Category Archives: Oceania

After appearing in several music videos, Mr Supranational Asia & Oceania 2017 Altamash Faraz is making his acting debut with the TV show Yeh Hai Chahatein. The actor is presently shooting for the show in Goa, and will return to Mumbai next week, once TV shoots resume in the city. I will be entering as the male lead as there will be some changes in the storyline of the show, says Altamash, adding that he is getting used to shooting for long hours, as is usual for daily soaps. Each day is a learning experience for me. Everything happens too fast on the sets, and I am getting used to this pace of shooting. Whenever you get into something new, you do take time to adjust initially and the same is happening with me, but it has been a very exciting experience, he says.Altamash, a lawyer from Delhi, has been wanting to pursue acting since 2017, but ended up participating in the Mr India pageant instead. He says that it proved to be the best decision of his life. I studied law and never gave acting a serious thought back then. But after completing my studies, I realised that I want to try it, and began searching for opportunities. I came across the Mr India pageant, where I was the second runner up. I then went ahead to bag the title of Mr Supranational Asia and Oceania. It helped me not just get exposure, but also many opportunities. The best part about participating in a pageant is that you get to work on your personality, says Altamash. After winning the pageants, he says he was offered many shows in the last couple of years but wasn't convinced about any of the roles. I was never convinced about the content or the characters. Fortunately, everything about this show seemed right. I was never someone who shied away from making a debut with a TV show. I think if one has potential, one can find opportunities. Also, I feel TV is the medium that provides the most visibility to an actor, says Altamash.

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Mr Supranational Asia & Oceania 2017 Altamash Faraz to make his acting debut with a TV show - Times of India

Around the world in 180 days as Oceania Cruises announces resumption of cruises with additional ships

Oceania Cruises, the worlds leading culinary-focused and destination-focused cruise line, has announced that it will resume cruise operations with three additional ships, Riviera, Insignia, and Sirena, between October 2021 and January 2022.

Riviera will resume its previously published voyage schedules beginning from Istanbul on 18 October, 2021 and sail a series of Mediterranean voyages prior to beginning a winter 2021-2022 series of Caribbean voyages from Miami.

Insignia will resume sailings with the Dec. 21, 2021 Panama Canal voyage from Miami prior to embarking on a sold-out 180-day Around the World cruise from Los Angeles to New York.

Sirena will commence sailings starting with the Jan. 22, 2022 Caribbean voyage from Miami to Panama City, Panama.

This is an exciting day for our guests and team members alike as we begin to prepare another three ships to resume sailing in Europe, the Caribbean, and the eagerly anticipated kickoff of our epic Around the World in 180 Days voyage for 2022, says Bob Binder, president and CEO of Oceania Cruises. Voyage itineraries for each ship will continue to be evaluated for port availability and may be adjusted as required closer to the sailing dates.

Whether guests are in the mood for an elaborate dinner at Toscana, or prefer to indulge in the lines exclusive Dom Prignon Experience, or crave the casual comfort of tacos or fresh poke bowls, every meal on board is given the same thought, care, and creativity to ensure it is as mouth-watering as it is memorable.

These additional ship restarts follow the announcement made on April 28 of the lines Marina resuming cruise operations from Copenhagen beginning on Aug. 29, 2021. Phased restart dates for Regatta and Nautica will be announced at a later date. All Oceania Cruises voyages, until further notice, will sail with the requirement that 100 percent of guests and crew be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to ensure the health and safety of all on board the ships as well as ashore in the communities visited.

The vaccination requirement is the cornerstone of the companys robust SailSAFETM health and safety program, which was developed with guidance from the companys team of public health and scientific experts, including the Healthy Sail Panel and the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council. Full details on SailSAFE protocols and the notable public health and scientific experts leading the Council can be found on OceaniaCruises.com. These protocols are subject to continuous refinement as science and technology evolves.

New and Exciting OceaniaNEXT Enhancements Oceania Cruises has announced the first in a series of inspired new product enhancements rolling out across its acclaimed fleet as part of its OceaniaNEXT program.

With elevated dining experiences and service levels for guests, the Oceania Cruises experience will be better than ever from the first sailing on board each and every ship when the line resumes operations beginning in August. During the pause in sailing, the Oceania Cruises team has continued to invest in creative ways to evolve the onboard experience and to inspire its guests with a sweeping array of dramatic enhancements to the brands already renowned Finest Cuisine at Sea and acclaimed service.

Whether guests are in the mood for an elaborate dinner at Toscana, or prefer to indulge in the lines exclusive Dom Prignon Experience, or crave the casual comfort of tacos or fresh poke bowls, every meal on board is given the same thought, care, and creativity to ensure it is as mouth-watering as it is memorable.

This is just the first of many inspirational new OceaniaNEXT enhancements to be revealed over the coming months.

These OceaniaNEXT enhancements not only elevate the guest experience, they showcase the creativity and passion our team has for crafting unique and memorable experiences for our guests, says Bob Binder. Weve undertaken this ambitious brand initiative to elevate every facet of the Oceania Cruises guest experience to new levels. From thoughtfully reimagined menus to enhanced service levels to the dramatic re-inspiration of our six ships, guests will find that the Oceania Cruises experience is better than ever.

For additional information on Oceania Cruises small-ship luxury product, exquisitely crafted cuisine, and expertly curated travel experiences, visit OceaniaCruises.com, call +852 2165 6010 (Hong Kong), +65 31 651 677 (Singapore), or speak with a professional travel advisor.

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Are you ready to sail away from this nightmare? - Manila Bulletin

With the good relations that have always existed, it was quickly accepted when the Aussie 7s teams invited the New Zealand Sevens squads to a pre-Olympic Oceania tournament based in Townsville, QLD.

The newly developed Pacific-Aus Sports Oceania Sevens tournament is scheduled for June 25-27, boosting all qualified teams preparations ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The event brings world-class rugby sevens to fans in the Southern Hemisphere this June and is one of many initiatives of Oceania Rugby that are proudly supported by the Australian Governments PacificAus Sports program.

What is good for the host, is doubly good for the invited guests. The competition is urgently needed as neither New Zealand men nor women have played any other International opposition, than Australia. Yet with a literal ban on International travel being dictated by New Zealand Rugby, the best option is to visit Australia in the weeks before the biggest tournament players can imagine [aside from the Rugby World Cup Sevens].

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Consisting of four mens and four womens teams with the national teams from Australia (current womens Olympic gold medalist), Fiji (current mens Olympic gold medalist) and New Zealand (current mens and womens Commonwealth and Rugby World Cup Sevens champions), joined by an Oceania Barbarian side in both the mens and womens draws.

The Oceania Sevens will be held at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on June 25-27, 2021.

One of the key benefits for the All Black Sevens men will be facing their Pacific neighbours, and Olympic champions, Fiji. Isolated by the global pandemic; in a similar way to New Zealand (NZ) and Australia (AUS), the Flying Fijians had enjoyed weeks of positive internal competition.

Their own Super Sevens Series heralded several domestic tournaments, right across the Fiji Islands. In the weeks prior to their own outbreak of the Coronavirus, it provided a semblance of competition for the men and women. Now, both will be taken away from the lingering threat of Covid-19, to the safety of Townsville and conditions that may just replicate those of Tokyo.

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Meeting their biggest opposition head-on, the NZ men will be tested to the highest degree. A huge plus for that side; as it will be for the Aussie 7s group too. While on the womens side of the draw, the World Champion Black Ferns Sevens will be planning to train hard to face their Aussie counterparts. A team who hold the Olympic Gold medals over their Kiwi rivals though the common view is that the favourites tag sits with the Black Ferns.

Stacked full of past World Rugby Sevens player of the year award winners, the womens New Zealand Sevens squads players will feel they can benefit the most from exposure to external competition. Matching against Fijiana and an Oceania Baabaas side, the real challenge will be Australia. Yet for that side, this week saw one of their key pillars make the tough decision to retire.

For the Aussie 7s, one of their pillars has unfortunately called time on her illustrious international career. 28-year old Emilee Cherry announced that injury means she will not be in the Aussie squad for the Townsville event, or to defend their Olympic title.

In the 2013/14 season, Cherry was voted World Rugby Womens Sevens Player of the Year and was one of the linchpins in Australias successful 2016 campaign at the Rio Olympic Games. One of only six Australian players to play in over 30 HSBC World Series tournaments, Emilee welcomed her first child to the world in 2019, before making a successful return to the international arena.

Playing beside Aussie greats Shannon Parry and Charlotte Caslick, now faced with a career-ending injury, the famed Aussie player told Rugby AU,Ive always reiterated the fact that youre only as successful as those around you, and my success is because of those who I have been lucky to call my teammates, friends, and family. I have had some incredible experiences throughout my Rugby journey, from debuting in 2012, a Gold medal win in Rio, and the birth of my daughter Alice.

These are just some of the moments which Ill look back on and cherish, but, above all the achievements, the highlight has been the people Ive met along the way.

Her high standards will now inspire the next generation, whose immediate goal will be to match the gold medal-focused Kiwi girls. It will be perfect preparation for all parties, ahead of the expected lockdown conditions proposed for Olympic squads, as they ready for the one golden dream on every players wishlist.

Many sevens rugby fans will be excited to see at least some sevens rugby action. And for the protagonists, this will be the first time Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand have competed together since the cancelation of the 2020 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

Main photo creditEmbed from Getty Images

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Aussie 7s invite New Zealand Sevens squads to pre-Olympic tournament - Last Word On Rugby

Dublin, June 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Online Dating Market: Size & Forecasts with Impact Analysis of COVID-19 (2021-2025 Edition)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the online dating market including detailed description of market sizing and growth. The report provides an analysis of the global online dating market by value, by volume and includes segment analysis as well. The report also provides detailed analysis of the online dating market value and volume for the following regions: Asia, Europe, Northern America, Latin America/ Caribbean, Oceania and Africa.

Moreover, the report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global online dating market has also been forecasted for the period 2021-2025, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.

The major players dominating the online dating market are Match Group, Inc., Spark Networks SE, ProSiebenSat.1 Group (eHarmony) and Bumble. The four companies have been profiled in the report providing their business overview, financial overview and business strategies.

Region Coverage

The global online dating market has been segmented on the basis of purpose, channels, devices and revenue models. On the basis of purpose, online dating has been segmented into casual relationship, socializing and marriage.

The two main channels for using online dating services are dating websites and dating apps. Furthermore, on the basis of devices, online dating has been divided into mobile and desktop. Revenue models for online dating are divided into membership subscription and freemium.

The global online dating market has witnessed continuous growth in the past few years and is expected to augment even further during the forecast period (2021-2025). COVID-19 induced lockdowns led to increase in usage of online dating apps. Therefore, the pandemic acted as a tailwind for online dating market as far as the year 2020 is concerned.

The market is expected to be driven by various growth enhancing factors such as rising internet penetration, increasing smartphone penetration, rising single adults population, changing perception of online dating, etc.

However, the market is not free from challenges that are hindering its growth. Some of the major challenges faced by the market are online dating scams and less acceptance in developing economies. Moreover, the market growth would be bolstered by various market trends like growth in blockchain technology, rising use of big data and increasing adoption among older generation.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

3. Global Market Analysis3.1 Global Online Dating Market: An Analysis3.1.1 Global Online Dating Market by Value3.1.2 Global Online Dating Market Value by Region (Asia, Europe, Northern America, Latin America/Caribbean, Oceania and Africa)3.1.3 Global Online Dating Market by Volume3.1.4 Global Online Dating Market Volume by Segments (paying users and non-paying users)3.1.5 Global Online Dating Market Volume by Region (Asia, Europe, Northern America, Latin America/Caribbean, Oceania and Africa)3.2 Global Online Dating Market: Segment Analysis3.2.1 Global Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume3.2.2 Global Non-Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume

4. Regional Market Analysis4.1 Asia Online Dating Market: An Analysis4.1.1 Asia Online Dating Market by Value4.1.2 Asia Online Dating Market Value by Region (China and Asia (excluding China))4.1.3 China Online Dating Market by Value4.1.4 Asia (Excluding China) Online Dating Market by Value4.1.5 Asia Online Dating Market by Volume4.1.6 Asia Online Dating Market Volume by Segments (paying users and non-paying users)4.1.7 Asia Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.1.8 Asia Non-Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.2 Europe Online Dating Market: An Analysis4.2.1 Europe Online Dating Market by Value4.2.2 Europe Online Dating Market Value by Region (United Kingdom, Germany, France and Europe (excluding United Kingdom, Germany & France))4.2.3 United Kingdom Online Dating Market by Value4.2.4 Germany Online Dating Market by Value4.2.5 France Online Dating Market by Value4.2.6 Europe (Excluding United Kingdom, Germany & France) Online Dating Market by Value4.2.7 Europe Online Dating Market by Volume4.2.8 Europe Online Dating Market Volume by Segments (paying users and non-paying users)4.2.9 Europe Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.2.10 Europe Non-Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.3 Northern America Online Dating Market: An Analysis4.3.1 Northern America Online Dating Market by Value4.3.2 Northern America Online Dating Market Value by Region (the US and Northern America (excluding the US))4.3.3 The US Online Dating Market by Value4.3.4 Northern America (Excluding The US) Online Dating Market by Value4.3.5 Northern America Online Dating Market by Volume4.3.6 Northern America Online Dating Market Volume by Region (the US and Northern America (excluding the US))4.3.7 The US Online Dating Market by Volume4.3.8 Northern America (Excluding The US) Online Dating Market by Volume4.3.9 Northern America Online Dating Market Volume by Segments (paying users and non-paying users)4.3.10 Northern America Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.3.11 Northern America Non-Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.4 Latin America/ Caribbean Online Dating Market: An Analysis4.4.1 Latin America/ Caribbean Online Dating Market by Value4.4.2 Latin America/ Caribbean Online Dating Market by Volume4.4.3 Latin America/ Caribbean Online Dating Market Volume by Segments (paying users and non-paying users)4.4.4 Latin America/ Caribbean Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.4.5 Latin America/ Caribbean Non-Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.5 Oceania Online Dating Market: An Analysis4.5.1 Oceania Online Dating Market by Value4.5.2 Oceania Online Dating Market by Volume4.5.3 Oceania Online Dating Market Volume by Segments (paying users and non-paying users)4.5.4 Oceania Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.5.5 Oceania Non-Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.6 Africa Online Dating Market: An Analysis4.6.1 Africa Online Dating Market by Value4.6.2 Africa Online Dating Market by Volume4.6.3 Africa Online Dating Market Volume by Segments (paying users and non-paying users)4.6.4 Africa Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume4.6.5 Africa Non-Paying Users Online Dating Market by Volume

5. Impact of Covid-195.1 Impact on Global Online Dating Market5.1.1 Use of Dating Apps for Platonic Purposes5.1.2 Addition of New User Types5.1.3 Rise in Category Specialist Dating Applications5.1.4 Impact on Asia Online Dating Market5.1.5 Response of Online Dating Service Providers

6. Market Dynamics6.1 Growth Drivers6.1.1 Rising Internet Penetration6.1.2 Increasing Smartphone Penetration6.1.3 Rising Single Adult Population6.1.4 Rapid Urbanization6.1.5 Changing Perception of Online Dating6.1.6 Delayed Marriages among the Youth6.2 Challenges6.2.1 Online Dating Scams6.2.2 Less Acceptance in Developing Economies6.3 Market Trends6.3.1 Use of Blockchain Technology6.3.2 Growing Use of Big Data6.3.3 Rising Adoption among Older Generation

7. Competitive Landscape7.1 Global Online Dating Market Players: Financial Comparison7.2 Global Online Dating Market Players by Share7.3 Northern America Online Dating Market Players by Share

8. Company Profiles8.1 Match Group, Inc.8.1.1 Business Overview8.1.2 Financial Overview8.1.3 Business Strategy8.2 Spark Networks SE8.2.1 Business Overview8.2.2 Financial Overview8.2.3 Business Strategy8.3 ProSiebenSat.1 Group (eHarmony)8.3.1 Business Overview8.3.2 Financial Overview8.3.3 Business Strategy8.4 Bumble8.4.1 Business Overview8.4.2 Financial Overview8.4.3 Business Strategy

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/e2qqz4

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Global Online Dating Market (2021 to 2025) - Size & Forecasts with Impact Analysis of COVID-19 - GlobeNewswire

SEOUL, South Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gravity Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRVY), a global game service provider, announced that it will start the closed beta test (CBT) of the Ragnarok: Project S (tentative title), its 3D MMORPG under development, on June 22, 2021.

As a mobile 3D MMORPG against the backdrop of world of Ragnarok Online, Ragnarok: Project S is the sequel to the Ragnarok: Valkyrie Uprising that was developed and serviced by Gravity Neocyon. Having been available in the global market for over 6 years from May 2012 to January 2019, Ragnarok: Valkyrie Uprising is one of the hit titles of Gravity Neocyon played by over 5 million users.

Gravity will conduct CBT of the Ragnarok: Project S for 7 days starting on June 22 via its official Facebook page. The CBT can be joined by users around the world, regardless of their access regions. Regions such as Southeast Asia, Oceania, North America, the United Kingdom and Germany will all be able to access the CBT. The Ragnarok: Project S CBT will be conducted in English.

In the CBT, users can explore creative story quests, such as scroll quests as well as diversified main and sub-quests, and enjoy a variety of dungeons. Additionally, a new battleground, with giant god warriors that enable users to fight in large-scale battles, will be active during the CBT.

For users participating in CBT of Ragnarok: Project S, Gravity will provide a variety of events, including an appreciation coupon code, a CBT gift event that gives away Diamonds and a costume-wings-mercenary package, a Facebook event where users can show off their own cute characters in costumes, and a leveling Facebook event that allows only powerful users to join.

We will provide users with a new experience of another Ragnarok through Ragnarok: Project S to which we put our efforts for a long time. We look forward to seeing a host of participants in CBT of the Ragnarok: Project S, said Kwonkuk Moon, Project Manager at Global Mobile Business Unit, Gravity.

Gravity will keep communicating with users by updating progress in the development of the Ragnarok: Project S on its official Facebook page every week. Currently, the Facebook page of Project S exceeded 370,000 followers.

[CBT page] https://www.facebook.com/ROValkyrieUprising/ [Official website] http://www.gravity.co.kr/kr

About Gravity

Established in April 2000, during the early stages of the Korean online gaming industry, Gravity has been leading the golden age of online and mobile games. Gravity is the only game company in Korea that is directly listed on the NASDAQ.

Gravity has been servicing games of various genres in Korea and abroad on the basis of the Ragnarok IPs, such as Ragnarok Online, a PC MMORPG with the largest user base in the world, Ragnarok M: Abyss Awakening, a mobile MMORPG, Ragnarok: Labyrinth, and Ragnarok: Poring Merge.

With the launch of Ragnarok Origin, a mobile MMORPG, in July 2020 in Korea, Gravity achieved box office success with high revenue in two major game markets. And immediately after it launched Ragnarok X: Next Generation in October 2020 in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, it ranked No.1 in revenue in two major markets in Taiwan and Hong Kong, while recording the highest in Google revenue in Macao. The company will make a surprise launch of Ragnarok X: Next Generation on June 18, 2021, in Southeast Asia.

Based on its powerful global network established through the success of Ragnarok Online, Gravity is also promoting the global publishing business to develop and distribute a range of platform and genre games as well as games using Ragnarok IPs.

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Gravity to Launch Global CBT of Tentatively Named 3D MMORPG 'Ragnarok: Project S' on June 22 - Business Wire

The Fiji Rugby Union is grateful to the Australian government and Oceania Rugby for helping the Fiji 7s and Fijiana 7s teams to play in the 2021 PacificAus Sports Oceania Sevens from June 25-27.

The teams, amidst the increase in COVID-19 infections in the country, flew out to Australia on Friday to meet regional neighbours Aust and New Zealand in the lead up to Japan Olympic Games.

The tournament will include the hosts, NZ and the Oceania Barbarians team in both the mens and womens draw.

Oceania Rugby announced last week that the Australia supported the travel costs for the Fijian sides.

The tournament is part of Austs Pacific Step-Up program called PacificAus Sports which started in 2019 and runs until 2023.

FRU chief executive officer John OConnor said the Oceania Sevens would give the Fiji sides tough oppositions before the Olympics.

We thank the Australian government and Fiji Airways for their assistance, OConnor said. Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, John Feakes said they were delighted to support Fijis travel.

The 2021 PacificAus Sports Oceania Sevens will be played at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.

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The Fiji Times Thumbs up to Australia - Fiji Times

GOLD COAST (Australia) - The FIBA Foundation's Mini Basketball Virtual Seminars launched in Oceania and South East Asia last month are in full swing, and the participants have praised the forums after three sessions.

The bi-monthly virtual sessions focus on teaching participants how to plan, monitor, and develop a Mini Basketball Program that includes Basketball as a tool for social change. They are also guided on how to unify stakeholders to amplify the Mini Basketball activities and strengthening the social impact.

Arii Meuel, Tahiti's National Basketball Development Officer and national men's team captain has praised the forums and commended the presentation in the first three forums.

"I enjoy the sessions especially when we have breakout rooms where we share our different experiences around the world. Being from Tahiti, a small island in the Pacific, it was cool for us to interact with colleagues from Indonesia, Australia, and everybody in the forums," Meuel shared."You can tell that there are some differences but basketball is what unites us."

Meanwhile, Paul Ng from the Basketball Association of Singapore mentioned that they are already thinking of incorporating some of the activities presented in the third module.

"The sessions have been informative for us, we are hoping to incorporate some of the activities that will help our programs to be more enjoyable to the kids while also refining our Basketball For Good ideals in the clinics," he shared.

"Based on what we've learned so far, we are targeting a 2-3 day bi-annual basketball clinic, where kids can come in and learn the sport, make new friends, and enjoy the game," he added.

The 3-month program has invited 48 delegates from 20 different National Federations to learn the tools to grow the Mini Basketball movement.

Meuel praised the moderators for their presentations and the pace of forums scheduled for 1 hour and 30 minutes each session.

"The moderators have been great, their presentations are smooth. The 1 hour and a half go by fast, it feels like only 15 minutes have gone by at the end of the session," Meuel shared.

About Mini Basketball:

The FIBA Foundations Mini Basketball program is a global Basketball For Good initiative to improve health and well-being of 5-12 year old children and to fight physical inactivity and childhood obesity. It is an inclusive grassroots basketball movement addressed to girls and boys and their parents and uses fun & game based learning. Please contact us if you want to know more about our programs or if you are interested to work with us.

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Mini Basketball Virtual Seminars a hit in the Pacific and South East Asia - FIBA

ByPamela Bedore, Ph.D.,University of ConnecticutNineteen Eighty-Four explores, how, within a totalitarian structure, an individual is kept powerless. (Image: Prazis Images/Shutterstock)Winston Smith, the Protagonist

There is a frame narrative, which although crucial to many utopias, is equally important in Nineteen Eighty-Four. Winston Smith is the main protagonist of the novel. His name itself is a clear reference to Winston Churchill and Adam Smith. Winston Smith provides the perfect perspective on the world of Oceania, constantly at war with either Eurasia or East Asia, and constantly allied with the other.

Winstons is the only perspective we ever get in this dystopic novel. Yet, it is a perspective which, for the reader, is immersive. One almost begins to feel and think like him.

This is a transcript from the video series Great Utopian and Dystopian Works of Literature. Watch it now, on The Great Courses Plus.

Winston thinks some very subversive thingsdangerous things. This is particularly interesting because Winston seems like such an ordinary guy. He is 39 years old and long been separated from his wife, with whom he had a loveless marriage. He lives alone in a modest room that always smells faintly of other peoples cooking, especially the never-ending cabbage concoctions favored by his neighbors, the Parsons.

One wonders why does Orwell provide the reader with such specific and, honestly, mundane details about his protagonists life. It probably is a part of the immersive capacity of dystopia. Winston isnt just a mind thinking through the best or worst ways to organize a society, he is a person with a body, a body that suffers from the aches and pains of middle age, a body that reactskind of to Winstons surpriseto Julia, a much younger woman who takes an unexplained erotic interest in him.

Learn more about origins of utopia.

Primarily, Nineteen Eighty-Four is all about power in a dystopia. It delves deep into the question of how does power function and what elements of a culture are most involved in its creation and perpetuation. It further explores, how, within a totalitarian structure, an individual is kept powerless in the face of the state.

Now, Winston isnt completely powerless. After all, he is a member of the Party. He always wears overalls, a former symbol of oppression that the Party has rebranded by making it the uniform of the ruling class.

Yet, as an embodied narrator in a complex relationship to powerthe power of the state and the power of Julias sexualityWinston is vulnerable; deeply, deeply vulnerable. And that makes the reader feel vulnerable too, which makes us turn the page. Orwell, just like Zamyatin and Huxley, explores the idea that sexuality is a key means of both control and rebellion in a dystopia.

Winston works at the delightfully ironically named Ministry of Truth, Records Department, and hes good at his job, which is to correct errors in the historical record. If, say, the chocolate ration of 30 grams per week, is suddenly lowered to 20 grams per week, what Winstons office would do would be to go back and change the record to show that the chocolate ration had always been at 20 grams. That way no one can complain.

Not only can no one complainat a certain point, when the historical record of a society is constantly being updated with accuracy toward the present, its not just that no one can complain; its that no one can remember. So, what might seem dishonest or inaccurate is really just an adjustment to reality.

Orwell forces us to think how it could be possible for Winston to do that work without being to some degree contaminated with knowledge. The answer to that question lies with OBrien, one of the most wonderfully sinister characters in the book.

OBrien initially approaches Winston as a friendly, a fellow subversive who gives Winston a book allegedly written by a member of the Brotherhood, a rebel group.

But its OBrien, a member of the Inner Party, whose Party affiliation is in question for the first two parts of the novel. It is also through his character that Orwell explains the concept of Doublethink.

Doublethink is a concept that assimilates two mutually contradictory beliefs points in a dystopic society, and merges them into one. Orwell shows that, for OBrien, squaring the circle, being in charge of changing history and believing the changes, is easy. Anyone can do it with enough practice.

The most famous example of Doublethink, however, is 2 + 2 = 5. Anthony Burgess uses this one for the epigraph of his novel 1985, in which he imagines a different but complementary view of the world one year after Orwells vision is set.

Except Burgess, is a bit too clever. The epigraph in full reads:

2 + 2 = 5. A notice put up in Moscow during the first Five Year Plan, indicating the possibility of getting the job done in four years, if workers put their backs into it.

Learn more about utopian technologies.

Nineteen Eighty-Four embodies the power of language in a dystopia to shape thought for good or for ill, and explores the devastating potential of language to destroy both personal and cultural identity, what we might call memory and history, when used to preserve a totalitarian system of government.

According to the bureaucracy of Oceania, the super state in which the novel is set, if you tell a lie enough times, it becomes the truth. It toys with the very notion of truth and reality. It questions what if truth isnt empirical and is a social construction, something that exists only because we all agree that it exists.

The novel, thus, focuses on some really important issues and contributes to the genre of dystopia, substantially. This is what makes dystopia so popular even till today. Orwells novel, however, doesnt provide an answer to the question of how can the dark future be avoided.

Yet, he still holds out hope when Winston finally understands that The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Hence, Nineteen Eighty-Fours approach to the genre of dystopia is underlined by Orwells concerns about the notion of truth and reality and a deep commitment to connecting language to reality.

The novel Nineteen Eighty-Four is primarily about power in a dystopia and questions how power functions and what elements of a culture are involved in its creation and perpetuation.

Doublethink, in Nineteen Eighty-Four is a concept that assimilates two contradictory logical points in a dystopic society, and merges them into one.

Orwell, just like Zamyatin and Huxley, explores the idea that sexuality is a key means of both control and rebellion in a dystopia.

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"Nineteen Eighty-Four" and the Genre of Dystopia - The Great Courses Daily News

Esports tournament organiserBLASThas partnered with free-to-play battle royale game Fortnite toproduce the inaugural Fortnite Champion Series All-Star Showdown.

The event is set to commence on June 23rd and features a $3m (2.12m) prize pool.

RELATED: BLAST Premier gets comfortable with L33T Gaming

The All-Star Showdown will mark the halfway stage of the 2021 Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS). The event will see players compete in a range of tournaments to determine the best players in each of Fortnites server regions.

Nicolas Estrup, Vice President of Product at BLAST, commented on the deal in a release: Were thrilled to embark on this journey with the talented people behind Fortnite Competitive and the FNCS. Being able to dedicate challenges to showcase all the intricacies of what it means to be a top Fortnite player really excites us and we hope the community will feel the same.

According to the release, the All-Star Showdown will invite players from the top 30 FNCS trios within each of Fornites seven server regions (Oceania, Asia, Middle East, Europe, Brazil, North America East, and North America West).

The tournament is expected to feature brand new Fortnite Creative maps, which are said to test individual player skills. The invited top trios will also compete in a team-based, non-Battle Royale mode. The week-long event will culminate with a solo Battle Royale competition which separates all the trios to determine the best player in their server regions.

RELATED: AS Monaco joins forces with Gambit Esports for Dota 2 and Fortnite

Known for hosting its Premier tournament circuit for CS:GO, BLAST is no stranger to organising tournaments outside of the popular shooter. In recent years, the organiser has hosted Dota 2 events as well as joining forces with Riot Games to host a VALORANT Ignition Series tournament

The FNCS All-Star Showdown will be broadcast globally across a number of platforms including Twitch, YouTube, and Twitter.

Esports Insider says: The deal marks the first time for BLAST hosting a battle royale tournament. Considering its success hosting its other tournaments, Epic Games and the All-Star Showdown is definitely in safe hands.

Check out the ESI 2021 Events Calendar

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BLAST partners with Fortnite to produce FNCS All-Star Showdown - Esports Insider

The 20202021 Blueberry Yearbook, an industry report recently released by agricultural consulting company iQonsulting, reveals that the blueberry export industry in the Southern Hemisphere is healthier than ever. It was a record-breaking season for Southern Hemisphere exporters, with a total of more than 312,000 tons of blueberries exported a 20% increase over the previousseason.

This growth was largely attributable to several major exporters that all achieved new records this season, namely, Peru, Chile, South Africa andColombia.

Weekly shipment statistics for major blueberry-exporting countries in the Southern Hemisphere.

Export volume trends of Southern Hemisphere exporters over the past six years. Peru, Chile, South Africa and Colombia all show positive growth.

Statistics from the Blueberry Yearbook show that Peru remains the largest blueberry exporter in the Southern Hemisphere, exceeding 160,000 tons of fresh blueberry exports in the 2020/21 season a year-on-year increase of 36%. Perus exports have shown sustained growth and hit new highs each season for several years. Perus biggest export variety is Biloxi, and exports of other blueberry varieties have alsorisen.

Perus fresh blueberry exports by variety over the past five years.

Chile is the Southern Hemispheres second-largest blueberry exporter, with almost 118,000 tons exported this season, an 8% increase from the previous season. This was largely the result of an increase in planted area and the diversion of blueberries from the uble and Biobo regions that were traditionally destined for the frozen industry to be exported fresh instead. Chiles two main export varieties, Duke and Legacy, account for 40% of the countrys blueberryexports.

The makeup of Chile and Perus blueberry export market has been changing; while North America has still remained the largest market for the past three seasons, its share has been declining, with exports to Europe and Asia on the increase.

Average unit export FOB value of fresh Chilean blueberries. The red and blue lines represent organic and conventionally grown fruit, respectively.

South Africa and Colombia also show export growth trends, while the remaining Southern Hemisphere countries, including Uruguay, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina, registered a decrease in blueberry exports during the 2020/21 season. This was caused in large part by a significant downward trend in Uruguays exports. New Zealand and Australia were showing an overall upward trend prior to last year, with a drop in exports only this past season, due in part to pandemic-related labor shortages related to the sectors reliance on foreignworkers.

Organic blueberry exports from Southern Hemisphere countries have also maintained a growth trend. While official data on organic blueberries are not available from all countries, the report confirms that Chiles organic blueberry exports have grown significantly, particularly in the regions of uble and Biobo. From June to September each year, Peru is the main supplier of organic blueberries, competing with Africa, Argentina and Uruguay, while Chiles export peak falls from December to February of the followingyear.

Organic fresh blueberry exports from selected countries over the past five years.

The Southern Hemispheres frozen blueberry industry has developed alongside the fresh industry. The main growth in frozen blueberry exports has come from Peru, with Chile also maintaining stable exports and other Southern Hemisphere countries only exporting small volumes. Chile has the advantage in terms of market distribution, with greater coverage in Asia and Oceania. Currently, approximately 31% of Chiles frozen blueberry shipments are organicfruit.

During the 2020/21 season, North America was the largest export market for Southern Hemisphere blueberries, accounting for 55% of export volume and representing 21% growth. Average market prices in the United States remained similar to or slightly higher than the previous season. The supply of organic blueberries in the United States has been growing steadily for several seasons, in terms of both imports and localproduction.

In continental Europe, robust growth in supply was predicted early in the season, which impacted mid-term pricetrends.

The Chinese market saw a similar situation, with an increased supply being predicted at the start of the 2020/21 season. However, the supply of Chilean blueberries later in the season was lower than the previous year, leading to high prices in November andDecember.

On the whole, global blueberry supply has diversified, with an increase in local production volumes putting pressure on Southern Hemisphere exporters. In the United States, local blueberry supply comes from domestic growers and Mexico, while in Europe, local supply originates from Spain and Morocco. In China, there is also local competition from domestically grown greenhouse blueberries, which have displayed solid growth in recent years.

Images: Pixabay (main image), iQonsulting (bodyimages)

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20202021 Blueberry Yearbook Reveals Southern Hemisphere Export Data - Produce Report