Category Archives: Oceania

As levels of obesity and overweight increase, so too does pressure on food manufacturers to improve the nutritional profile of their products.

In the UK, the government has responded to growing health concerns by setting voluntary salt and sugar reduction targets.

Breakfast cereal is one category leading the charge, having already achieved its target of cutting sugar content by 20%. In Public Health Englands (PHE) three-year report on progress in the sugar reduction programme, cereals were called out as one of two product categories that have shown the greatest progress in sugar reduction, said Gharry Eccles, Vice President UK and Oceania of Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW).

The company a joint venture between Nestl and General Mills has itself achieved approximately 20% reduction in sugar across its products since 2010, and has so far reduced salt levels by 25% since 2003.

Weve done this through gradual reduction, ensuring that the quality and flavour is maintained and that consumers stay with us on the journey, said Eccles at the FoodNavigator 2021 Digital Summit: Positive Nutrition.

Yet CPW has not taken a purely reductionist approach to production renovation. Fortification is also integral to its strategy, the executive explained.

Nine out of 10 consumers want to eat more healthily. In order to meet those consumer needs, I believe you have to operate a dual strategy that is both reductionist and increasing, said Eccles.

Indeed, the JV has not just reduced salt and sugar, but has simultaneously increased the whole grain content of its cereals.

The health benefits of whole grains are widely acknowledged. Containing essential vitamins and micronutrients, regular whole grain consumption has been associated with a 30% reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes in people who consume them as a part of a low-fat diet.

Whole grains are pretty powerful stuff, said Eccles at the event last week, adding that eating cereal with whole grain is also an easy way to boost fibre intake.

The majority of people in the UK arent consuming enough fibre. For adults, the recommended average intake is 30g per day. However, on average, men consume just 17g per day, and women only two-thirds of the recommended intake.

CPW which counts Shredded Wheat, Cheerios and Shreddies amongst its brands has been taking steps to increase the whole grain content in its cereals over the last decade. Today, our cereals contain over 1700 tonnes more whole grain that they did 10 years ago, said the CPW VP.

CPW alerts consumers to this increased whole grain content via a green banner on-pack. The green banner indicates that whole grain is the number one ingredient. Today, 87% of our cereals now have whole grain as the number one ingredient. The remaining 12.5% of our portfolio is made up of our gluten-free range.

The company is also fortifying its products with key vitamins, such as riboflavin and niacin, irrespective of whether those nutrients were originally present in the food or not.

Looking beyond product renovation, CPW is also exploring a minimalist approach to NPD.

Weve learnt that innovation can be less rather than more, said Eccles, referring to a new CPW product launching this month across the UK. Were adopting a less is more approach.

The product in question comes under CPWs Shreddies brand, to be sold as Shreddies: The Simple One. It is made from using just four simple ingredients, Eccles revealed: whole wheat, banana puree, date syrup, and a pinch of salt.

The Simple One is all green under the Governments traffic light labelling scheme, with less than 5% sugar, no refined sugar, and is free from artificial flavours. Its the most natural and healthy product in our portfolio today.

Suggesting that CPW is playing the long game, the executive revealed the company has big ambitions. We want to continue the journey to improved taste and nutrition, because we know thats what consumers want.

We will continue to reduce sugarwe will remove all the red traffic lights on sugar from our Shreddies variants by the end of the year, and weve also got some exciting innovations with targets to make all of our cereals non-HFSS.

And we will continue to call on governments to make whole grain a priority in their food and nutritional policy.

Missed any of the FoodNavigator Digital Summit 2021: Positive Nutrition? Dont worry, you can still access all of our sessions and handouts, which will be available on-demand for the next 90 days. Click here toREGISTER FOR FREE.

Read the original:

CPW talks breakfast reformulation and fortification - FoodNavigator.com

Cyrus Gilbert-Rolfe joins EVRYTHNG as President and Managing Director, EMEA and Oceania

LONDON and NEW YORK (PRWEB) March 24, 2021

EVRYTHNG, the Product Cloud that helps consumer brands run their businesses differently by knowing what their products know, today announced it has appointed two veteran executives to its commercial leadership team, supporting accelerating adoption of product digitization among consumer brand owners for customer engagement, supply chain visibility, and transparency. Cyrus Gilbert-Rolfe, the companys new President and Managing Director, EMEA and Oceania, is a seasoned executive with a track record of growing scale-up SaaS businesses and commercial sales organizations. Pieter Joost (PJ) Verhoef, who has been named SVP, Global Accounts, EMEA and Oceania, previously led consumer global account programs at Adobe and Oracle.

Digitization has accelerated dramatically over the past 12 months as brands have responded to the pandemics dramatic scale-up of e-commerce and challenges to supply chain visibility, said Niall Murphy, CEO and co-founder, EVRYTHNG. As we work with global brands like Puma, Ralph Lauren, Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever and Mot Hennessy on programs involving consumer engagement, transparency, and end-to-end traceability, Cyrus and PJ bring tremendous experience to ensure we are providing brands in the EMEA and Oceania regions with the digitization solutions they need.

Gilbert-Rolfe has a long history in retail technology and consumer experience, having launched his career leading the European e-commerce business for Internet pioneer Netscape. Gilbert-Rolfe previously served as CEO at location intelligence leader Movvo and led RFID trailblazer OATSystems as it grew from the Auto-ID Center at MIT into the grocery standard in Europe. He also held executive roles at Microsoft, Dell EMC, and Lehman Brothers. Most recently, he built the international organization for Silicon Valley darling SocialChorus.

EVRYTHNG has established a leadership position showing major consumer brands how they can succeed with a product cloud strategy, said Cyrus Gilbert-Rolfe, President and Managing Director, EMEA and Oceania, EVRYTHNG. All organizations dealing with global complexity can now benefit from the success of innovators like Ralph Lauren, Diageo, and Carrefour. EVRYTHNG is helping shape how supply chains and consumer experiences will work in the future. To say I am excited to join this company at this moment would be an understatement.

Verhoef most recently served as Global Account Director at Oracle, where he helped global FMCG companies evolve their marketing, commerce, and media platform capabilities. Prior to that, he spent more than four years at Adobe, most recently serving as Global Account Director for the companys Unilever business. Earlier in his career, Verhoef founded, grew, and sold two international technology marketing firms. He holds a BBA from Nyenrode Business University and an MA in Anthropology from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Connecting producers and supply chains directly to consumers through digital product interaction has been an inevitable wave rushing in for years, said PJ Verhoef, SVP, Global Accounts, EMEA and Oceania, EVRYTHNG. But it requires inspiring business cases, innovative technology, and global standards to fully materialize. I believe we now have EVRYTHNG to make that happen.

About EVRYTHNGThe EVRYTHNG Product Cloud helps global consumer product brands run their businesses differently by knowing what their products know. EVRYTHNGs customers see and learn from each products journey, end to end, from the factory to consumer and beyond. The EVRYTHNG Product Cloud links every product item to its Active Digital Identity on the webjoining-up product data at every point in the value chain for visibility, validation, and real-time intelligence and to connect with people. EVRYTHNGs customers include the worlds leading brands in sectors ranging from apparel to beauty and personal care to home goods to beverages. EVRYTHNG is a World Economic Forum Global Innovator and EVRYTHNGs founders originated the W3C Web of Things and GS1 Digital Link global standards. The company won the 2020 Fast Company World Changing Ideas Award. Learn more at evrythng.com and @EVRYTHNG.

Share article on social media or email:

See more here:

EVRYTHNG Expands Executive Team As Consumer Product Digitization Accelerates - PR Web

Advertisement

In his Interim National Security Strategic Guidance, U.S. President Joe Biden states, When we strengthen our alliances, we amplify our power as well as our ability to disrupt threats before they reach our shores. The word shores denotes the historical importance of the maritime environment to the United States national security. Within this domain, alliances and partnerships, spanning from the support of the French fleet at Yorktown during the Revolutionary War to modern-day counterpiracy task forces, have served to defend the United States and its interests.

Today, cooperation in the maritime domain carries increased importance given the security situation in the Indo-Pacific. Over the past two decades, China has built the worlds largest navy, coast guard, and maritime militia, a combined force of over 700 ships. It has used this force to illegally expand its territory and increasingly threaten a free and open Indo-Pacific. Lack of U.S. shipbuilding capacity, budget constraints, and wide-ranging global security responsibilities have and will continue to prevent the United States from preserving freedom of the seas on its own. The vastness of the Indo-Pacific, an area encompassing over half of the globe, exacerbates these shortfalls.

The solution to these challenges lies hidden within Advantage at Sea, the latest tri-service maritime strategy (TSMS) published by the U.S. naval services the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The strategy declares allies and partners an enduring asymmetric advantage over our rivals. Additionally, it advances the idea that, when acting with unity of effort, like-minded nations generate enormous power to modify and deter malign behavior in the maritime domain. There is a maturing partnership within the Indo-Pacific that has the capacity to achieve this goal. While not explicitly mentioned in the TSMS, operationalizing the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, better known as the Quad, is critical to ensuring maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, and the naval services must act now to advance this partnership.

The Quad, an informal initiative between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, has been plagued by fits and starts since its inception over a decade ago. Improving Quad cooperation and interoperability in the maritime domain will require dedicated alignment between the U.S. Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Defense, as well as commitment from all Quad nations. Fortunately, the current administration has placed a high priority on expanding the Quad, evidenced by Biden hosting the first meeting of the heads of state of the Quad nations in just his second month in office.

The virtual summit resulted in the The Spirit of the Quad, a joint statement from the Quad leaders reaffirming each nations commitment to the partnership. Maritime security featured prominently in the statement with the nations pledging to prioritize the role of international law in the maritime domain. Despite the optimism emanating from the summit, solidifying diplomatic ties between the Quad nations will take time. In the interim, the U.S. naval services can play a significant role in laying the groundwork for greater collaboration amongst the Quad to improve maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.

Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.

Short-Term Goals (1-2 years)

The naval services must capitalize on the diplomatic momentum surrounding the Quad by building upon existing maritime security-focused programs. By expanding bilateral and multilateral agreements across all Quad nations, the naval services can achieve early victories in assuring the international rules-based order in the maritime domain.

Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific.

First, the naval services must work to improve maritime domain awareness (MDA) for Quad nations. In October 2020, the United States and India signed a geospatial intelligence sharing agreement which could be expanded to all Quad members. This would immediately allow each nation to better defend against illegal activities without appearing overly provocative to other nations. Separately, the naval services should conduct joint activities among the coast guards of the Quad nations. A joint sail event within the exclusive economic zones of the Quad countries would improve MDA as well as enforce international laws, such as countering illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU). The optics of such cooperation could serve to strengthen the resolve of regional nations and build trust by reinforcing the legitimacy of international maritime law.

Second, the naval services must solidify Quad naval exercise participation. MALABAR 2020 represented only the second time in 24 iterations that all Quad members participated in the annual exercise specifically designed to improve interoperability. Regularizing MALABAR participation by all Quad nations ensures increased cooperation and could spur relationship formalization. MALABAR should also incorporate the U.S. Marine Corps and like-services of Quad nations to enhance security capability while adding depth to the exercise. Embarking high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) aboard U.S. or other Quad nation vessels and subsequently conducting integrated live-fire training is but one example of how the Marines could expand the exercise.

Finally, the naval services must improve coordination efforts between the Quads navies to leverage their collective strength in numbers and maximize effectiveness and operational reach. The Quad navies should coordinate the timing and locations of their port visits, using them to enhance regional maritime diplomacy. Additionally, the Quad must expand relationships through officer exchange opportunities, especially at resident schoolhouses and training centers, and integrating liaison officers into command staffs, especially on those deploying in the region (such as U.S. Marine Expeditionary Units).

Mid-Term Goals (3-4 years)

While short-term efforts focus on combined exercises, MDA, and training, mid-term goals should focus on further operationalizing elements of the Quad in the maritime domain, specifically to meet challenges to the rules-based maritime order in the East and South China Seas. The navies of the Quad should come together to conduct operational joint sail events to include freedom of navigation operations throughout the region. Additionally, the Quad could bolster maritime security by signing mutual ship-riding agreements between the U.S. Coast Guard and all Quad nations. The Coast Guard currently employs 11 bilateral ship-rider agreements with Pacific Island Forum nations throughout Oceania, which allows greater interoperability between the coast guards. A comparable agreement across the Quad would similarly improve coast guard integration. Finally, the naval services should work to establish Quad Centers of Excellence to develop and experiment with joint concepts and doctrine, train and educate leaders, and improve overall Quad interoperability.

Long-Term Goal (4-8 years)

Building on the above short and mid-term achievements, the Quad nations should work toward a structured and sustainable maritime coalition by developing a regional maritime task force. The coalitions objectives would be to preserve freedom of the seas in the region, to ensure the territorial waters of sovereign nations are not infringed upon, and to expand maritime domain awareness for the participating nations.

Establishing the right command and control architecture in any coalition task force is difficult and often contentious. Thus, Quad nations should emulate a successful and proven model such as the Joint Interagency Task Force-South to ensure ample representation and expertise from all parties. By combining resources and expertise, a regional maritime coalition would provide the quantity and quality of assets required to maintain free and open access to the oceans of the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, it would create a more efficient means to achieve mutually shared objectives of partner nations, ultimately gaining the trust and confidence of smaller island nations nervous about their territorial integrity. Such a regional maritime task force would send a powerful message to friends and would-be aggressors throughout this vast region that a group of like-minded, democratic nations is fully committed to upholding the existing rules and norms of maritime governance. Finally, a formal maritime coalition would provide a core framework to coordinate, or expand, with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Oceania, and European allies operating in the region such as the United Kingdom and France.

Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.

Conclusion

During his March 9, 2021 congressional testimony, Admiral Phillip Davidson, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, explained that the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific is becoming increasingly unfavorable to the United States and its partners. He stated, Absent a convincing deterrent, the Peoples Republic of China will be emboldened to take action to undermine the rules based international order. His testimony, followed by the first meeting of all Quad principals three days later, demonstrates a sense of urgency.

The U.S. naval services, working in cooperation with their Quad counterparts, can achieve the strategic effect envisioned by the TSMS, and have the potential to lay the foundation for future Quad initiatives in other areas. By expanding upon existing coordination, exercises, and cooperation to achieve early victories, the naval services can establish the needed momentum to move the informal Quad initiative into a formal Quad maritime coalition. If successful in this endeavor, the naval services will serve as the impetus to meet Bidens objective to work alongside fellow democracies across the globe to deter and defend against aggression from hostile adversaries.

The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard or the U.S. government.

Link:

How to Operationalize the Quad The Diplomat - The Diplomat

Since the Philippines first participated in the 1924 Paris Olympics, the country has been able to win a total of 10 medals, three silvers and seven bronzes. The first was in the 1928 edition, courtesy of swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso's bronze in the men's 200m backstroke. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz is the country's latest Olympic medalist, having won silver in the 2016 Rio Games.

The Philippine Olympic Committee is looking to send at least 16 athletes to the Tokyo Olympics scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8, and so far six Filipino athletes have qualified. Who else is still chasing an Olympic slot? Here's a snapshot of who's in, who's still in the running and where they are in the Olympic qualification process.

Last updated on Mar. 31, 2021

Ernest John Obiena (pole vault)

Carlos Yulo (Gymnastics)

Eumir Marcial (boxing)

Irish Magno (boxing)

Nesthy Petecio (boxing)

Carlo Paalam (boxing)

List courtesy of the Philippine Sports Commission

ARCHERY

Recurve Men

Jason Emmanuel Feliciano

Carson Francis Hastie

Rey Silos

Recurve Women

Gabrielle Monica Biduare

Pia Elizabeth Biduare

Phoebe Nicole Amistoso

Qualification events: Guatemala City 2021 - World Cup Stage 1 (Apr. 19-25); Shanghai 2021 - World Cup Stage 2 (May 17-23); Paris 2021 - World Cup Stage (June 17-21)

ATHLETICS

Men's 400m Hurdles

Eric Shauwn Cray

Pole Vault

Natalie Rose Uy

Shot Put

William Morrison

Marathon

Christine Hallasgo

Women's 200m

Kristina Marie Knott

Qualification: Partially through the World Athletics Rankings. Ranking cutoff is on June 29.

AQUATICS

Remedy Rule

Luke Gebbie

James Delparine

Jasmine Alkhaldi

Qualification events: Either through the Universality Rule or making Olympic qualifying standard by June 27. Also, can qualify through the FINA Olympic Marathon Swim Qualifier in Fukuoka, Japan on May 29-30.

BASKETBALL (3x3)

Joshua Munzon

Alvin Pasaol

Moala Tautuaa

Jaymar Perez

Leonard Santillan (reserve)

Karl Matthew Dehesa (reserve)

Qualification event: FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Graz, Austria on May 26-30.

BASKETBALL (5x5)

Gilas Pilipinas Men roster to be determined

Qualification event: FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia from June 22 - July 7

CANOE

Ojay Fuentes

Hermie Macaranas

Qualification events: 2021 Canoe Sprint Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Pattaya, Thailand on May 5-7; 2021 ICF Canoe Sprint Global Olympic Qualifier in Barnaul, Russia from May 20-21.

CYCLING

BMX racing

Daniel Caluag

Mountain bike

Ariana Dormitorio

Patrick Bren Coo

Qualification events: 2021 UCI Olympic Cross-Country World Cup Qualifying in Albstadt, Germany from May 8-9, and Nove Mesto, Czech Republic from May 15-16; 2021 UCI BMX Race World Cup Rounds 1-2 in Stuttgart, Germany on May 9 and Rounds 3-4 in Bogota, Colombia on May 29-30. Also partially through the UCI Olympic BMX Rankings.

FENCING

Foil

Samantha Kyle Catantan

Nathaniel Perez

Epee

Hanniel Abella

Noelito Jose, Jr.

Sabre

Jylyn Nicanor

Christian Jhester Concepcion

Qualification events: FIE Olympic Zone Qualifying Events - Asia & Oceania in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from Apr. 25-26; FIE World Fencing Championships (TBA)

GOLF

Yuka Saso

Bianca Pagdanganan

Miguel Tabuena

Qualification: Remain in top 60 of the Olympic golf rankings. Saso is currently ranked 22nd, Pagdanganan 43rd, and Tabuena unranked.

JUDO

Keisei Nakano

Shugen Nakano

Kiyomi Watanabe

Qualification: Through the IJF World Rankings.

KARATE

Jamie Lim

Joane Orbon

Ivan Agustin

Sharief Afif

Alwyn Batican

Junna Tsukii

Qualification event: WKF Karate Tokyo 2020 Qualification Tournament from June 11-13 in Paris, France. Also through the WKF Olympic Standing List.

ROWING

Melcah Jen Caballero

Joanie Delgaco

Cris Nievarez

Roque Abala

Qualification event: Asia & Oceania Continental Qualification Regatta in Tokyo, Japan from May 5-7.

SKATEBOARDING

Street

Margielyn Didal

Park

Jericho "Kiko" Francisco

Go here to see the original:

The Philippines at the Tokyo Olympics: Who's in, who's looking to qualify - ESPN Philippines

Sport

26 Mar, 2021 07:45 PM2 minutes to read

Julia Ratcliffe was the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand hammer thrower Julia Ratcliffe has set a stunning Oceania record on the way to claiming automatic qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.

Ratcliffe overcame another impressive performance from fierce rival Lauren Bruce to take out her sixth national title and reaffirm her position as Aotearoa's best in the sport.

Ratcliffe set the standard from round one, adding more than a metre on to her lifetime best to power the hammer out to 73.40m and comfortably beyond the Tokyo automatic standard of 72.50m.

Yet the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist was not finished and in round four added a further 15cm on to that mark with a 73.55m effort 8cm in excess of the Oceania record mark set by Bruce in September 2020. That throw would have earned her a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004, though the sport has come a long way in the following 17 years.

Bruce also bettered the Olympic qualification mark with a throw of 72.76m to take out the silver medal and continue her steady form this summer.

Ratcliffe was understandably pleased with her performance and said: "It feels so good to get the Olympic qualification mark off the plate and I can finally focus on building up for Tokyo.

"It was just awesome. It was like the culmination of 16 years of training with Dave (coach and father) in the crowd. In the last week or so training has been up and down, so to keep it all together was the big challenge. It was more than I could have hoped."

Two months ago in her last outing in Hastings, Ratcliffe committed three no throws so for the 27-year-old thrower to launch such a long throw in round one was a surprise given her cautious strategy.

"Because of how it went last time (in Hastings), I went in with the attitude that the first throw was my safety throw, so I focused on just getting it between the little white lines. That was my relaxed one, obviously relaxed worked for me!

"I was still in shock a bit after the first throw, but it was, yes, just keep on doing what you are doing."

26 Mar, 2021 04:00 AMQuick Read

19 Mar, 2021 08:00 PMQuick Read

See the article here:

Olympics: Kiwi hammer thrower Julia Ratcliffe smashes Oceania record on way to Olympic qualification - New Zealand Herald

Osama Ahmed Abdullah Al Shafar has been re-elected Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) President after winning a coin toss.

The United Arab Emirates official faced the challenge of Malaysias Dato Amarjeet Singh in the Presidential election, which was held in Dubai.

Two rounds of voting were held and a candidate required over 50 per cent of votes cast in the first round to be elected.

Neither candidate passed the threshold, with a second round held to determine which candidate held a majority.

Both candidates tied on 21 votes.

Under the ACC Constitution, the outcome of the election was decided by the toss of a coin.

Al Shafar won the coin toss and will now serve a second four-year term as ACC President.

As well as the ACC, Al Shafar serves as founding president of the World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation, and Honorary Life President of the Asian Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation.

He previously served as the President of the Emirates Bodybuilding Federation and is the current UAE Cycling Federation President.

The ACC Executive Committee will include Lee Li Chia of Chinese Taipei, Chinas Yuan Yuan, Irans Asghar Khaleghi, Japans Tatsuo Hayashi, South Korea's Lee Daehoon, Macau's Wong Hang Cheong, Singapore's Hing Siong Chen.

Dato Amarjit Singh was elected to the Executive Committee, along with Indias Parminder Singh, Indonesias Raja Sapta Oktohari, Malaysias Beatrice Alfred Lajawa and Thailands Decha Hemkasri.

The ACC said Bahrains Khaled Hamad Al Khalifa, Chinas Sun Weimin, Irans Mohsen Solgi and Dato Amarjit Singh will be candidates for the International Cycling Union (UCI) Management Committee later this year.

The Oceania Cycling Confederation (OCC) has also held its elections, with New Zealand's Tony Mitchell chosen unopposed as President for a four-year term during a virtual meeting.

Mitchell succeeds Australias Tracey Gaudry, who was elected to the Executive Committee alongside Fijis Patrick Keenan, Guams Eric Tydingco and Anne Gripper of Australia.

"I am honoured to be elected as the President of the Oceania Cycling Confederation," Mitchell said.

"I would like to thank the National Federations who have entrusted me with leading the continued growth and development of the OCC and cycling in our region.

"The OCC has a clear vision for developing cycling across all Federations and to expand our member base, at the core of which is enabling and inspiring people to ride.

"I look forward to working with all federations and my fellow executive members to bringing this vision to life.

"I extend my thanks and that of the OCC to outgoing President Tracey Gaudry for her leadership over the last eight years.

"During her time as President the OCC saw unprecedented growth in membership, enacted significant development activities in the Pacific Island nations, strengthened governance, grew Oceania representation across the UCI, built and sustained a strong financial base, enhanced the existing Oceania Championships and introduced new Oceania Championship and UCI sanctioned events, and improved the OCCs brand and presence.

"I also thank the Executive Committee Members and Confederation staff for their contribution to this progress."

The OCC President automatically becomes an OCC representative on the UCI Management Committee.

Oceania candidates for the second Oceania UCI Management Committee representative and voting delegates for the 2021 UCI Congress will be selected at an OCC Extraordinary General Meeting in the coming months.

"Im grateful to have played a role in the remarkable progress of cycling with the Oceania Cycling Confederation and UCI families over the past eight years and to everyone in Australia, Oceania and across the globe who has supported, guided and of course challenged me throughout to strive for important reform and progress," Gaudry said.

"However, progress is not possible without change at the right time, and its time."

More here:

Al Shafar elected Asian Cycling Confederation President after winning coin toss - Insidethegames.biz

Named to reflect the dawn of a new age in travel, Oceania Cruises latest ship, Vista, is set to elevate the lines luxury offering

Oceania Cruises has been on an amazing voyage of discovery since it entered the luxury cruise market in 2002. From developing a new form of elegant cruising to establishing the concept of Michelin-star food on five-star ships, the line has carved out its own niche.

Despite the global shutdown of the cruise sector, Oceania Cruises has continued with its mission of creating luxury holidays.

First, there was the impressive OceaniaNEXT initiative, a complete re-inspiration of the lines Regatta-class ships that transformed the onboard experience.

Now, the next chapter begins, as the Allura-class project transforms from idea to reality in 2023 when Oceania Cruises will welcome the latest addition to its fleet and the cruise line's seventh in total with the launch of Vista, the first Allura ship.

Announced in 2019, the new Allura ships are designed to provide even more warmth and comfort.

Vista represents more than just another vessel, however. This is all about looking to the future, perfecting a new form of luxury travel and setting the standards for which all others will follow. Vista will exemplify all the hallmarks of Oceania Cruises that you have come to expect and love.

As ever, it will feature Oceania Cruises' signature The Finest Cuisine at Sea which fuses the best ingredients and the most talented chefs to create taste sensations in every corner of the globe.

This award-winning programme transports you into a world of culinary heaven, where every recipe is meticulously crafted to evoke the true spirit of every destination you visit.

If it were possible, this will reach new heights in Vistas dramatic and glamorous Grand Dining Room, soaring almost two decks in height and paying homage to 20th-century Parisian society through its contemporary interpretation of Belle Epoque, the term given to a period of French history between 1880 and the outbreak of World War One in 1914.

With two staff members for every three guests, you can expect the finest in personal service, where no request is too much trouble for the kind and welcoming crew.

With capacity for 1,200 guests, Vista will retain the small-ship, family atmosphere found on Oceania Cruises' other ships Regatta, Insignia, Nautica and Sirena, and the 1,250-guest Marina and Riviera providing the ideal setting for a tranquil and intimate cruising experience.

What also makes Vista extra special is the promise that it will showcase a number of unique firsts for Oceania Cruises, taking your experience to the next level.

The cruise line has teased the release of what it calls nine 'additional best-in-class culinary experiences', as well luxurious signature public spaces, and spacious, lavish suites and staterooms.

While sneak-peek visuals of what guests can look forward to aboard Vista have yet to be released, you can be sure that the cruise ship will have its own inimitable style that sets the benchmark for sophistication.

More will be revealed starting in May, so there is not long to wait. Vistas inaugural voyages then open for sale in September 2021. It will be joined by a sister ship in 2025.

Vista also pays homage to Oceania Cruises' crew members, who play such a vital part in every element of your holiday.

As Oceania Cruises president and CEO Bob Binder says: 'Were continually looking over the horizon toward whats new and whats exciting.

'At the centre of all of this, we passionately seek new ways to enhance the guest experience. Oceania Cruises is an innovative and ever-evolving brand. Vista represents our view to the future.

'Our officers and crew are always bringing great new ideas to the forefront and then implementing them. More than any other part of the Oceania Cruises organisation, we owe our success to our on-board teams.

'They are the ones who made Vista possible, and it is a credit to them, these true visionaries of the seven seas, that we name the ship for them, in their honour.'

Visit oceaniacruises.com for more information.

Continued here:

A View to the Future: Oceania Cruises' First Allura-Class Ship - World of Cruising

Home / Share Market News / Heres why the Oceania Healthcare (ASX:OCA) share price is falling today

The Oceania Healthcare Ltd (ASX: OCA) share price is not having a great day today. Oceania shares are down 0.4% to $1.23 a share at the time of writing. Comparatively underperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which is up 0.31% at the time of writing.

The current Oceania share price means that shares are now down 18% since 16 February. As well as 5.4% year to date.

Well, its been a dramatic week for this ASX healthcare share. On Tuesday morning, Oceania shares were placed in a trading halt at the request of the company. The catalyst for this halt was a proposed NZ$100 million capital raising program. As we reported at the time, Oceania was hoping to raise NZ$80 million via a fully underwritten placement from institutional investors. In addition to NZ$20 million through a non-underwritten retail offer. The possibility of an oversubscription being accepted.

The primary purpose of this capital raise was to fund an acquisition. Namely, the Waterford on Hobsonville Point retirement village in Auckland, New Zealand.

As such, Oceania shares were suspended from trading on Tuesday and returned to the markets yesterday. We also heard from the company yesterday about the success of its institutional placement. According to Oceania, the institutional placement was fully subscribed at a price of NZ$1.30 a share. According to the company, the offer was strongly supported by existing institutional shareholders and also attracted significant bids from other institutional investors.

But we also got an ASX announcement today outlining what the retail offer has in store for ordinary investors. The retail offer will be available for all existing shareholders as of 22 March. These shareholders will be entitled to apply for up to NZ$50,000 worth of new shares. The price will be the lower of either NZ$1.30 a share (or approximately $1.19 on current exchange rates), or a 2.5% discount to the five-day volume-weighted average price of Oceania Healthcare Shares traded on NZX [the New Zealand Stock Exchange] during the five NZX trading days up to, and including, the Closing Day [12 April 2021].

Investors will receive any shares applied for on on or about Friday 16 April.

Thus, its understandable that the Oceania Healthcare share price is falling today. Why would existing investors buy shares on the ASX at todays price of ~$1.23 when they can apply for more shares at roughly $1.19? This is the likely reason behind the Oceania Healthcare share price weakness today.

When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

Scott just revealed what he believes are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

See The 5 Stocks

*Returns as of February 15th 2021

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

View post:

Heres why the Oceania Healthcare (ASX:OCA) share price is falling today - The Motley Fool Australia

Milestone achievement for Oceania National Olympic Committee in partnering with South Pacific Community

President of the Oceania National Olympic Committee Dr. Robin Mitchell. (Right)

To better the lives of athletes, sportspeople and communities around Oceania, the Oceania National Olympic Committee has signed a four-year partnership with the South Pacific Community.

President of the Oceania National Olympic Committee Dr. Robin Mitchell says Oceania Sports Education Programme was first established in 2007 and with more than a decade of delivering Olympic recognise training courses to 15 Pacific Island countries, they are now taking steps to position sport as the untapped and growing sector in the region.

Mitchell says it was necessary to take stock of the impact, assessment of the events particularly if they still serve beneficiaries and to identify areas that needed strengthening or re-designed into alternative approaches in content.

He adds they have set up the new OSEPs strategy for 2021/2024 which is in line with Oceania National Olympic Committees strategic plan in cultivating regional and global partnership.

Follow this link:

Milestone achievement for Oceania National Olympic Committee in partnering with South Pacific Community - Fijivillage

The growth of this market is primarily driven by the increasing demand for fuel-efficient and better driving comfort vehicles. With progression in time, the COVID-19 impact has severely disrupted the supply chain for entire automotive ecosystem.

New York, March 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Automotive Steering System Market by Technology, EPS Type, Pinion Type, Mechanism, Components, Vehicle Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2025" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p04226793/?utm_source=GNW This has halted production facilities across the globe resulting in disruption in the exports of the automotive components.

This scenario is expected to affect automotive steering system market, as the growth of the market is directly related to the production of the vehicles.The global production of vehicle pre-COVID-19 was expected to reach from ~90-95 million units in 2020 to ~110-115 million units by 2025.

According to OICA, though global vehicle production declined by 5.2% between 2018-2019, the production outlook was supposed to showcase significant growth from 2021-2022 owing to multiple steps taken by OEMs, as well as some government, to attract customers.

Collapsible EPS is the fastest growing market, by MechanismThe steering column consists of a collapsible housing containing a collapsible rotating shaft.As a safety measure, the steering column is designed to collapse in the event of a front-end collision.

As global auto OEMs continue expanding into growing and emerging markets, the demand for collapsible steering columns is expected to increase. The market for collapsible steering column systems has been growing rapidly over the past few years due to the rising sales of passenger cars, expansion of global players in developing economies, and technological advances.

Asia Oceania is estimated to be the fastest growing market for automotive steering system marketThe regional growth can be attributed to higher production of vehicles in countries such as China, Japan, and India.Governments across the Asia Oceania region have formulated stringent safety and emission norms that are expected to increase the installation of electric power steering.

Moreover, features such as lane-keep assist, automated parking, lane changes, and the ability to guide vehicles around obstacles all make EPS an ideal choice. The strong presence of automotive steering manufacturers, such as JTEKT Corporation, NSK Ltd., Showa Corporation, and Hyundai Mobis in countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea, is expected to further drive the growth of the automotive steering system market in Asia Oceania in the coming years. These features will require more electronic installations, which, in turn, is expected to drive the automotive steering system market.

Breakup of primary respondentsThe study contains insights provided by various industry experts, ranging from equipment manufacturers, OEMs, and Tier-1 suppliers to regional associations members. The break-up of the primaries is as follows: By Stakeholder: Demand Side - 20%, Supply Side 80% By Designation: C level - 10%, D level - 30%, Others 60% By Region: North America - 20%, Europe - 20%, Asia Oceania - 60%

Nexteer Automotive Group Limited (US), JTEKT Corporation (Japan), Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Showa Corporation (Japan), NSK Ltd. (Japan), and Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany). The study includes an in-depth competitive analysis of these key players in the automotive filters market with their company profiles, MnM View of the top 5 companies, recent developments, and key market strategies.

Research CoverageTo define, describe, and forecast the size of the automotive steering system market in terms of value and volume by component (hydraulic pump, steering column, steering wheel speed sensor, and electric motor), technology [electric power steering (EPS), electrically assisted hydraulic power steering (EHPS), and hydraulic power steering (HPS)], EPS type [column-EPS (C-EPS), pinion-EPS (P-EPS), and rack-EPS (R-EPS), pinion type (single and dual), mechanism (collapsible EPS and rigid EPS), aftermarket by components (hydraulic pump, steering column, and electric motor), vehicle type [passenger car (PC), light commercial vehicle (LCV), and heavy commercial vehicle (HCV)], Region (Asia Oceania, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World).

Key Benefits of Buying the Report:

This report provides insights with reference to the following points:Country-level market for automotive steering system by technology: The report offers in-depth market sizing and forecast up to 2025, by technology [electric power steering (EPS), electrically assisted hydraulic power steering (EHPS), and hydraulic power steering (HPS)]. The market sizing for the EPS-Type is covered at regional levels.

Market coverage by pinion type for single and dual pinion at the regional levelThe report provides Market Share of the leading players in the automotive steering system market.

Market Development: The report provides comprehensive information about lucrative emerging markets for automotive steering system market across different regions.

Product Development/Innovation: The report gives detailed insights into R&D activities, upcoming technologies, and new product launches in the automotive steering system market.Market Diversification: The report offers detailed information about untapped markets, investments, new products, and recent developments in the automotive steering system market.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p04226793/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

__________________________

Story continues

Read more:

The automotive steering system market is projected to reach USD 36.9 billion by 2025 from USD 29.3 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2020 to...