Deborah Alois has been welcomed by CPL Group as the Manager for CPL Foundation, the Group's Philanthropic arm. With an impressive background across environmental management, sustainable development, climate advocacy, youth empowerment, health communication, and anti-corruption work in Papua New Guinea, Deborah’s expertise perfectly aligns with CPL Foundation’s mission to uplift women and girls through education, healthcare, and economic empowerment. Her responsibilities began on July 29th of this year and involve creating and executing strategic plans to further the foundation's mission. Her key responsibilities encompass program management, financial oversight, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that initiatives are delivered effectively and sustainably. "I look forward to leading the Foundation in delivering impactful development programs that prioritize people—both in the communities we serve and by the teams executing the programs.” Deborah holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Geography and a Diploma in Project Management. She is passionate about transitioning the foundation towards sustainable, long-term development programs that empower women and girls. She also aims to pursue a master’s in development studies and/or a master’s in business administration.

The Bati and Kumuls, two proud and fervent rugby league nations, will face battle in a titanic match in Suva to begin their Pacific Bowl campaign tomorrow. With promotion and relegation added to the mix in 2024 there is more than just national pride at stake - the winner of the Pacific Bowl playing off against the third-placed Pacific Cup nation for a place in the 2025 Pacific Cup pool. That makes a first-up win even more crucial in front of a heaving crowd at Suva's HFC Bank Stadium, with free-flowing football sure to be the order of the day. The Bati and Kumuls met twice during last year's Pacific Championships with the results shared, but both of those games were in Port Moresby, now the Bati get to play a Test on home soil for the first time since 2000 and Tui Kamikamica will have his men primed for the occasion. Expect a torrid forward battle as Kamikamica and Ben Nakubuwai look to lay the foundations for Bulldogs superstar Viliame Kikau to run riot out wide, while the Kumuls' NRL pairing of Jacob Alick and Jack de Belin will fight for every metre in the middle. Rhyse Martin skippers a Kumuls side that includes Jack de Belin at lock, Lachlan Lam at halfback and Nene Macdonald at fullback. With star hooker Edwin Ipape sidelined by injury, cult figure Judah Rimbu takes over in the No.9 on the back of a classy display for the PM's XIII. Five-eighth Kyle Laybutt plays his 12th Test match and will form a dangerous combination with Lam, who has 10 Tests to his name. Titans forward Jacob Alick will show the way up front after representing the Kumuls at the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Pac Champs. Meanwhile, Fiji Bati’s Storm big man Tui Kamikamica will captain a vastly experienced Bati outfit that includes former skipper Kevin Naiqama, who lines up for his 25th Test match, as well as blockbusting winger Maika Sivo in his 11th Test for Fiji and Viliame Kikau in his 17th Test. Panthers premiership winner Sunia Turuva is the fullback while Dolphins playmaker Kurt Donoghoe wears the No.7. Emerging NRL forwards Caleb Navale (Sea Eagles) and Kitione Kautoga (Bulldogs) are back in the pack after featuring in last year's Pacific Championships.

The music world is grieving the loss of Liam Payne. The former One Direction member died Oct. 16 at age 31 after he fell from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, local authorities confirmed to Telemundo. He was 31. Payne was born on Aug. 29, 1993, in West Midlands, England, to Karen Payne and Geoff Payne. The youngest of three—his older sisters are Nicola Payne and Ruth Gibbons—he grew up participating in sports, particularly cross country running and boxing. He rose to prominence in 2010 on The X Factor after being grouped with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik to form One Direction. After placing third on season seven of the competition series, the group signed a record deal with Simon Cowell’s company Syco Records and the following year they topped charts round the world with the release of their debut single “What Makes You Beautiful” in September 2011. Their first album as a group, Up All Night, was released that November. And a November release and subsequent tour became a yearly occurrence for the quintet for several years, with the group launching Take Me Home in 2012, followed by Midnight Memories in 2013 and Four in November 2014. However, five years after forming, One Direction had a massive change as Zayn announced his departure in March 2015, citing a desire to pursue life as a “normal 22-year-old.” The group continued on as a quartet, with the rest of the band stepping in to take on his parts. "Liam stepped up to do the high notes,” Harry told Entertainment Weekly in 2015. “He kicks them in the bollocks every show. He doesn't hold back." One Direction ultimately went on what they described as a temporary hiatus in 2016, with the band members each going on to pursue solo projects. Payne released one solo album LP1 in December 2019. At the height of his time in One Direction, Payne dated dancer Danielle Peazer for two years before reconnecting with his childhood friend Sophia Smith, with whom he was in a relationship from 2013 to 2015. In 2016, Payne began dating singer Cheryl Cole, with whom he welcomed son Bear in March 2017 before their breakup in 2018. One year after his breakup from the former X Factor judge, Payne began dating model Maya Henry, to whom he was engaged twice—first in August 2020, which ended in June 2021, and again in late 2021 before breaking up in May 2022. Around this same time, Payne opened up about his struggle with substance abuse and suicidal ideation, describing himself while in One Direction as an “angry person.” “It was really, really, really severe. It was a problem,” the singer said during a June 2021 episode of the Diary of A CEO podcast, per Billboard, two years before entering treatment for alcohol abuse. “It was only until I saw myself after that I was like, ‘Right, I need to fix myself.' I just didn’t like myself very much, and then I made a change.” Payne found love with influencer Kate Cassidy in 2022, after she confessed to manifesting their relationship when she was just 10 years old. Hours before his death, Payne shared a photo to his Snapchat of the pair smiling in a mirror selfie while wearing their swimsuits. Source: https://www.eonline.com

Coach Tahnee Norris has named a 21-player squad for the Pacific Championships, which begin this Friday night with powerhouse forward Elise Albert, to headline the Santos PNG Orchids squad. The competition will take place across the next two months, with the Orchids playing matches in Brisbane, Port Moresby and Sydney in a busy schedule against leading teams including Australia and New Zealand. The PNG Prime Minister’s XIII side faced off against a strong Australian Prime Minister’s XIII selection at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby on Sunday 13th October as part of their preparation for the campaign ahead. The players put in a commendable effort against an experienced Australian side who were all selected from the NRLW competition, with some having played State of Origin and with the Jillaroos. Albert is joined in the Orchids side by other players with NRLW experience including Essay Banu and Sareka Mooka who spent season 2024 with the North Queensland Cowboys and Ua Rava, who is signed to the Canberra Raiders. Experienced centre Belinda Gwasamun has been playing with Wentworthville Magpies and this year was named the joint winner of the Tahnee Norris Medal at the NRL’s Harvey Norman Women’s National Championships. The players have assembled in camp in Brisbane to prepare for their Pacific Championships campaign which will kick off at Suncorp Stadium against the Australian Jillaroos on Friday, October 18th. PNG Orchids Pacific Championships squad: Belinda Gwasamun – Wentworthville Magpies Delailah Ahose – Goroka Lahanis Elsie Albert – Parramatta Eels Emily Veivers – Norths Devils Essay Banu – Norths Queensland Cowboys Freda Anthony – Central Dabaris Freda Waula – Mt Hagen Eagles Gloria Kaupa – Wentworthville Magpies Jessikah Reeves – Western Clydesdales La-Toniya Norris-Addo – Darwin Brothers Leila Kerowa – Central Dabaris Lilah Malabag – Port Moresby Vipers Lyiannah Allen – Mt Hagen Eagles Mala Mark – Central Dabaris Meli Joe – Mt Hagen Eagles Roswita Kapo – Wentworthville Magpies Sareka Mooka – North Queensland Cowboys Sera Koroi – Goodna

Kina Bank’s Goroka Branch staff recently raised funds to assist a local music artist, Moho’Nilla with materials to complete a Bel Mama Haus (BMH) for expectant mothers in the rural Upper Bena area of Eastern Highlands Province. The BMH is a waiting house where expectant mothers can rest before their delivery date. This facility is an initiative of the musician who witnessed firsthand the struggles faced by pregnant women in the area. With support from organisations like Kina Bank, the waiting haus located at the Sigere Health Centre is being equipped with materials to give these women a comfortable place to stay. Kina Bank Branch Manager for Goroka, Jo-Anna Simet said, “We recognised the needs of these mothers and decided to support Moho’Nilla by donating pillows, mattresses, bed linen, and nails to assist with the completion of the waiting house. “These mothers travel long distances to access medical facilities and face numerous challenges on their journey. Tragically, some mothers and their unborn babies do not survive the journey. We are pleased that our support means these mothers have a place to rest in the days leading up to their delivery dates and ensure access to immediate medical assistance is available when they need it,” she said. The donation was handed over to Moho’Nilla and her team, with Kina Bank’s Goroka branch staff witnessing the event. Kina Bank is delighted to support initiatives that benefit the communities they serve.

Prime Minister James Marape today conveyed his best wishes to Grade 12 students across Papua New Guinea who will be sitting for their final examinations from October 14 to October 18, 2024. This year, a total of 32,863 Grade 12 students from 225 Secondary Schools and six National Schools of Excellence will undertake these crucial exams, which mark a significant milestone in their educational journeys. Prime Minister Marape commended the students for their hard work and dedication, encouraging them to remain focused and give their best effort as they conclude their secondary education. “I extend my best wishes to all Grade 12 students as they prepare to sit for their final exams. This is a pivotal moment, and I urge each of you to approach your exams with confidence, knowing that you have worked hard to reach this point,” said Prime Minister Marape. He also expressed gratitude to the teachers, parents, and guardians who have supported these students throughout the year, highlighting the importance of their guidance and encouragement. “Your achievements in these exams are a testament not only to your own efforts but also to the unwavering support of your teachers, parents, and guardians. They have walked this path with you, and I thank them for their commitment to your success,” he added. PM Marape reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to education as a cornerstone of Papua New Guinea’s development and stressed the importance of fostering an environment where young people can thrive academically and personally.

The PNG Kumuls are ready to take on rivals, the Vodafone Fiji Bati, in the opening match of the Pacific Rugby League Bowl Championship this Saturday. According to Fiji Village, Kumuls captain Kyle Laybutt says they have learned from their weaknesses in Sunday's game where Australia beat the Kumuls 42-20. Laybutt says they need to work on those mistakes to build their confidence. He added that they have had a core group of players for a few years now and will refine their game plan as they move forward. Laybutt also mentioned that playing under a new coach and structure will boost their performance this week. On August 30th, it was announced that the tournament would include promotion, and relegation matches between the third-placed Pacific Cup team and the first-placed Pacific Bowl team in both the men's and women's tournaments. This marks a change in format from the 2023 Pacific Championships. The 2024 men's tournament will again feature two divisions, the Pacific Cup and the Pacific Bowl. The Cup will include top-ranked nations Australia, New Zealand, and Tonga, while the Bowl will see Fiji Bati, Papua New Guinea, and the Cook Islands competing. The Bati will host the Kumuls at 8.10pm (6pm PMG time) on Saturday at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. Source: Fiji Village

Ok Tedi Limited (OTML) recently rolled out its long-awaited HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Screening and Treatment Program in the Western province, aimed at the prevention of cervical cancer. Commencing just recently on October 8th, the HPV Screening Program delivered essential healthcare services to employees of OTML, business partners, government departments, and communities across the Mine, Tabubil, Bige, and Kiunga operations. The program, possibly the first in Western Province, will be administered by the Tabubil Hospital every Tuesday with an expected turnaround time for results within 48 hours of the screening. Pap smear testing will also be conducted. This vital initiative was made possible through the support of the Ok Tedi Women’s Network (OWN) and OTML's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kedi Ilimbit. OTML Manager Health Services, Raymond Singamis said, “This program is a major milestone and will play a critical role in protecting women’s health by enabling the early detection and prevention of cervical cancer. I wish to thank OWN and Mr. Ilimbit for facilitating the procurement of the HPV screening kits.” Mr. Singamis added, “Apart from the screening process, OTML has added a bonus activity for those women who test positive for high-risk HPV types by providing treatment.” The HPV Screening procedure takes less than five minutes, requires no hospitalization or anaesthesia, and is conducted using a thermo-coagulator probe into the cervix for about 20 seconds. If the test results return positive for high-risk HPV types, that doesn’t mean a patient has cervical cancer, rather it indicates the presence of the virus that causes cervical cancer which can be easily treated with the Thermo Ablation method at the Tabubil Hospital. Additionally, if a cervical lesion (cervical sore) is detected during screening, then the screening process is abandoned and the patient is referred to the gynaecology team for further assessment and treatment. OTML has a corporate social responsibility to the people of Western Province and Papua New Guinea to provide lifesaving health interventions for women and our girls. As a development partner, OTML is committed to improving the health services for our workforce and surrounding community.

The third match of the day for the PM's XIII game saw the PNG women's team go down to the Australian ladies 50-0 at fulltime at the Santos National Football Stadium. With 9 minutes into the first half, Australia's Keele Browne secured her sides first try on the wing putting them in the lead. The conversion was unsuccessful leaving the first points at 4-0. The PNG women tried their best under the hot skies but we're unable to secure themselves a least a try to redeem themselves. The Australia women’s side kept their scoring spree on the go with two consecutive tries from Rory Owen on the right wing, Jamie Chapman followed by Keele Brown scoring her second try of the match. The PNG side tried their best but had a lot of clumsy minutes to force the team to hand over the ball to their opponents. Australia's Jamie Chapman scored another try for her team to put them in the lead, followed by Kezie Apps and Tehan Berry scoring their last try of the first try, taking them 44-0 at first half. Coming back to hopefully break the egg in the last 40 mins, the PNG Women's side we're unable to secure any try in the second half but were able to defend stronger only letting the Australians to score their last try, taking the fulltime score to 50-0.

While the grade ten (Grd10) students sit back and reflect on their recent national examinations, a total of 32, 863 grade twelve (Grd12) students from 225 secondary and 6 national school of excellence will commence their national examinations tomorrow, Monday 14th October 2024. In the Western Province, Education Advisor Mr. Charlie Buia told PNG HAUSBUNG that of the six (6) secondary schools in the province, eight-hundred and fifty-two (852) Grd12 students will sit for the exams. He said, they are anticipating a smooth run of the Grd12 exams like they did with the Grd10 examinations. “We did not experience any issues with the examinations. The exams in the province ran smoothly. The exam papers arrived on time and were delivered to all schools, and all the students were able to sit for the exams. We had no issues surrounding the administration of grd10 examinations in the province.” He also advised that those Grd10 students continuing to Grd11 can expect to check their results online towards the last week of November and the first week of December. Mr. Buia further encouraged them and stated that they have done their best to ensure that students were given all the help during the year and are happy to see them sit for their exams. “We wish all the students the very best and we would like to see that the students concentrate on their exams and avoid other issues as much as possible.” Meanwhile, here is the schedule for Grade 12 examinations tomorrow onwards: GRADE 12 EXAM SCHEDULE: October 14 (Monday) • Session 1: ADVANCED MATHEMATICS P1/ GENERAL MATHEMATICS P1. • Session 2: APPLIED SCIENCE /HISTORY. October 15 (Tuesday) • Session 1: PHYSICS /ACCOUNTING. • Session 2: GEOGRAPHY. October 16 (Wednesday) • Session 1: BIOLOGY/ECONOMICS. • Session 2: GEOLOGY / BUSINESS STUDIES. October 17 (Thursday) • Session 1: LANGUAGE & LITERATURE / APPLIED ENGLISH. •Session 2: CHEMISTRY / LEGAL STUDIES. October 18 (Friday) • Session 1: INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. • Session 2: ADVANCED MATHEMATICS P2 /GENERAL MATHEMATICS P2.

Save the Children, UNICEF and the National Government officially launched the Oky PNG- a groundbreaking period-tracker mobile app for girls on Friday 11th October, coinciding with International Girls Day. According to Oky Project Manager-Save the Children, Mr. Deanford Nianford, the app is now available on the Google Play Store and the App Store (Apple) as part of a soft launch for in-country testing and feedback, for promotional activities planned in Port Moresby. Oky is the first period tracking app co-created with girls, for girls aged 10-19 to learn about menstrual hygiene, puberty, personal safety, mental health, referral pathways and other topics important to girls in PNG. The global app has been tailored to PNG through a partnership between UNICEF PNG, Save the Children and the Government of PNG, with support from the Australian Government. The app is available in both Android and iOS versions. Dr Edward Waramin, Manager for Population and Family Health Services at the National Department of Health, said sexual and reproductive health is often considered taboo in PNG. "The National Department of Health is addressing this vital issue through its adolescent-focused programs," Dr Waramin said. "We are excited to see how Oky will empower a generation of girls to dream big and take charge of their health and wellbeing," he added. Oky PNG has been tailored with input from adolescent girls like 16- year-old Rachel, who said she was 13 when she had her period and couldn't stop crying. "I had no idea what was happening, if I had something like Oky back then, it would have made such a difference. Now, I want to share the information on Oky with girls in my community," Rachel said. The Oky PNG is also supported by the National Department of Education through the Office of the Secretary. It is noted that menstrual health and hygiene education and information is to be made available anytime whenever our students especially the girls need it and Oky is making this possible. Sam Lora, the First Assistant Secretary further reiterated that puberty is a challenging time for adolescents, and not having the right information can significantly impact the wellbeing of young girls, which in turn might affect their educational outcomes. "We hope that the information on Oky about puberty is utilized not just by girls but also by boys, teachers, and caregivers, so we can create a more supportive and girl-friendly social ecosystem." The Oky PNG initiative, backed by the Australian Government through its Indo-Pacific Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights COVID-19 Surge Response Program, aims to enhance digital health for girls in Papua New Guinea. In an effort to reach the most girls, the app functions both online and offline, is designed to work on lower-end smartphones, is compatible with older software, and is entirely free, without advertisements. UNICEF Country Representative, Angela Kearney emphasized the transformative Impact of the app, saying the app works offline, which is vital in a country where internet access is still expanding. "By putting girls at the centre of their own health decisions, we are giving them the tools to navigate adolescence with confidence. We thank the Government of Australia and other partners."

As time draws near for the Prime Minister’s XIII game, PNG’s Orchids and the Australian Jillaroos are geared up and focused on facing off each other in tomorrow's match at the Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby. Incoming PNG representative Orchids Coach Tahnee Norris said the girls have settled in well after coming in on Monday and heading straight into training. Norris said, they’ve had a couple of good running sessions as a team with both the PNG based players and the Australian based players getting along together and training as a team. She said a couple of girls playing in the Santos cup have been selected to wear the Orchids jersey and she is looking forward to seeing the ladies go up against a strong Australian side, to test themselves against some of the best players in the NRLW as they prepare for the upcoming Pacific Championship. “Its a really proud moment for me to be named as the Orchids coach. I know it's the number sport in PNG and I’m excited to be part of it and to see the growth of women’s rugby league over here and how serious PNGRFL are taking the women’s sport over here, it is really an exciting place to be and to coach the national side,” said Norris. Orchids captain Elsie Albert said, “It's always an honor to put on the PNG Orchids jersey and I am very much looking forward to this weekend's game.” Albert further stated that, preparations are going well with the girls and are ready and fit for this Sunday’s match, “I have confidence in the team that we have and faith in Tahnee’’s selection and we’ll see how we go.” Meanwhile, Australian Women’s Indigenous All Stars coach Jess Skinner will mentor the Jillaroos side. Skinner said, they had an early start trying to get the team to PNG and are excited to be in the country as this time of the calendar is an exciting time of the year and are looking forward to the match. She said, they have a couple of returning girls from last year's squad like Jaime Chapman and many are new selections. “We are proud to have women already on the international stage and it's always good to come to Papua New Guinea and see the Orchids and the PM’s team take the field, they have a great coach Tanhee leading them.” said Skinner. Skinner said this is the first time they have appointed a female coach and are happy to see more women in league. Jillaroos great, Kezie Apps, who plays for Wests Tigers, expressed excitement to be here and take part in the PM’s XIII match. “We love coming over here and I’m just really excited to play on Sunday and it's a great showcase of women’s rugby league and I think it's great what Else and Tahnee have done with women’s rugby league have done and it's so pleasing to hear that its growing and there’s more investment into the sport.”