News In Brief

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Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you in no more than five paragraphs. Below are snippets of all the media releases that we received from Feb 28 till March 6. Please check back throughout the week for more updates.

AFC Partners With APL In Australia

Sydney, Feb 28: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has today announced that the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has acquired the rights to the AFC’s club competitions for the rights cycle 2021-2024, via its partnership with 10 ViacomCBS.
The APL’s exclusive deal covers the AFC Champions League, the AFC Cup and the AFC Futsal Club Championship Finals.
The APL manages the operations and promotion of professional football in Australia including all major A-League men’s and women’s competitions, as well as the A-League Youth and the E-League (e-sports). This partnership will enable extensive coverage of the AFC’s club competitions, including all matches of Australian club teams on 10, 10 Bold and Paramount+.
“The AFC is delighted to enter into this partnership with the Australian Professional Leagues to broadcast the AFC’s world-class club competitions in Australia,” AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said.
“The AFC has outlined its ambitions to ensure football remains the Continent’s number one sport and this agreement with the APL will further strengthen the popularity of our club competitions and grow the passion for the Asian game among Australia’s passionate fanbase.”

Taobao In Celebration Of International Women’s Day  

Kuala Lumpur, Feb 28: In celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day,  Taobao has announced the Taobao 3.8 Sale featuring traditional Malaysian flavours from  women-focused New Village micro-businesses, in addition to a range of special deals  available from March 4 to 8 March.
An extension of Taobao’s collaboration with the Selangor state government since this Chinese  New Year, this joint initiative aims to bring more New Village brands onto the Taobao platform  to promote the cultural assets of Malaysia especially among the younger generation.
It also  seeks to enhance the ability of underserved New Village communities to achieve economic  growth by harnessing digital channels, along with effective and sustainable product marketing  and brand management.
For the Taobao 3.8 Sale, in line with its increased emphasis on inclusiveness, Taobao will  feature four New Village brands that either cater to women consumers or are led by women  entrepreneurs from BAIKSelangor 2021-2022 – the first competition of its kind organised by  the Selangor New Village Development Standing Committee. Of these four brands, two had  also emerged from the competition as Silver and Bronze medallists within their categories.
For more information, please check out the Taobao Malaysia Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/sea.taobao/ or visit the Taobao app. 

Tiger Brokers Partners With WWF-Singapore

Singapore, Feb 28: Tiger Brokers (Singapore) Pte Ltd has announced a partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore (WWF-Singapore) to promote green sustainability efforts in Singapore.
Tiger Brokers, as the lead sponsor with WWF-Singapore, launched the first AR-mazing Tiger Trail at Gardens by the Bay on 26 February, to kickstart the company’s sustainability agenda in 2022.
WWF-Singapore’s AR-mazing Tiger Trail will feature a three-part island-wide trail that focuses on tiger conservation and other key environmental causes impacting the planet today, using art as a vehicle to educate, spark discussion and action.
Today, there are approximately 3,900 tigers left in the wild.
According to WWF-Singapore, the overall tiger populations are declining and many are still at risk.

New Coaching Program Introduced

Sydney, March 1: Up to 30 developing coaches with the potential and aspiration to be career high performance coaches will be funded for two-year paid working apprenticeships as part of a new national program being launched today by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).
Applications are open now through to April 1 for the inaugural National Generation 2032 Coach Program (NG32CP), which aims to increase the depth and diversity of high performance coaches in AIS-funded Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports.
The AIS will coordinate the program and co-fund coaching salaries, in partnership with the participating State and Territory Institutes of Sport and National Sporting Organisations of each coach. A
IS Acting CEO Matti Clements says it is one part of an AIS coaching strategy to make Australia a world leader in coaching development.
“The future success of Australian athletes and sport relies on expanding our coaching pipeline at all levels, so we have a laser-like focus on identifying, developing and retaining our best coaching talent so we can build sustainable success,” Clements said.

edotco’s Indonesian Debut 

Kuala Lumpur, March 1: edotco Group, an integrated  telecommunications infrastructure services company has acquired  approximately 1,000 towers from XL Axiata in a deal valued at about IDR 750 billion (RM219  million) through its local subsidiary PT edotco Infrastruktur Indonesia.
With this strategic acquisition, edotco confirms its foray into the Indonesian market – one of Asia’s largest and  most established independent TowerCo markets.
As part of the transaction, edotco will acquire 859 towers through a sale and leaseback and  enter into a managed service agreement for an additional 162 sites, with a significant Build To-Suit potential with XL Axiata.
Following the transaction, edotco will enjoy a truly pan Indonesian platform with a presence across all the major islands of Java, Sumatra, Bali,  Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Eastern Indonesia. 

Fitted For Work Gets Grant

Sydney, March 1: Job-readiness support organisation, Fitted for Work, has been awarded a grant of $30,000 from the William Buckland Foundation.
The not-for-profit group empowers women and non-binary people experiencing disadvantage, with the practical skills, self-esteem and know-how to help them move forward in the workplace.
“Over two thirds of Australian women are over-represented in casual and part-time roles and are almost twice as likely to be underemployed, making them vulnerable to financial insecurity and unemployment during times of adversity,” Fitted for Work Managing Director Donna De Zwart said.
“We’re grateful for this much-needed grant from the William Buckland Foundation, which will deliver 12 months of tailored and holistic services, supporting women to upskill, build confidence and resilience, and prepare to re-enter employment as the economy turns.”
Services in the Fitted for Work project are tailored to meet individual needs and can be accessed in a variety of methods including online, via a dedicated service app, self-paced individual and group training webinars, face to face appointments and phone.

VIS Global And Uniphore In Partnership

Kuala Lumpur, March 1: VIS Global, an enterprise communication and customer experience (CX) management solutions has entered into a multi-country strategic partnership with Uniphore, the leader in Conversational Automation.
Through this partnership, VIS Global will be better positioned to provide Asia Pacific organisations with a comprehensive communication and CX management portfolio that offers end-to-end, customisable solutions complete with Uniphore’s Conversations Automation offerings.
As part of the agreement, VIS Global and Uniphore will provide their combined expertise across seven countries including Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, and India to potentially tap into an existing network of over 50,000 voice interactions per minute, 10,000+ outbound seats, 6000+ Interactive Voice Response (IVR) ports, and 500,000 call recordings per day.
“As a leader in delivering experiences, our mission is to help our clients in enhancing Customer Experience and Employee Engagements” VIS Global director Arijit Sen said. 
“The partnership with Uniphore would help us leverage the Market leading Conversational AI platform and open up exciting possibilities to deliver business outcomes for our clients.”

Queensland And NSW Weather Update

Sydney, March 1: The Bureau of Meteorology’s severe weather warnings for south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales remain current for the dangerous and unfolding weather and flood situation. Numerous major flood warnings are currently in Queensland and NSW.

Severe thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds and locally heavy rainfall are likely around south-east Queensland from Wednesday, persisting into the weekend. This could lead to localised rises in creeks and streams.
Major flood warnings are in place across Queensland, including the Lower Brisbane and Bremer Rivers, Warrill Creek, Logan and Albert Rivers, Mary River, Condamine and Balonne Rivers and Moonie River.

On Monday morning the Lower Brisbane peaked at 3.85 metres at Brisbane city and coincided with a high tide. Another flood peak of 3.35 metres occurred at 10am on Tuesday morning. Minor to moderate peaks will continue on the high tides on Wednesday.
Major flood warnings are in place across Queensland, including the Lower Brisbane and Bremer Rivers, Warrill Creek, Logan and Albert Rivers, Mary River, Condamine and Balonne Rivers and Moonie River.

AFC’s Decision On Myanmar Clubs

Kuala Lumpur, March 1: Following the withdrawals of Myanmar’s Shan United FC and Hantharwady United FC from this season’s AFC Club Competitions on Jan 19 the AFC Competitions Committee has decided on the next course of action for the AFC Cup 2022.
With a view to ensure the consistency and integrity of the AFC Cup 2022 as well as the original draw mechanics, seedings and draw results of the Group Stage and Playoff Matches and to minimise the impact of the withdrawal of Myanmar clubs, the Committee decided to cancel the Playoff match between Cambodia’s Visakha FC and Young Elephants FC from Laos which was scheduled for April 19, 2022.
Instead, both clubs have been awarded slots to the Group Stage, with Visakha FC occupying position G4 in Group G, which was originally reserved for the winner of the Playoff match, joining Indonesia’s Bali United FC, Malaysia’s Kedah Darul Aman FC and Kaya FC-Iloilo from the Philippines.
At the same time, Young Elephants FC, which were in the same ranking pot as the withdrawn Hantharwady United FC, will be placed in position I4 in Group I alongside Vietnam’s Viettel FC, Hougang United from Singapore and Phnom Penh Crown FC of Cambodia.

Gurney Walk Penang Opens

Penang, March 1: Located along Penang’s famed Gurney Drive, this all-new landmark opens its doors to the public on March 1. 
Gurney Walk which is part of Plenitude Bhd’s development projects, is adjacent to the Ascott Gurney Hotel, also owned by Plenitude Bhd, will jive together to be an invigorating social and cultural hub providing patrons with pizzazz and lifestyle.
Gurney Walk has secured a vibrant mix of tenants, with the ground floor fully taken up. These include international brands such as The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Subway, as well as local, home-grown names such as Yin Sourdough, Four Spoons, Cueva and Urban Republic, some of which are making their debut in Penang. 
Additionally, an entire floor within Gurney Walk will be dedicated to wellness, anchored by the 3,500 square-feet Areoma Boutique Spa.
Visitors can also look forward to other wellness offerings, F&B outlets, hair and nail salons, local artisanal offerings and a plethora of pop-up stores slated to open in the near future. 

Latest Update On Champions League 

Kuala Lumpur, March 1: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has taken note of the Chinese Football Association (CFA)’s confirmation of Changchun Yatai FC’s withdrawal from participating in this season’s AFC Champions League.
Therefore, in accordance with the AFC Champions League 2022 Competition Regulations, the Playoff Stage match between Changchun Yatai FC and the winners of the Preliminary Stage tie between Australia’s Sydney FC and Kaya FC-Iloilo from the Philippines, which was scheduled to take place on March 15 has been cancelled.
Consequently, the winners of the Sydney FC and Kaya FC-Iloilo Preliminary Stage tie on March 8 will receive a direct entry into Group H, where they will face two-time winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors from Korea Republic, Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos and Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
The centralised matches for Group H are scheduled to be contested in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, from April 15 to May 1.
Follow the-AFC.com for all the exclusive news and latest updates on the AFC Champions League 2022.

Latest Update On AFC Asian Qualifiers 

Kuala Lumpur, March 1: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed the United Arab Emirates as the neutral venue for the upcoming AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar fixtures involving China PR and Syria.
China PR are set to face off against Saudi Arabia in Group B on March 24, 2022, at the Sharjah Stadium, while Syria will host Group A opponents Iraq on March 29 at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai.
Please click here for the latest news on the final two match days of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar on March 24 and 29.

Volopay Scores Huge Investment

Singapore, Mar 1: Volopay, a Y Combinator-backed Singapore-based corporate cards, and payable management startup has successfully raised US$29 million in its Series A round through a mix of equity and debt.
The investment round included participation from JAM Fund, Winklevoss Capital Management, Rapyd Ventures, Accial Capital, fintech veteran and angel investor Jeffrey Cruttenden – CEO of Acorns along with Access Ventures, Antler Global, and VentureSouq.
The strategic investment from leading blue-chip investors will fuel Volopay’s foray into the APAC and MENA markets to tackle two of the most pressing problems that SMEs and startups face – high Forex (FX) charges incurred for international payments and the lack of a uniform platform to access all spend data. 
Volopay provides companies with multi-currency wallets to hold money in their base currency and any major currency – USD, SGD, EUR, GBP – and subsequently use it for payouts, eliminating exorbitant amounts of FX charges levied on international payments.
Volopay is a Singapore-based company on a mission to build a financial control centre for modern businesses. Volopay combines business accounts, corporate cards, bill payments, expense reimbursements, credit, cashback, and accounting automation into one single platform.

SHAREit Allows Users To Do More 

Kuala Lumpur, March 1: File sharing, content streaming and gaming app SHAREit has many features for an engaging mobile experience for users to solve a variety of challenges and ensure better performance of their smartphones.
Besides the high-speed file sharing feature, SHAREit also helps its users to save memory space on their devices by eliminating the need to download other tool apps.
The additional features of the app include Phone Cleaner, Phone Booster, Battery Saver, File Manager and Game Resource Files Transfer – all targeted to provide an optimized smartphone experience to the users.
SHAREit consolidates all the files of the phone under one umbrella and helps users manage them in a more convenient and seamless way. 
The file manager feature browses mobile phone storage and SD card and helps to find, manage, move, or delete files as per the users’ requirements.

Avance Clinical Announces Opening In Sydney

Sydney, March 2: Avance Clinical, the largest premium Australian Contract Research Organisation (CRO) for international biotechs, has opened new offices in Sydney to support its growing clinical team in the greater Sydney region.
“We continue to offer a hybrid working environment for our team however, they are increasingly wanting more in-office face-to-face time with colleagues and clients – while still having the flexibility of working remotely,” Avance Clinical’s CEO Yvonne Lungershausen said.
“Avance is continuing to experience significant growth facilitating our expansion into North Sydney with new offices to accommodate our growing team,” she said.
Check for our latest positions open and join our Sydney team here.

Mike Sheahan Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Sydney, March 2: Sport Australia has presented legendary sports journalist Mike Sheahan with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th annual Sport Australia Media Awards.
Sheahan is one of Australian Rules Football’s most respected and influential journalists having dedicated 40 years of his career to the game.
He spent 20 years as chief football writer for The Herald Sun and won dozens of major Australian football media awards across all categories – news breaking, features and columns. 
In latter years, Sheahan transitioned into a successful radio and television personality and finished his illustrious media career in 2020 after a 19-year stint at Fox Footy.
Sheahan said he was honoured to receive the award describing it as a “significant acknowledgement of the game I love.” 

Severe Weather Warning Issued For NSW

Sydney, March 3: A Severe Weather warning was issued on Thursday morning for an east coast low to impact the New South Wales Central and South coasts and eastern ranges.
The low will bring increasingly widespread rain, with the risk of intense rainfall leading to flash flooding.
Six hourly rainfall totals of 80 to 120 mm are likely over broad areas, and some may see six hourly rainfall rates exceed 200 mm.
Multiple major flood warnings are in place for New South Wales including the Hawkesbury, Nepean, Georges, Richmond, Clarence and Weir rivers and Tuggerah Lake.
A Flood Watch is in place for other parts of New South Wales.
Communities in the Hunter Valley through to the New South Wales South Coast, including the densely populated areas of Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong, are likely to experience heavy rain and flash or riverine flooding.

AFC Champions League Held In Saudi Arabia

Kuala Lumpur, March 3: The AFC Champions League 2022 (West) Group Stage centralised matches will be held in Saudi Arabia from April 7 to 27, subject to ratification by the AFC Executive Committee of the AFC Competitions Committee’s decision regarding the Hosting of Centralised Matches in the Group Stage.
Four-time Continental club champions Al Hilal SFC will begin their title defence in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, where the 17-time Saudi Pro League winners will face Group A contenders Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol, Qatar’s Al Rayyan SC as well as the winners of the Playoff Stage match between Sharjah from the United Arab Emirates and Iraqi side Al Zawraa Club.
Similarly, Riyadh will also be the host city for the matches in Group B, featuring this year’s debutants Mumbai City from India, UAE’s Al Jazira, Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab and three-time AFC Cup winners Air Force Club of Iraq.
Group C, which will be headlined by Iranian side Foolad Khouzestan FC and 2015 finalists Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Qatar’s Al Gharafa and Ahal FC of Turkmenistan – the first ever Turkmen representative in the AFC Champions League Group Stage – will be held in Jeddah.
Meanwhile, just northwest of Riyadh, Buraidah will provide the stage for Group D, which includes the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Sepahan FC, who reached the final of the 2007 edition, Qatar’s Al Duhail SC, two-time Semi-finalists Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan and the winners of the Playoff Stage tie between Al Taawoun FC from Saudi Arabia and Syrian side Al Jaish.

Jurassic World Arrives at the Australian Museum

Sydney, March 3: An exclusive preview of the incredible Jurassic World by Brickman exhibition will be hosted at Sydney’s Australian Museum to mark the arrival of the exhibition, opening on March 5.
Created by Ryan ‘The Brickman’ McNaught, the popular exhibition will transform the touring exhibition hall at the Australian Museum and bring to life Jurassic World – the blockbuster franchise from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment – turning it into the largest LEGO brick exhibition in Australian history.
The latest film in the epic franchise, Jurassic World Dominion, will debut in cinemas June 2022.
Be greeted by the never-before-seen Baryonyx model on arrival to the Australian Museum in Crystal Hall. Weighing in at 400kg, this newest Jurassic World by Brickman dinosaur took 790 hours to design and was created using 102,317 LEGO® bricks! She is 4.8m long, over 1.5m wide and stands 2.5m high.
Proudly presented by Kmart, Jurassic World by Brickman is on sale now via Ticketek and the Australian Museum website.

Affordable Back-To-School Essentials At MR D.I.Y.

Kuala Lumpur, March 3: It’s back to school for all Malaysian school children, with the new academic year for students aged seven to 17 in national schools beginning March 21.
With the Omnicron virus still rampant, parents and educators don’t just have to worry about equipping their children with school essentials, they also need to ensure the children are safe so that they can keep learning.
Recognising this, Malaysia’s favourite home improvement retailer is offering a wide array of personal protective essentials at Always Low Prices in its ‘Back to School’ campaign running from March 1 – 22.
With discounts up to 40 per cent, the campaign allows parents and educators to stretch their ringgit further, while ensuring the school children have everything they need.
MR D.I.Y.’s ‘Back to School’ campaign is available at selected MR. D.I.Y., MR. TOY, and MR. DOLLAR stores across Malaysia, including online at mrdiy.com.my.

 #DIY4UTAR Help Students Stay Safe

Kuala Lumpur, March 4: MR D.I.Y Group Berhad  rolled out yet another new initiative to help keep undergraduates safe in the pandemic.
Over 3,000 students from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Sungai Long received hygiene kits from MR D.I.Y., through the retailer’s #DIY4UTAR initiative.
The retailer mobilised its resources and its #mrdiycares team to source, pack, and distribute the hygiene kits to the students. Each student received two boxes of 3-ply face masks, a hand sanitiser, and 2 sets of nasal test kits.
The #DIY4UTAR initiative is one in a series of collaborations between MR D.I.Y and higher learning institutions under the #DIY4 umbrella.
Previously, the retailer had a joint collaboration in #DIY4UM with Touch ‘n Go Group (Touch ‘n Go), and Universiti Malaya (UM) where the retailer distributed cash aid to help more than 12,000 undergraduates prepare for the return to campus.  

BigPay’s New Product Launch

Kuala Lumpur, March 3: BigPay, a Capital A venture company will now offer fully digital loans as part of the wider suite of financial services offerings.
This makes BigPay the first  product to have a fully digital personal lending product as part of its offering in Malaysia.
There  has been an overwhelming demand for the personal loans product, and it will be rolled out to  more users over the coming weeks.
BigPay Later Personal Loans is currently available to selected  users and will be progressively rolled out to more and more people. 
To learn more about BigPay and the personal loan product by BigPay Later, please visit  www.bigpayme.com. 

Perfect Corp To List On Nasdaq

New York, March 3: Perfect Corp, an augmented reality and artificial intelligence Software-as-a-Service solutions to beauty and fashion industries, and Provident Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company, today announced a definitive agreement for a business combination that would result in Perfect becoming a publicly-traded company.
The combined company will focus on accelerating Perfect’s global expansion, extending Perfect’s industry coverage from beauty and fashion to tangential sectors, and augmenting Perfect’s innovative AR and AI SaaS solutions, including product try-on, facial diagnostics, and digital consultation solutions. Upon the transaction closing, the combined company will be named Perfect Corp. and will be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “PERF.”
Founded in 2015, Perfect is the world’s leading provider of AI and AR SaaS solutions to the beauty and fashion industries.
It is ideal for transforming the consumer shopping experience with its sophisticated SaaS solutions including 3D facial and hand modeling, AI skin diagnostics and simulations, AR-empowered video consultations, live product try-on, and personalised facial attribute recommendations.
The software serves a wide array of beauty and fashion segments including cosmetics, skincare, hair colouring, fashion accessories, and more.

Consider Yourself Warned

Sydney, March 4: Social media users have been urged to stop  perpetuating life-threatening trends in flood waters just for the sake of some likes and shares.
Videos of people swimming, jet-skiing and messing about in their local floodwaters have inundated all social media platforms over the past few days.
“Floodwater contains powerful, unseen currents often leading to watercourses and hazardous drains, sewage harbouring disease and often poisonous wildlife,” Floodplain Management Australia President Ian Dinham said.
“The likes and the clicks are not worth risking your life for, or just as importantly the lives of your followers or the emergency personnel who will have to rescue you and care for your injuries.  
“Stay out of floodwaters unless it is completely unavoidable, in which case do so with extreme caution, following guidelines from your local State Emergency Service,” he added.

Saving The Malayan Tiger 

Kuala Lumpur, March 3: The Vinod Sekhar Foundation has thrown its weight  behind the critical work of the Persatuan Pelindung Harimau Malaysia (RIMAU), a non governmental organisation dedicated to the preservation of the Malayan tiger and its  habitat.  
The Malayan tiger, found only in Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand, is its own  subspecies.
In the 1950s, it was estimated that 3,000 roamed our rainforests but the latest  National Tiger Survey results indicate that there are less than 150 left in the wild. 
Apart from creating awareness of the urgency to save the tigers from poaching, RIMAU  together with Perak State Parks Corporation has spearheaded the formation of the  Menraq Patrol Unit, which is made up entirely of the local indigenous Jahai Community.  The creation of Menraq is to patrol the Royal Belum State Park – to search for and dispose  of snares that are detrimental to the Malayan tiger while providing a livelihood for the local  community. 
The Vinod Sekhar Foundation is one of RIMAU’s first major funders, with a donation of  RM300,000 which allowed the organisation to begin its efforts for the community patrolling unit. 

QLD and NSW Weather Update 

Sydney, March 4: An east coast low off the New South Wales coast has weakened, however severe thunderstorms are still forecast for north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland.
Isolated severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and locally heavy rainfall have been forecast for Queensland’s south-east on Friday and across the weekend. Any rainfall that occurs may still result in river rises or flash flooding due to saturated catchments. The situation continues to be dangerous for riverine and flash flooding in creeks, streams and catchments.
Multiple minor to moderate flood warnings are current for south-east Queensland rivers, with major flood warnings in place for the Weir, Moonie, Condamine and Balonne rivers.
In New South Wales, severe thunderstorms and locally heavy rainfall are still possible across the north-eastern parts of the state on Friday and Sunday.
For more details, please visit www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings and www.bom.gov.au.

Athletes To Clean Up Australia 

Sydney, March 4: Olympians, Paralympians and 2022 Commonwealth Games prospects will partner with the Australian Institute of Sport  (AIS) for Clean Up Australia Day activities this Sunday.  Athletes from eight sports will join local communities and thousands of volunteers around the country who are taking  positive action for the environment. 
Clean Up Australia Day is the largest community-based environmental event and a highlight for athletes  involved in the AIS’s Community Partnerships Program.
With some Clean Up activities impacted along the east coast due to the weather, Aussie athletes will be working with their  local communities to be part of any rescheduled activities or holding their own clean up event. 
AIS Acting CEO Matti Clements said the environment was a key factor in allowing people to enjoy sport and Australia’s  athletes were always keen to contribute to their communities as part of activities such as Clean Up Australia Day. 

AFC Cup 2022 Group I Held In Vietnam

Kuala Lumpur, March 4: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has today confirmed the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) as the host Member Association for the AFC Cup 2022 Group I centralised matches scheduled to take place from June 24 to 30.
Ho Chi Minh City will provide the stage for Group I contenders Vietnam’s Viettel FC, Hougang United from Singapore, Phnom Penh Crown FC of Cambodia and Young Elephants FC from Laos.
The decision brings to a close the host selection process for the AFC Cup 2022 Group Stage following the earlier announcement on Feb 24.
Follow all the latest news and exclusive coverage of the AFC Cup 2022 here.

Heavy Rainfall Expected For NSW

Sydney, March 6: The Bureau of Meteorology has issued numerous flood warnings for New South Wales with heavy rainfall expected to continue today and into Monday in areas affected by last week’s flood activity.
There are moderate to major flood warnings for Wollombi Brook, Richmond, Hawkesbury-Nepean, Colo and Weir rivers. These rivers may reach flood levels recorded during last week’s flood event.
Heavy rainfall is expected today for Illawarra, parts of Hunter, Sydney, South Coast, Central and Southern Tablelands.
The rain is expected to increase along the New South Wales coast on Monday, with most rainfall forecast to fall between the Illawarra and Mid-North Coast.
Communities are encouraged to keep up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings on the Bureau’s website and BOM Weather app and follow the advice of emergency services.

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