skygaming777
skygaming777
skygaming777
Fiji and Australia share a love of sport. It brings us together like nothing else can – we share sporting history and heroes, enjoy our rivalry on the field, and celebrate our successes off it. That is why sport is such an important part of our renewed and elevated Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership. Recognising the strength of this connection, the Australian Government is partnering with the Australian Rugby League Commission to invest in a ten-year program to deepen our engagement with the Pacific through rugby league. This includes support for a PNG franchise to join the Australian National Rugby League (NRL). The package will deliver funding for grassroots, school, talent and elite pathways in Fiji, using sport to complement our development programs, and improve education, health and gender equity outcomes. There will be a strong focus on girls and women’s rugby league across Fiji and the Pacific, cultivating elite players pathways for girls and women to play at the highest levels. Building on the recent success of the Pacific Championships, co-hosted in Suva, the partnership will continue to support regular elite competition in Fiji and the Pacific. It was fantastic to see the passion and energy of Fijian rugby league fans who attended the consecutive double-headers, to support the Fiji Bati and Bulikula. This new program will provide even more opportunities for boys, girls, men and women in Fiji to reach the highest level in the game. This will complement our existing support for Fiji’s elite pathways through the Kaiviti Silktails’ participation in the NSW Jersey Flegg competition, and support for emerging women players and coaches to participate in the Rise Rookie Academy program. This sports-based program reflects Australia’s unique identity and connections with our Pacific family. In fact, approximately 50 per cent of current NRL and NRLW players have Pasifika heritage. Sport also plays an important role in important life lessons and building strong communities. Sport keeps kids in school; it teaches them teamwork, cooperation, strategy and discipline. It creates opportunities and builds aspiration. One of the greatest achievements from the Australian Government’s existing investments in rugby league in the Pacific is the increased participation of schoolboys and schoolgirls, including young Fijians, at international events. It is wonderful to see the passion and skill of the younger generation. Australia’s new investment will further support pathways to develop talent and promote Pasifika representation at the elite level. The Pacific Rugby League Partnership builds upon 25 years of Australian sports investment to help transform lives and strengthen links with our Pacific family, including: • PacificAus Sports – developing pathways for Pacific teams and athletes, including the Fijian and Fijiana Drua, to compete in elite competitions; facilitating access to high performance training in Australia, including ahead of the year’s Olympics; and investing in increased presence of Australian elite teams and athletes in the Pacific. • Team Up – helping address barriers preventing women, girls and people with disabilities from accessing beneficial sport programs. The new partnership will be designed and delivered in partnership with the Australian Rugby League Commission and our Pacific partners to achieve impacts on and off the sporting field, including in economic development, education, social cohesion, gender equality, and health. This is an exciting new chapter of our shared sporting history. I am excited to join our Fijian Vuvale to see rugby league in Fiji go from strength to strength, from schools and community competitions to the international stage. Vinaka vakalevu.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday to come – Two gifts from Social Security in the form of checks
Weaving communities together Beyond the vibrant displays of crafts and treats, a leading retailer has been quietly revolutionizing the retail landscape for two decades. By building a network of support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and social enterprises, it has empowered communities and provided a platform for small businesses to thrive. What started as a humble "Philippine Crafts" corner in a department store has blossomed into a nationwide chain with 45 branches. Kultura showcases the best of Filipino craftsmanship, from traditional Filipiniana and Barong to modern home décor and natural wellness essentials. This growth has had a profound impact on the lives of the artisans, farmers, and entrepreneurs who form the backbone of the retailer's diverse product range. Shared values partnership Joy Soriano, founder of Zyrrah’s Arts and Crafts, is one of Kultura’s long-time partners. Her journey began in the 1970s, fueled by a passion for local handicrafts. "I started trading various handcrafted Philippine products such as bags and shoes using fabrics from the north, designing my own shoes and bags and offering them to various foreign friends. However, my first buyer was SM in the Quiapo office,” Soriano shares. Her collaboration with Kultura began in 2013 after participating in a trade show. “That was the start of our collaboration. After the first order, we were asked to present samples on a monthly basis. We strived to consistently come up with products for Kultura.” Initially supplying to five Kultura branches, Zyrrah’s Arts and Crafts products are now available in 26. Soriano shares Kultura's vision and values, stating, “We work to contribute to the economy by generating employment to the housewives and at-home mothers.” Soriano’s passion for capiz shines through in her work. “I love capiz and the products that we can make and develop out of it. Our country is endowed with bountiful materials from the sea; the versatility of capiz makes for very elegant houseware masterpieces.” Another partner, Cebu-based Hannah’s Handicraft, found a ready market in Kultura through bazaars and trade fairs. Hannah Anggana, who handles the partnership, shares how they invested time and training to create products for the store. “We worked to develop products that the market would truly appreciate, and Kultura helped by sharing design trends that are currently in demand,” Anggana explains. Both Hannah’s Handicrafts and Kultura are committed to preserving and promoting Philippine culture. “Kultura helps us and we help the mountain barangays,” Anggana says. Kangkong King, a company started by a group of millennials, exemplifies Kultura's support for emerging businesses. “We really want them to expand. We really encourage them to go out and you know make the most out of their brand,” says Sheila Tan, Senior Assistant Vice President for Operations at Kultura. From humble beginnings in a house kitchen, Kangkong King now employs around 70 people and has its own office and factory. Their partnership with Kultura began with a cold email and a belief in their product. “We really thought about where we wanted our product to be placed. We think that Kangkong King is very Pinoy. So, one of our goals is to have our product be a staple Filipino pasalubong,” says Anne Gaw, Kangkong King Marketing Head. Kultura's no-listing-fee policy has been a significant help for Kangkong King. Initially supplying to 20 branches, they are now in 70-75 percent of Kultura stores nationwide. In Agdangan, Quezon, an association of weavers create buri fans for Kultura with the help of Mga Likha ni Inay, an organization that helps market their products. “We're supporting and helping around 1,800 clients, direct and indirect. This includes employees of the clients we're assisting,” shares Aristopher Punzalan, President of Mga Likha ni Inay. Punzalan emphasizes the alignment between their vision and Kultura's. “For us, our partnership with Kultura is anchored on showcasing the products of our members to a larger market which later on is converted to sales. The alignment is really on supporting locals and local produce.” Home for social enterprises "Aligned with the SM group, we work with micro, small and medium enterprises, bridging them to our customers. Many of our partners have been with us from the start,” shares Sheila Tan, Senior Assistant Vice President for Operations, Kultura. Kultura's partners provide sustainable livelihood and opportunities that improve the lives of their workers. “We aspire to be the home of social enterprises,” Tan adds. As Kultura moves forward, the brand aims to become a haven for emerging MSMEs and talent. “Our thrust for next year will be about discovering more young designers and new brands and delivering even more dynamic shopping experiences to our customers.”
Ellen DeGeneres is starting a fresh chapter — both literally and figuratively — sporting a new brunette look and settling into life in England . The 66-year-old former talk show host has traded Hollywood for the English countryside and appears to have marked the transition with a bold new look. In an Instagram Reel shared by Jeremy Clarkson ’s pub The Farmer’s Dog and singer Natalie Imbruglia on November 13, DeGeneres was spotted enjoying an intimate live music session alongside her wife, Portia de Rossi , 51, and friends. The clip shows Imbruglia singing with the crowd before panning to DeGeneres, who waves to the camera — sporting a surprising transformation. Gone is her famous platinum blonde hair; in its place, a shorter, darker hairstyle. On November 21, People confirmed DeGeneres had officially moved to England’s celeb-loved Cotswolds region, where she and de Rossi have already embraced their new community. “Ellen was in England house hunting in the beginning of October,” a source said. “She ended up finding a house that she loved and purchased it shortly after.” DeGeneres’s pub outing included rubbing elbows with Clarkson’s wife Lisa Hogan, James Blunt and The Corrs, who performed that evening. The pub is quickly becoming a hotspot for the couple’s low-key social life. DeGeneres’ lifestyle change comes two years after The Ellen DeGeneres Show — which ran for 19 seasons — wrapped in May 2022, following allegations of a toxic workplace environment that surfaced in 2020. The controversy began with a July 2020 BuzzFeed News report , where current and former employees anonymously shared troubling accounts, including claims of being penalized for taking medical leave, racial microaggressions, and fears of retaliation for raising complaints. In a May 2021 appearance on Today , DeGeneres addressed the fallout, telling Savannah Guthrie, “I really didn’t understand it; I still don’t understand it. It was too orchestrated; it was too coordinated.” This year, DeGeneres reflected on her exit from the spotlight in her Netflix comedy special, Ellen’s Last Stand...Up. “Let me catch you up on what’s been going on with me since you last saw me,” she quipped. “I got chickens. Oh yeah, and I got kicked out of show business for being mean.” Doubling down on her decision to leave fame behind, she declared, “This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done.”Trump 'accidentally' posts cryptic private message begging Musk to come to Mar-a-LagoBy Abbas Jimoh The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has identified why the reforms of President Bola Tinubu are causing pains, discomfort, difficulty and increased cost of living. He said this on Friday in Abuja at the launch of ‘Federal Civil Service Policies and Guidelines on Rewards and Recognition; Policy and Guidelines/Incentives and Consequences; Management Policy and Guidelines.’ The event was organised by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, as part of activities marking her 100 days in office. Daily Trust reports that President Tinubu in his inaugural speech after he was sworn in on May 29, 2023, removed subsidy on petroleum, leading to steady hikes in the pump price from N195 to N1,100 per litre. Tinubu Writes NASS, Seeks Confirmation of Oluyede as Chief of Army Staff Govt responsible for rot in Nigeria Police – Prof This and other policies have led to an astronomical rise in prices of food and other commodities in the country. However, Edun said the non-implementation of the reforms by the previous governments was one of the reasons the current reforms were painful. “After 18 months of bold and necessary reforms that Mr. President has implemented, the country has changed, and yes, the reforms were so long overdue that it caused an element of pain, discomfort, difficulty, increased cost of living. But the successes and the gains are coming through. “Market based pricing of foreign exchange were fully in place. The result was immediate benefit to the federal coffers, to the state coffers and the local government coffers, because an amount of 5% of GDP is what goes to subsidies. “If you say GDP was on average, let’s say $400bn we all know what 5% of that is $20bn of funds that could be going into infrastructure, health, social services, education. And that is what it is, the flow is now coming back into government coffers to be able to be deployed in those areas,” Edun said. He congratulated Walson-Jack for not just achieving 100 days as HCSF, but also using the platform as an opportunity to gather all and to put across her agenda with four transformative documents dealing with reward and recognition, and incentives and consequence management. He said the development was also important to Mr. President’s agenda, to his success and to his macroeconomic reforms aimed at getting inflation down, growing the economy, creating jobs and reducing poverty. In her remarks, the head of service said the event was part of a collective journey to redefine the ethos of public service delivery in Nigeria, setting the stage for a civil service that is professional and efficient, globally competitive, and responsive to the aspirations of all Nigerians. She said that the launched polices were not merely policies but powerful instruments of reforms designed to embed excellence, integrity, and accountability at the heart of the public service. “Today’s event is one of several initiatives marking my first 100 days in office. It is guided by the theme “Marching to Greatness”, a vision inspired by the Federal Civil Service anthem. This validation exercise exemplifies our unwavering commitment to charting a bold and transformative course for the civil service, laying a solid foundation for sustained progress and impactful outcomes,” Walson-Jack said. She urged the newly promoted directors to see themselves not just as leaders but also role models worthy of emulation. “Today’s recognition of newly promoted directors is a testament to this commitment. We celebrate their achievements and highlight the pathways for excellence available to all civil servants,” she added. Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You. NEWS UPDATE: Nigerians have been finally approved to earn Dollars from home, acquire premium domains for as low as $1500, profit as much as $22,000 (₦37million+). Click here to start. Bola Tinubu Pains policies Wale Edun
