earlier in the day. All the Queen's children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision. Her grandson and now heir to the throne, Prince William, and his brother, Prince Harry, also gathered there. Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was appointed by the Queen on Tuesday, said the monarch was the rock on which modern Britain was built, who had "provided us with the stability and strength that we needed". Speaking about the new King, she said: "We offer him our loyalty and devotion, just as his mother devoted so much, to so many, for so long. "And with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country, exactly as Her Majesty would have wished, by saying the words 'God save the King'." Source: BBC News

Apple unveiled its new iPhone 14 lineup at a press event on this week, along with three new Apple Watch models, an update to its popular AirPods product line and a feature that could save lives when cell service isn't available. At a closely-watched event from its headquarters in Cupertino, California, Apple showed off four new smartphones, including a larger 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus model and an updated iPhone 14 Pro that rethinks the much-maligned notch. In typical Apple fashion, the devices also offer better battery life and camera features than the year prior. The biggest surprise, however, may be the price: The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus will start at $799 and $899, respectively, the same starting prices as last year's models. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max start at $999 and $1099, respectively, also unchanged from the year prior. Analysts widely predicted Apple would hike the price of the premium models by $100. "It is impressive that Apple has maintained year-on-year pricing parity on the new iPhone 14 devices in the US," said Leo Gebbie, principal analyst, connected devices at CCS Insight. "We had anticipated that inflation, increased production and component costs, and other expenses such as more expensive shipping would have led Apple to increase its retail pricing." For Apple, the stakes are always high to convince customers to upgrade devices, and especially the iPhone, which remains its central product. That task is potentially made more difficult this year by broader economic jitters, including fears of a looming recession. [caption id="attachment_26311" align="alignnone" width="780"] Apple unveils the new iPhone 14 product line at a big press event on Wednesday.[/caption] Throughout the event, Apple appeared to alternate between pitching its suite of products as tools for living our best lives and also for avoiding any number of ills that may befall customers in an uncertain world, ranging from car crashes to getting stranded in the wild. Apple announced several new Apple Watch models, including a higher-end version that costs $799 and is designed to support the needs of a rarefied group of outdoor enthusiasts. It also added an option for its watches to detect when a user has been in a car crash, as well as a satellite connectivity featurefor phones, which is intended to help people communicate when their cell service isn't working. Here are the big highlights from the event: The new iPhone 14 lineup Apple unveiled four new smartphones, including the new iPhone 14 with a 6.1-inch screen and the iPhone 14 Plus with a larger 6.7-inch screen. The new iPhone 14 features a 12 MP main camera with bigger pixels, a faster aperture and improved sensors. It also uses the same chip as last year's iPhone 13 Pro model (the A15), the first time it's repeated a chip in years. For the first time, however, the new front camera has auto focus, allowing it to focus at multiple distances in low light for better individual and group selfies. It also has a new action mode that lets users keep videos stable while moving. Apple's new Pro line features an always-on display and the ability to receive notifications and activities through what the company is calling "the dynamic island," the much polarizing notch at the top of the phone that is now considered a feature. The Pro line also comes with the first-ever 48 MP camera on an iPhone. In a notable shift, the iPhone 14 lineup also eliminates the need for a physical SIM card and instead uses a digital "e-SIM" card. Now, users can store multiple e-SIMs on the same device and have multiple cellular plans and phone numbers on the same phone. I t also prevents others from removing the physical SIM card if your iPhone is lost or stolen. Apple said all US models of the iPhone will no longer have the SIM tray. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will come in five colors: midnight, starlight, blue, purple and red. New Apple Watches Apple unveiled three new smartwatches at the event: the Series 8, the SE and the Ultra. At the high end, the Ultra model is designed to help users track endurance training, scuba diving adventures and triathlons. The device gets about 36 hours on a single charge, is more water resistant and boasts an enhanced compass that can work at night, in the ocean and other conditions. At the low end, Apple updated the SE to be up to 20% faster than the prior version. It starts at $249 for GPS models and $299 for cellular models.   [caption id="attachment_26312" align="alignnone" width="780"] Apple Watch Series 8.[/caption] And in the middle is the Series 8 model,which starts at $399. Like prior versions of Apple's smartwatch, the Series 8 is intended to motivate users to stay active and fit. Apple also emphasized the Watch's features for women's health, with revamped period cycle tracking tools that can predict ovulation. The tracking data is kept on each device and only accessible through a passcode or face ID, according to the company. Apple does not have a key to encrypted data and so it cannot access it without your express permission. The announcement comes as data security for women has become a major flashpoint in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. New AirPods Pro 2 Apple showed off its latest generation of AirPods Pro, one of its bigger breakout products of recent years. The new AirPods Pro will have six hours of listening time with a single charge, better than the original version. Each headphone and the case itself are now equipped to make a noise to help you find it. And a light swipe up and down the headphone will increase or decrease volume.   [caption id="attachment_26313" align="alignnone" width="780"] The new AirPods Pro.[/caption] AirPods Pro now comes with improved dynamic noise-cancellation technology, and can cancel out double the amount of noise compared to the original version. Meanwhile, a new adaptive transparency mode aims to reduce harsh environmental noise. The AirPods Pro 2 cost $249 and hit stores on Friday. Satellite connectivity for emergency situations While Apple did not unveil any groundbreaking new hardware products, at least one new feature could prove to be a game changer for customers — albeit in rare situations. The new Emergency SOS via Satellite feature, which Apple said has been in the works for years, was designed and built specifically foriPhone 14 devices to connect to satellites when not near a terrestrial tower. By allowing users to point their device toward a satellite, which the phone will help locate, users will be able to send and receive information to get emergency help. The company said it created a short text compression mechanism to condense messages that take about 15 seconds to send if a user has a clear view of the sky. (It may take a few minutes longer if something like foliage is in the way.) Apple said local providers will be alerted to help call for help. Source: CNN News

Veteran striker Raymond Gunemba has been named captain of the PNG Kapuls team to the MSG Prime Ministers Cup in Port Vila, Vanuatu. A seasoned campaigner at international seen, commonly known as RG7 is the most experienced player of all the squad members. Played football in three countries New Zealand, Australia and Fiji, the Morobean man was the obvious pick to lead the team. PNG Kapuls Team Manager and MSG Prime Minister Working Committee member Joseph Ealedona announced it during the first training run this morning at Sir John Guise stadium. He said after close consultation with PNGFA Technical Team, the captain’s arm band was passed to Gunemba as the oldest player to lead the team. He replaces Alwin Komolong who will join the team later depend on his injury. Also included the team is Ismael Pole who fought his way back into the team. Gunemba was happy to lead the team saying he would give his best when they travel to Vanuatu. Coach Marcos Gusmao said he was happy to get involved with the boys again after Qatar’s qualifier early this year. “We have a very short time to prepare but with all the boys from Qatar Games still in the team, I believe will come up with a strong team to take on the visitors,” he said. Team Manager Nigel Kiaka urged the boys to fully cooperate with the coaching team as they got only few days to go before leaving tentatively on Sunday for Vanuatu. Source: PNG Football Association (FB Page)

Knights star Kalyn Ponga has officially withdrawn from potential selection for the Australian Kangaroos ahead of the rescheduled 2021 World Cup starting next month in England. The Knights released a statement on Wednesday indicating Ponga had informed Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga he would make himself unavailable for the tournament in a bid to focus on Newcastle's return to pre-season training in November. The Knights were one of the most disappointing NRL sides in 2022 with Ponga restricted to just 14 appearances due to repeated head knocks, including a final one in Round 19 that ruled him out of the final six weeks of the season. The 24-year-old was also recently cleared of any wrongdoing after being filmed coming out of a toilet cubicle in Newcastle with Knights teammate Kurt Mann last month. "I understand the potential opportunities that may be missed by this decision, however, due to the year we have endured, I really want to commit on the upcoming pre-season,” Ponga said. "My focus will sit firmly with nailing pre-season from the start, and I believe this decision is in the best interest of myself and the Knights." Knights forward Daniel Saifiti has also previously indicated he will miss the tournament to focus on the club's hopeful turnaround in 2023, although he was named alongside his brother Jacob in a preliminary 33-man Fiji Bati squad on Wednesday. Source: NRL.com

New support for the access to contraceptive, family planning and other sexual and reproductive health services in the Pacific has been announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs during a visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG). "Aotearoa New Zealand already works closely with the partners offering sexual and reproductive health services throughout the region, including here in Papua New Guinea, but we recognize much more needs to be done," said Nanaia Mahuta. "We are investing  a further NZ$30 million over five years for government and non government agencies working across the Pacific to improve care and access to health services in this area. "These are substantial challenges for some communities, like women and young girls, those on the remote locations or vulnerable minorities, to access services and information to help make their own decisions about sexual and reproductive choices and healthcare. "The funding will help address high adolescents pregnancy rates, high level of maternal mortality , and sexual and gender based violence amongst other health and wellbeing needs. "It will have a focus on family planning, strengthening health systems within countries, and grassroots advocacy and training efforts. The investments recognizes the need for safe, locally driven approaches to healthcare, and it supports partners' ambitions and strategies. " While the primary emphasis will be on sexual and reproductive health, it is also intended that this commitment supports women and girls to grow their leadership potential, and reinforces the importance of taking care  of their wider health and well being. "Aotearoa New Zealand's investment is directed to public and private sector partners like the Pacific Ministries of Health , the United Nations Population Fund, International Planned Parenthood Federation, the International Women's Development Agency and Marie Stopes International. " The COVID-19 global pandemic has compromised delivery of some sexual and reproductive health and rights services in Pacific countries, as resources are diverted elsewhere, and lockdowns and supply chains disruptions have impeded access to care. "Not only is the are of health a priority for our own country, but also our responsibility as a Pacific nation, standing shoulder to shoulder: tatou,tatou-all of us together. This work will help us all in our efforts towrads achieving social and economic resilience in the Pacific," Nanaia Mahuta said. The Foreign Affairs Minister made the announcement at the Marie Stopes International (MSI) clinic in Port Moresby. She met the team from both MSI and Papua New Guinea and the PNG Family Health Association, two key partners who receive support under the new investment.