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2025-01-25
Policeman Dedicates PhD Certificate To PSC ChairmanThe year of 1997 was an important one in Papua New Guinea. By 1997, it had been 10 years since Channel 9 subsidiary, EMTV, televised its first NRL match. By then, a new generation of TV-watching kids had grown up with Australian rugby league as a weekend staple. That year also saw the expulsion of foreign mercenaries by the PNG defence force, the end of the Bougainville war, political instability in government, and for rugby league fans, the founding of Melbourne Storm on June 23. As young fans debated the future of the "Storms", they were thrilled to see a homegrown talent, Marcus Bai, sign up with the new team in 1998. Now, there were other prominent names before him in the PNG rugby league scene like Arnold Krewany, Bal Numapo, Ifisoe Segeyaro and Adrian Lam, but Bai was a huge inspiration to a newer generation who watched the game live on television. At 1.8 meters, the village boy from Ulamona, West New Britain province, played in the Port Moresby Rugby league competition for the Paga Panthers and Port Moresby Vipers before he tried out for the Storm. In 1999, Papua New Guineans were hugely rewarded when the Storm won their first premiership with one of their own, a star on Grandfinal night. Pathways to the NRL Bai's debut in the NRL was a rarity in the 1990s when Papua New Guinea had no set pathways for NRL entry or any other overseas league. The exposure many players got was when the Kumuls faced off with other league-playing nations in the Rugby League World Cup or when they played visiting overseas teams. Always, Papua New Guinea would go in as expected underdogs with many expecting "strong performances" ...and losses. The measure of the national team's performance was based largely against Australian representative sides. Against its Pacific neighbours, however, Papua New Guinea was viewed as the more dominant side. Ten years since Marcus Bai streaked across the field with that high-value comeback that saw the Storm win the 1999 premiership title, Papua New Guinea still struggled with that glaring absence of sure pathways to overseas recruitment. PNG politics and rugby league In a country where politicians like rubbing shoulders with league stars and where the level of fanaticism for politics equals that of the greatest game of all, PNG was headed towards some level of political intervention. It was no secret that while PNG politicians who sat in expensive VIP booths reluctantly clapped for the winning team, they were tired of having the national ego repeatedly punched in the guts and their team humiliated. The arrival of Digicel into the PNG telecommunication in 2008 provided internet access for tens of thousands of new subscribers, and, at the same time, brought to the fore a large vocal rugby league audience who questioned why the government was not investing in the sport. In 2008, founding prime minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare announced Papua New Guinea's bid for the NRL. It was a move supported by Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd. The PNG NRL Bid Project was allocated K500,000 by the Somare government and a further K30 million in 2022 by the Marape government. As word of the $600 million , it was met with a lot of criticism in Papua New Guinea. While some welcomed the news, not everyone is a follower of the religion of rugby league. As its prophets preach hope and jobs for future talent, another group of Papua New Guineans say the NRL bid is a shameful waste of Australian taxpayer money. For PNG politicians, their moves could have easily have been taken out of a Niccolo Machiavelli textbook as they "appear to be religious" whilst satisfying voters and scoring all the necessary political points. For the vast majority of Papua New Guineans, seeing more familiar faces in the NRL will be just a temporary relief to the harsh realities of living here. In nine months, PNG will mark 50 years as an independent political creation and two years after that, its people will go to the polls using figures from an incomplete, unsatisfactory census process conducted this year. It's difficult not to sound bleak as costs of food, good healthcare and education become increasingly unaffordable for the NRL-watching communities. While VIP booths will be occupied by the political elite spending taxpayer money, thousands more will go back home; families uncertain about their future. Get the ABC Pacific newsletter Sign up for the best of ABC Pacific each weekIt looked like there was an episode of “Power Slap” taking place in the stands during the UCLA-USC football game on Saturday. In a video that made its way around social media , a female fan, who wore a UCLA bucket hat slapped a male fan while he was sitting in the stands at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif.. The blonde woman stood over the man — who was wearing a red sweatshirt, a Trojans color — wound her arm back and struck him hard as fans nearby were visibly stunned by the incident. Warning: Adult Language “Woah woah woah, what the f–k,” someone can be heard yelling. “What the hell!” The woman caught herself after the force of her haymaker caused her to stumble. The man in the red sweatshirt was seen touching his face to assess any damage before looked up at the woman and raised his hands in the air. Fans nearby looked on while the woman took a few steps back while staring down the man. It is unclear if the two knew each other or what sparked the vicious scene. The fans have yet to be identified. It is also unclear if stadium security or authorities intervened. Despite the ongoings in the stands, the Trojans rallied back to defeat the rival Bruins 19-13 and became bowl-eligible. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava passed for 221 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown to Ja’Kobi Lane in the fourth quarter.https top646 ph

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Fans React to Gracie Hunt's Outfit for Chiefs-Panthers Game

Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia

Trump is named Time's Person of the Year and rings the New York Stock Exchange's opening bell NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange after being recognized by Time magazine as its person of the year. The honors Thursday for the businessman-turned-politician are a measure of Trump’s remarkable comeback from an ostracized former president who refused to accept his election loss four years ago to a president-elect who won the White House decisively in November. At the stock exchange, Trump was accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump, daughters Ivanka and Tiffany and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Trump grinned as people chanted “USA” before he opened the trading day and raised his fist. YouTube TV is hiking its monthly price, again. Here's what to know NEW YORK (AP) — Are you a YouTube TV subscriber? Your monthly bills are about to get more expensive again. YouTube has announced that it’s upping the price of its streaming service’s base plan by $10 — citing rising content costs and other investments. The new $82.99 per month price tag will go into effect starting Jan. 13 for existing subscribers, and immediately for new customers who sign up going forward. YouTube TV has rolled out a series of price hikes over the years. When launched back in 2017, the going price of its streaming package was $35 a month. By 2019, that fee rose to $50 — and has climbed higher and higher since. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre's brotherhood is still strong after 30 years with new album 'Missionary' LOS ANGELES (AP) — When it comes to music, there’s one person in particular Snoop Dogg trusts to steer the ship without question: hit-making producer Dr. Dre. Their bond, built over 30 years of brotherhood, began when Dr. Dre shaped Snoop’s game-changing debut, “Doggystyle,” a cornerstone of hip-hop history. From young dreamers chasing stardom to legends cementing their legacies, the duo has always moved in sync. Now, the dynamic pair reunites for Snoop’s “Missionary,” his milestone 20th studio album, which releases Friday. The 15-track project features several big-name guest appearances including Eminem, 50 Cent, Sting, Method Man, Jelly Roll, Tom Petty, Jhené Aiko and Method Man. Country star Morgan Wallen sentenced in chair-throwing case NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country music star Morgan Wallen has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment. He had been charged for throwing a chair from the rooftop of a six-story bar in Nashville and nearly hitting two police officers with it. Wallen appeared in court alongside his attorney on Thursday. He was sentenced to spend seven days in a DUI education center and will be under supervised probation for two years. According to the arrest affidavit, Wallen was accused of throwing a chair off the roof of Chief’s bar on April 7. The chair landed about a yard from the officers. Witnesses told police they saw Wallen pick up a chair, throw it off the roof and laugh about it. Indian teen Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest chess world champion after beating Chinese rival NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in Thursday's game which was played in Singapore. He has surpassed the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. Dommaraju is now also the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. 'Vanderpump Rules' star James Kennedy arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — Police say “Vanderpump Rules” star James Kennedy has been arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence. Police in Burbank, California, say officers investigated reports of an argument between a man and a woman at a residence late Tuesday night and arrested the 32-year-old Kennedy. He was released from jail after posting bail. A representative of Kennedy did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The Burbank city attorney will decide whether to file charges. Kennedy is a DJ and reality TV star who has appeared for 10 seasons on “Vanderpump Rules” — the Bravo series about the lives of employees at a set of swank restaurants. The wife of a Wisconsin kayaker who faked his own death moves to end their marriage MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The wife of a Wisconsin kayaker who faked his own drowning so he could abscond to Europe has filed a court action to end the couple's marriage. Online court records indicate Emily Borgwardt filed a petition in Dodge County Circuit Court on Thursday seeking to annul her marriage to Ryan Borgwardt. A hearing has been set for April. According to court documents, Ryan Borgwardt staged his own drowning by leaving his overturned kayak floating on Green Lake. He flew to Eastern Europe, where he spent several days in a hotel with a woman before taking up residence in the country of Georgia. He is charged with misdemeanor obstruction in Green Lake County. San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A block in downtown San Francisco has been renamed for acclaimed photojournalist Joe Rosenthal, who won the Pulitzer Prize for his iconic photo of U.S. Marines raising the flag on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during WWII. The longtime staff photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle, who died in 2006 at age 94, is also remembered for the 35 years he spent documenting the city's famous and not so famous for the daily newspaper. He photographed a young Willie Mays getting his hat fitted as a San Francisco Giant in 1957. He also photographed joyous children making a mad dash for freedom on the last day of school in 1965. Nearly half of US teens are online 'constantly,' Pew report finds Nearly half of American teenagers say they are online “constantly,” despite concerns about the effects of social media and smartphones on their mental health. That's according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center. As in past years, YouTube was the single most popular platform teenagers used — 90% said they watched videos on the site, down slightly from 95% in 2022. There was a slight downward trend in several popular apps teens used. For instance, 63% of teens said they used TikTok, down from 67% and Snapchat slipped to 55% from 59%. Wander Franco's sex abuse trial has been postponed 5 months PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (AP) — The trial against Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking, has been postponed until June 2, 2025. Dominican judge Yacaira Veras postponed the hearing Thursday at the request of prosecutors because of the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Franco’s lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco must report to spring training in mid-February. The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment.The counterprogramming of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” in July 2023 hit a nerve culturally and had the receipts to back it up. Unlike so many things that begin as memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the two movies ultimately complemented and boosted one another at the box office. And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers have been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie release schedule for odd mashups and sending candidates off into the social media void. Most attempts have fizzled (sorry, “Saw Patrol” ). This weekend is perhaps the closest approximation yet as the Broadway musical adaptation “Wicked” opens Friday against the chest-thumping sword-and-sandals epic “Gladiator II.” Two big studio releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, opposite tones and aesthetics and big blockbuster energy — it was already halfway there before the name game began: “Wickiator,” “Wadiator,” “Gladwick” and even the eyebrow raising “Gladicked” have all been suggested. “'Glicked' rolls off the tongue a little bit more,” actor Fred Hechinger said at the New York screening of “Gladiator II” this week. “I think we should all band around ‘Glicked.’ It gets too confusing if you have four or five different names for it.” As with “Barbenheimer," as reductive as it might seem, “Glicked” also has the male/female divide that make the fan art extra silly. One is pink and bright and awash in sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and brand tie-ins; The other is all sweat and sand, blood and bulging muscles. Both films topped Fandango’s most anticipated holiday movie survey, where 65% of respondents said that they were interested in the “Glicked” double feature. Theaters big and small are also pulling out the stops with movie-themed tie-ins. B&B Theaters will have Roman guards tearing tickets at some locations and Maximus popcorn tubs. Marcus Theaters is doing Oz photo ops and friendship bracelet-making. Alamo Drafthouse is leaning into the singalong aspect (beware, though, not all theaters are embracing this) and the punny drinks like “Defying Gravi-Tea.” “Rather than it being in competition, I think they’re in conversation,” “Gladiator II” star Paul Mescal said. “This industry needs a shot in the arm. Those films gave it last year. We hope to do it this year.” And the hope is that audiences will flock to theaters to be part of this moment as well. It's a sorely needed influx of could-be blockbusters into a marketplace that's still at an 11% deficit from last year and down 27.2% from 2019, according to data from Comscore. “Competition is good for the marketplace. It’s good for consumers,” said Michael O'Leary, the president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners. “Having two great movies coming out at the same time is simply a multiplier effect.” “Glicked” is currently tracking for a combined North American debut in the $165 million range, with “Wicked” forecast to earn around $100 million (up from the $80 million estimates a few weeks ago) and “Gladiator II” pegged for the $65 million range. “Barbenheimer” shattered its projections last July. Going into that weekend, “Barbie” had been pegged for $90 million and “Oppenheimer” around $40 million. Ultimately, they brought in a combined $244 million in that first outing, and nearly $2.4 billion by the end of their runs. It’s possible “Glicked” will exceed expectations, too. And it has the advantage of another behemoth coming close behind: “Moana 2,” which opens just five days later on the Wednesday before the Thanksgiving holiday. “Glickedana” triple feature anyone? “These are 10 important days,” O'Leary said. “It’s going to show the moviegoing audience that there’s a lot of compelling stuff out there for them to see.” There are infinite caveats to the imperfect comparison to “Barbenheimer,” as well. “Wicked” is a “Part One.” Musicals carry their own baggage with moviegoers, even those based on wildly successful productions (ahem, “Cats”). “Gladiator II” got a head start and opened internationally last weekend. In fact, in the U.K. it played alongside “Paddington in Peru,” where that double was pegged “Gladdington.” “Gladiator” reviews, while positive, are a little more divided than the others. And neither directors Ridley Scott nor Jon M. Chu has the built-in box office cache that Christopher Nolan’s name alone carries at the moment. The new films also cost more than “Barbie” ($145 million) and “Oppenheimer” ($100 million). According to reports, “Gladiator II” had a $250 million price tag; “Wicked” reportedly cost $150 million to produce (and that does not include the cost of the second film, due next year). The narrative, though, has shifted away from “who will win the weekend.” Earlier this year, Chu told The Associated Press that he loves that this is a moment where “we can root for all movies all the time.” Close behind are a bevy of Christmas releases with double feature potential, but those feel a little more niche. There’s the remake of “Nosferatu,” the Nicole Kidman kink pic “Babygirl” and the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown.” The internet can’t even seem to decide on its angle for that batch of contenders, and none exactly screams blockbuster. Sometimes the joy is just in the game, however. Some are sticking with the one-name mashup (“Babyratu”); others are suggesting that the fact that two of the movies feature real-life exes (Timothée Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp) is enough reason for a double feature. And getting people talking is half the battle. When in doubt, or lacking a catchy name, there’s always the default: “This is my Barbenheimer.” Associated Press journalist John Carucci and Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed reporting.

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