Category Archives: Oceania

Danny Hay is determined to have the All Whites playing in the October and November international windows as his focus turns from the Tokyo Olympics to qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar next November.

The countrys top footballers havent played since November 2019, more than 600 days ago, but having gained experience in how to operate amidst the Covid-19 pandemic with the OlyWhites in Japan, their coach is hopeful they will soon be back in action.

September is a no-go for obvious reasons seeing as we've just come back and are still sitting here in quarantine, Hay said of the next international window, which begins in less than three weeks, on August 30.

STUFF

OlyWhites midfielder Clayton Lewis reflects on New Zealand's Olympic campaign.

It's just too much of a quick turnaround, but we're working hard to get games in October and November.

READ MORE:* OlyWhites had Clayton Lewis' back after missing penalty against Japan* Chris Wood excited for World Cup campaign after OlyWhites' Tokyo Olympics efforts* OlyWhites lose Tokyo Olympics quarterfinal against Japan in penalty shootout* OlyWhites want no what-ifs after Tokyo Olympics quarterfinal against hosts Japan

I think it's critical that we try and bring a large number of the players that were with us in Japan back together and then bring other players in, that are based around either Europe or the US.

It's not an easy operation. It's tough getting the games, as everybody will be aware, but we're going to make it happen.

We're very determined that it's going to happen and if that's going to mean a few staff members being based over in Europe for a couple of months, then so be it.

We're just champing at the bit to get it going again.

There are no European opponents available in the October window, so New Zealand Football will likely have to look to the Middle East and west Asia, where Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Uzbekistan are among the nations yet to organise fixtures.

In November, there are several European countries with dates free, including the Czech Republic, who made the quarterfinals at Euro 2020 in July, and Lithuania, the All Whites most recent opponents.

Managed isolation and quarantine requirements are set to rule players based in Australia and New Zealand out of any matches arranged later this year, but there should be enough players based in Europe and the US available for Hay to assemble a squad.

That group grew by one this week, with midfielder-turned-defender Gianni Stensness on the move from Australia to Norway following a strong Olympic campaign.

While Hay is busy preparing for the end of 2021, he is also hoping to soon have some clarity as to what the start of 2022 will look like for the All Whites.

An Oceania World Cup qualifying tournament is set to take place in January in the Middle East, as local venues were unviable as a result of Covid-19 border restrictions, with the winner advancing to an intercontinental playoff in June for one of the final two spots in the tournament, which has been moved from its usual place in the middle of the year to November and December.

The best team from Oceania will play either the fourth-best team from North and Central America, the fifth-best team from Asia, or the fifth-best team from South America in that playoff, with a draw to determine the exact matchup expected to take place soon.

I know they're looking closely at having the OFC qualifiers in Qatar, Hay said.

Hopefully that happens. I think that would be a great place to host them, particularly with the World Cup being there later that year, but we're arming up for that, and then the Intercontinental playoff, should we make it that far.

For us, that is the main goal, to get to that point and then give ourselves the best chance possible of trying to make the World Cup. We still don't know who we could potentially be facing in the intercontinental playoff, but we're happy to face whoever.

We need games at the moment and time together, and that'll obviously give us our best opportunity.

The All Whites last matches and their only matches with Hay in charge were in November 2019, when they lost to the Republic of Ireland and Lithuania in a pair of European friendlies.

They were scheduled to play Bahrain and Oman in March 2020, but those matches were cancelled when the scale of the Covid-19 pandemic became clear.

Plans to play friendlies in Europe at the end of last year, including against powerhouses Belgium and England, were scuppered when travel restrictions as a result of Covid-19 led to player availability issues.

October 4-12 2021: Two-match international window

November 8-16 2021: Two-match international window

January 2022: Potential Oceania World Cup qualifying tournament

March 21-29 2022: Two-match international window

May 30 June 14 2022: Four-match international window, potentially including a World Cup qualifying intercontinental playoff

September 19-27 2022: Two-match international window

November 21 December 18 2022: Fifa World Cup in Qatar

The rest is here:

All Whites determined to play this year as World Cup qualifying campaign looms - Stuff.co.nz

Dublin, Aug. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Refinery Alkylation Units Outlook to 2025 - Capacity and Capital Expenditure Outlook with Details of All Operating and Planned Hydrotreater Units" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global refinery alkylation units capacity increased from 2,406 thousand barrels per day (mbd) in 2015 to 2,553 mbd in 2020 at an Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR) of 1.2 percent. It is expected to increase from 2,553 mbd in 2020 to 2,748 mbd in 2025 at an AAGR of 1.5 percent. The US, China, Japan, India, and South Korea are the major countries that accounted for 67.4 percent of the total global alkylation unit capacity in 2020.

Scope

Reasons to Buy

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction1.1. What is this Report About?1.2. Market Definition

2. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot2.1. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, Key Data, 20202.2. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units2.3. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Region2.4. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, Regional Comparisons

3. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units3.1. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot3.2. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country3.3. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Key Countries3.4. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Nigeria3.5. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, South Africa3.6. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Egypt3.7. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Angola3.8. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Congo Republic3.9. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Djibouti

4. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units4.1. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot4.2. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country4.3. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Key Countries4.4. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, China4.5. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Japan4.6. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, India4.7. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, South Korea4.8. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Taiwan4.9. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Philippines4.10. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Indonesia4.11. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Thailand4.12. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Singapore4.13. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Brunei4.14. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Pakistan

5. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units5.1. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot5.2. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units, Trinidad and Tobago5.3. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units, Curacao5.4. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units, U.S. Virgin Islands

6. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units6.1. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot6.2. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, United Kingdom6.3. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Germany6.4. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Italy6.5. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, France6.6. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Belgium6.7. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Spain6.8. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Netherlands6.9. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Slovakia6.10. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Bulgaria6.11. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Finland6.12. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Portugal6.13. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Poland6.14. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Hungary6.15. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Romania6.16. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Greece6.17. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Serbia

7. Former Soviet Union Refinery Alkylation Units7.1. Former Soviet Union Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot7.2. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country7.3. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Country7.4. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Russia7.5. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Turkmenistan7.6. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Belarus7.7. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Azerbaijan7.8. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Lithuania

8. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units8.1. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot8.2. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country8.3. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Key Countries8.4. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Saudi Arabia8.5. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, United Arab Emirates8.6. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Iran8.7. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Kuwait8.8. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Israel8.9. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Iraq

9. North America Refinery Alkylation Units9.1. North America Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot9.2. North America Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country9.3. North America Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Country9.4. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, Gulf Coast (PADD 3)9.5. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, Midwest (PADD 2)9.6. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, West Coast (PADD 5)9.7. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, East Coast (PADD 5)9.8. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, Rocky Mountain (PADD 4)9.9. Refinery Alkylation Units in Canada9.10. Refinery Alkylation Units in Mexico

10. Oceania Refinery Alkylation Units10.1. Oceania Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot10.2. Oceania Refinery Alkylation Units, Australia

11. South America Refinery Alkylation Units11.1. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot11.2. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country11.3. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Country11.4. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Venezuela11.5. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Colombia11.6. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Chile11.7. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Brazil11.8. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Argentina

12. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lqxgk0

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Worldwide Refinery Alkylation Units Industry Insights to 2025 - GlobeNewswire

Cruise liners arent exactly known for delivering the most personalized experiences, but Oceania Cruises is hoping to change that with its newest 823-footer.

Named to reflect the dawn of a new age in travel, Vista is designed to make you feel as though youre sailing aboard your very own superyacht. The vessel, which marks the seventh for the line, promises lavish interiors, top-notch amenities and white-glove service for each seafarer when it launches in 2023.

Vista is being constructed by renowned Italian yard Fincantieri and finished to the highest standards. With a generous volume of roughly 67,000 GT, the vessel comprises a grand dining room inspired by Parisian society in the 20th century, a glamorous Martini bar, a stylish lounge with panoramic views, a beach club with a pool, a spa and wellness center and its very own casino, just for kicks.

The pool deck sports lounges and cabanas for sunbathing.Oceania Cruises

As for accommodation, Vista will feature a range of generous suites and staterooms for couples or families, with requisite creature comforts like rainfall showers and private balconies. Whats more, for the first time in almost 20 years, Oceania is adding staterooms designed specifically for one. Billed as spacious and airy yet cozy, the 270-square-foot cabins will come complete with a Tranquility memory foam bed, a lounge, mini bar and a private balcony. This means solo travelers will no longer have to pay a supplemental fee for occupying a cabin meant for two. As part of the Concierge Level of accommodations, the single-occupancy cabins will also afford guests extra perks such as priority embarkation, access to the exclusive Concierge lounge, free laundry service, room service, a complimentary bottle of Champagne and more.

The solo stateroom has its own private balcony.Oceania Cruises

The vessel can sleep up to 1,200 guests in total and will be equipped with 800 crew. This means there will be two crew for every three guests, which will result in meticulous, personalized service.

We are always looking over the horizon, and Vista represents our view to the future, Oceanias president and CEO Bob Binder said in a statement.

Vistasinaugural 2023 itineraries will open for sale this September. But while waiting for the new ships arrival, cruisers can embark on one of Oceanias 16, just-announced 2022 voyages to Europe or Tahiti aboard the recently updated (and upgraded)Regatta or Nautica.These rage from 10-to-24-day itineraries along the French and Italian Rivieras, around the Greek islands and to the Holy Lands (from Italy to Israel to Turkey) to 10-day stints in French Polynesia.

Check out more images of the upcomingVista here:

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises

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Traveling Solo? Oceanias Newest Cruise Liner Offers Luxury Single Rooms With Their Own Balconies - Robb Report

Nestl and Starbucks will initially focus on the most popularRTDproducts, such as Starbucks Frappuccino and Starbucks Doubleshot, with a strong innovation pipeline for the future.

The products will be rolled out across a variety of channels, including online platforms.

The new collaboration builds on a three-year partnership through the global coffee alliance, which has expanded the reach of Starbucks branded coffee and tea products across 79 markets outside Starbucks retail stores.

Other products from the partnership to date have included whole bean, roast and ground as well as Starbucks capsules for Nestl's Nespresso and Nescaf Dolce Gusto proprietary technologies.

Nestl says the partnership with Starbucks has confirmed Nestls leading position in the global coffee business.

Last year, Nestls sales of Starbucks products reached CHF 2.7bn ($3bn), representing double digit organic growth on 2019.

With our expansion plans intoRTDcoffee, Nestl will continue to build on its global leadership in coffee and will benefit from new growth opportunities in a segment that is developing rapidly and attracting new and younger consumers, said David Rennie, Head of Nestl Coffee Brands.

More here:

Nestl and Starbucks to bring RTD coffee to Southeast Asia, Oceania and Latin America - BeverageDaily.com

Oceania got off to a strong start on day 1 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The highlight of the session was easily the womens 4100 freestyle final in which the Australians delivered a new world record of 3:29.69 to claim the nations first gold medal of the meet. Cate Campbell, Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon, and Meg Harris threw together the winning swim which you can read more about here.

Also among those from the continent to pull off solid swims during day 1 finals was Brendon Smith who notched a 4:10.38 for the bronze medal in the mens 400 IM final. Smith finished just behind silver medalist Jay Litherlands 4:10.28 and was just under a second off Chase Kaliszs 4:09.42 for gold.

Fellow Oceanian swimmer Lewis Clareburt made an appearance in the final, hitting a 4:11.22 for 7th overall in the event. Both Smith and Clareburt were a little bit quicker during the 400 IM prelims, having hit a 4:09.27 Australian and Oceanian record and a 4:09.49 New Zealand national record, respectively.

Following Clareburts bronze in the 400 IM, Jack McLoughlin managed to collect silver in the mens 400 freestyle with a 3:43.52 to Tunisias Ahmed Hanaoui who was a 3:43.36. Fellow Australian Elijah Winnington also had a top 8 finish here with a 3:45.20 for 7th.

In the womens 100 butterfly semi-finals, Emma McKeon was a little slower than her prelim swim of 55.82. McKeon hit a 56.33 in round 2 of the event, trailing her Australian, Oceanian, and Commonwealth record from the prior session. McKeon has one more shot at the event in the final which will take place during day 3 finals.

4100 freestyle gold, 400 freestyle silver, and 400 IM bronze constituted the only medals for Australia on day 1 of the Games as the country didnt send anyone to the Games in the event.

Continental And National Records Through Day 1

Medals Table for Asia Through Day 1

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Tokyo 2020, Oceania Day 1: Aussies Begin With 3 Medals And A World Record - SwimSwam

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) and Nestl today announced a new collaboration to bring Starbucks Ready-to-Drink (RTD) coffee beverages to select markets across Southeast Asia, Oceania and Latin America. The companies will work to quickly bring these coffee beverages to consumers as of 2022.

We continue to strengthen our partnerships to extend the reach of the Starbucks brand globally. With its historical local footprint and exceptional execution capabilities, Nestl is an ideal partner to help us develop and offer tailored Starbucks coffee beverages in these regions, said Michael Conway, group president International and Channel Development, Starbucks. Our partnership has proven highly successful for both companies, and we are confident that this new collaboration will help us meet our customers evolving needs.

Our partnership with Starbucks has confirmed Nestls leading position in the global coffee business, said David Rennie, Head of Nestl Coffee Brands. The 2020 sales of Starbucks products reached CHF 2.7 billion, a double-digit organic growth compared to 2019. With our expansion plans into RTD coffee, Nestl will continue to build on its global leadership in coffee and will benefit from new growth opportunities in a segment that is developing rapidly and attracting new and younger consumers.

Nestl and Starbucks will initially focus on the most popular RTD products, such as Starbucks Frappuccino and Starbucks Doubleshot, and will continue to develop a strong innovation pipeline. The products will be rolled out across a variety of channels, including online platforms. Starbucks RTD coffee products are made with 100% of the finest arabica beans sourced from the worlds premier coffee growing regions.

The new collaboration builds on a successful three-year partnership through the global coffee alliance, which expanded the reach of Starbucks branded coffee and tea products across 79 markets outside Starbucks retail stores.

Since forming the global coffee alliance in 2018, Nestl and Starbucks have brought to market a wide range of premium products at a fast pace including whole bean, roast and ground as well as Starbucks capsules for Nespresso and Nescaf Dolce Gusto proprietary technologies. Nestl and Starbucks will continue to work together closely to develop new, innovative products and go-to-market strategies that will amplify the reach and expand the unique experience of the Starbucks brand globally.

About Starbucks

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with nearly 33,000 stores worldwide, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at http://news.starbucks.com or http://www.starbucks.com.

About Nestl

Nestl is the worlds largest food and beverage company. It is present in 186 countries around the world, and its 273,000 employees are committed to Nestls purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come. Nestl offers a wide portfolio of products and services for people and their pets throughout their lives. Its more than 2,000 brands range from global icons like Nescaf or Nespresso to local favorites like Ninho*. Company performance is driven by its Nutrition, Health and Wellness strategy. Nestl is based in the Swiss town of Vevey where it was founded more than 150 years ago.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the applicable securities laws and regulations. Generally, these statements can be identified by the use of words such as believe, continue, could, expect, may, predict, remain, should, will, would, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements include statements relating to the expected timing and nature of future product offerings and the potential growth of the RTD business. These forward-looking statements do not represent historical data, are based on currently available operating, financial and competitive information and are subject to a number of significant risks and uncertainties. Actual future results and trends may differ materially depending on a variety of factors, including the risks detailed in the company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Risk Factors sections of Starbucks Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2020. The company assumes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.

More:

Starbucks and Nestl to Bring Ready-to-Drink Coffee Beverages to Southeast Asia, Oceania and Latin America - Business Wire

Monday, 26 July 2021

Port Moresby (Agenzia Fides) - "The use of the mask as a tool to protect against Coronavirus is essential, even if it is very uncomfortable to wear for a long time during the day. It serves to protect myself and others", said Father Edward Revilla, SDB missionary, currently serving at the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Boroko. To date, COVID-19 has brought destruction and death around the world. The discovery of the vaccine and its launch in Papua New Guinea have not been accepted in the country. Since herd immunity is very far away, it is necessary to apply the basic protocols, reads the note from the Secretariat for Social Communications of the Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands sent to Fides. "I am at the forefront and at the service of our people. The faithful all wear masks when they come to see me", continued the 84-year-old priest. The days of Fr. Revillla are divided among meetings with students, confessions of the faithful in the parish of St. Joseph in Boroko, and the entire Sunday morning at the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. During all this time he is constantly in contact, listening and praying, with people. "I believe that the vaccine is for the good of all", said Fr. Revilla who is awaiting the second dose. The priest said he was worried that many people do not respect the protocols and also about the mutation of the virus that with the delta variant, discovered in India, has spread all over the world and is now present in about 80 countries. Revilla spent several years in Papua New Guinea, he was in Rabaul in Kumgi and now Port Moresby always at the service of the Catholic faithful. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 26/7/2021)

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OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - "Your mask protects me, mine protects you": the warning of missionaries alarmed by the spread of Covid-19 -...

TOKYO (Japan) - The Australian Government has been presented a recognition award for their outstanding support of the Basketball For Good activities funded through Team Up (formerly Pacific Sports Partnerships) in FIBA's Oceania region.

FIBA Secretary-General Andreas Zagklis presented the award to Australian Senator and Minister for Sport the Hon. Richard Colbeck on July 23, a day before the Summer Olympics in Tokyo commence.

"We are very grateful for the partnership we have with the Australian Government in supporting our Basketball For Good programs in partnerships with the FIBA's Foundation and the FIBA Oceania Regional Office. In the last seven years, these programs have excelled and helped communities in the Oceania region while providing a platform to develop and promote basketball in safe environments," said Zagklis.

The Team Up program, formerly known as Pacific Sports Partnerships, has supported FIBA's Basketball For Good initiatives in the region since its launch in 2014 in Suva, Fiji. Since then, the program has expanded to Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Samoa, Timor Leste, and Vanuatu. The initiative funded by the Australian Government is aimed to support all communities to help them reach their full potential through sport.

The Basketball For Good programs in Oceania aims to attract and retain participants, focusing on women and girls, as well as providing safe, inclusive and accessible environments to help enable participants to enjoy their basketball experiences.

The meeting between Mr. Zagklis and Minister Colbeck also marked the launch of a seven-year report on the outcomes of the Pacific Sports Partnership. The full report can be accessed here.Highlights from the program include:

Increased youth participationFiji total participation increased 353% from 6,173 in the pilot year (2014) to 27,995 by 2020, whilst Papua New Guinea saw a 2,700% increase from 3,131 in 2016 to 87,912 by the end of 2020.

Improved opportunities for women and girlsThe partnership has provided a platform for females to take up roles of engagement as employees, volunteers, and ambassadors with the National Federations.

Enhanced governance of National Basketball FederationsEmployed basketball personnel in Fiji (3 pax), Papua New Guinea (2 pax), Samoa (1 pax), and Tahiti (1 pax).

Twilight BasketballTwilight Basketball - Partners with Australian Federal Police and the PNG Constabulary to complement the local crime prevention. The criminal activity was reduced by 30% in the areas that the program was being hosted in PNG.

A documentary series on Twilight Basketball has also been produced and has more than 850,000+ reach on Social Media.

The Basketball For Good programs in the Pacific are supported by the Australian Government through the Team Up Program and the FIBA Foundation.

FIBA

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FIBA recognize support from the Australian Government of Basketball For Good activities in Oceania - FIBA

Port Moresby (Agenzia Fides) - "There is nothing impossible when God is by our side", says Mgr. Rozario Menezes, SMM, in relation to the challenges of evangelization faced by the diocese of Lae, of which he has been bishop since December 15, 2018. "If we really want to build the Church, we must build it with God at the center. Only by acting in this direction can we guide our people to reach the Kingdom of God", explains the prelate in the note from the Secretariat of the Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands sent to Fides. The Bishop affirmed that, despite the many efforts, without the grace of God very little can be done, while "nothing is impossible for God when we put him at the center of our Church". Most of the parishes located in the cities are facilitated by the dissemination of their events via radio and social media, which is not the case for those parishes located in the rural areas of the province. "The privileges in the city of knowing what is happening in the Church should be the same in the villages which, unfortunately, do not have social media and the Internet", says Mgr. Rozario. "Our young people are very active, many have reached the 12th grade of education", he said, underlining the vital role played by young people in the local Church and inviting them to live according to God's standards in order to experience a true change of attitude and mentality that lead to becoming evangelizers in Lae. "Thanks to the dedication of Father Brian Nonde, Regional Secretary of the Mariannhill Missionaries of PNG and Director of the local Catholic radio station FM 103.7, many of our young people have received training courses to improve the dissemination of Church stories and events". Mgr. Rozario also assured that, to improve the approach to evangelization, a diocesan pastoral plan is currently being studied and will be announced shortly. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 23/7/2021)

See the article here:

OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - A Church with God as the epicenter among the challenges of evangelization - Agenzia Fides

Besides Team USA, make sure to watch these international Olympians

Team USA has a lot of stars on their roster, but you should also cheer for these international athletes who are medal favorites.

Sandy Hooper, USA TODAY

The United States leads all countries in Olympic medals. Despite boycotting the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow, the U.S. has nearly 3,000 medals close to double that of Germany, who comes in second.

But while the United States has had no difficulty collecting gold, silver and bronze throughout the years, some countries havent been so fortunate in achieving their golden goals. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes 206 National Olympic Committees (NOC) in addition to the Refugee Olympic Team, but over 70 countries that currently compete in the Games have never won an medal.

CHASING GOLD:Everything you will need to follow Team USA's quest for gold in Tokyo

TEXT WITH US AT TOKYO OLYMPICS:Subscribe to texts, where well be your official guide to the Games

From Monaco, a veteran of the Games, to South Sudan, officially recognized by the IOC in August 2015, here are some of the nations still looking to bring home an medal.

Out of the 206 countries and territories with a NOC, there are 72 that have never won a medal at the Olympics. That includes both the Summer and Winter Games, and several of these records are impacted by when a countrys NOC was recognized by the IOC. For example, North Macedonia has officially never won a medal because they havent competed in any Olympics yet under the country's new name.

Broken down by continent, Africa has the most countries 28 without a medal in the Games. While many of those are small territories and island nations, some of the countries without a win are Libya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Somalia.

Behind Africa is Asia, home to 13 countries without an medal, followed by Oceania with 12. Bangladesh, Cambodia and Nepal are some of Asian countries that havent been able to break through at the Games, while Guam and Papua New Guinea are among the countries in Oceania still looking for a medal.

In Europe, Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina are the only non-microstates without an medal. Sarajevo, the capital of B&H, was the host city for the 1984 Winter Olympics, but the country has never won a medal since its independence from Yugoslavia in 1992. B&H and Macedonia havent been able to replicate the success of their former Yugoslavian counterparts Croatia and Slovenia, both of which have over 40 medals.

Only one country in South America is still waiting for its first medal. Bolivia first competed in the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin and swimmer Alberto Conrad Machuca was the countrys only Olympian. This year, the country will only be sending five athletes to Tokyo to compete in athletics, swimming and tennis.

Well, technically, Monaco has one bronze medal. Julien Medecin came in third for architecture in the art competition at the 1924 Olympics, but those medals arent included in official tallies.

In athletic competition, Monaco has sent a small team to all but three Olympics since the NOC debuted in the 1920 Antwerp Games, making the southern European country between France and the Mediterranean Sea, medal-less for over one hundred years.

Its not for lack of trying, though. Monaco has sent several prolific athletes to the Games, including rifle shooter Fabienne Pasetti, who has appeared in six Olympics between 1988 and 2008. She was also the first woman to represent Monaco in the Games. The second female Olympian from Monaco was swimmer Angelique Trinquier, who competed in the 100m backstroke in London.

Monaco will try for a medal any medal again in Tokyo. The NOC has six athletes in five events (athletics, judo, rowing, swimming, table tennis) and have a 50/50 split between men and women on the roster.

South Sudan declared independence from Sudan in 2011. Five years later, at the Rio Games in 2016, the country made its Olympic debut, sending three runners to compete in South America.

Prior to the 2016 Games, South Sudanese marathon runner Guor Maker competed at the 2012 London Games as an Independent Olympic Athlete. He finished 47th in London, and then dropped to 81st as a representative for South Sudan in 2016.

South Sudan will compete in Tokyo in a few days, but they have been in Japan far longer than any of their other competitors. Four track athletes and a coach from the worlds newest country have been stranded in Maebashi, a city northwest of Tokyo, since November 2019, when they arrived for the 2020 Olympics, which were still set to start in a little over six months.

Instead of forcing the team to return to South Sudan, a country still dealing with the repercussions of a civil war, Maebashis citizens embraced the team as their own. They raised donations of nearly $300,000 to support the training of the South Sudan track team.

Now, athletes like 21-year-old Abraham Majok, who runs the 1500m, are competing to foster unity in his divided country.

North Korea announced it would not compete in the Tokyo Games, citing coronavirus concerns as the reason for pulling out. This marks the first Summer Olympics that North Korea will miss since 1988, when the Games were hosted by Seoul in South Korea. Missing out on medals is no problem for North Korea, which already has over 50 since the country first competed in the 1972 Games.

Contact Alyssa Hertel at ahertel@usatoday.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

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Golden Goals: Countries still in pursuit of an Olympic medal ahead of Tokyo - USA TODAY