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Leader of Our Development Party and three-term Alotau Open MP Charles Abel has been eliminated from the race for the Milne Bay Regional seat. Counting for this seat has been suspended to tomorrow, after this 14th exclusion. Mr. Abel was vying for Governor in this national election. Mr. Abel’s exit comes as a shock to many in Milne Bay Province. He managed to poll 9,462 votes to be eliminated, leaving three candidates left in the race. Counting was suspended to 7am tomorrow (Tuesday 02.08.22) where the 15th exclusion will be the only other female left in the race – PANGU Pati’s Jennifer Rudd. People’s National Congress Party candidate Gordon Henry Wesley has a commanding lead of 32,380, followed by National Alliance Party candidate Tim Neville on 24,761 votes while United Resource Party’s Titus Philemon is on the spot with 23,542 votes. NBC News / PNG Today Next :  PNG Election : Yama calls for Suspension of Madang Returning Officer

Opel is to be the official car partner to the Forever Young Festival 2003, at Palmerstown House Estate in Naas from 14-16 July, writes Brian Byrne. Acts confirmed for the festival include Erasure’s Andy Bell, Bananarama, Jason Donovan, Soul II Soul, Tony Hadley, Billy Ocean, Midge Ure, Go West, Hothouse Flowers, Cry Before Dawn, and Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey. For further details see foreveryoung.ie .  The third year of the Festival, attendance is capped at 20,000 per day and facilities include luxury glamping, hot showers and golf buggy transport. The music is 1980s which makes it very much an adults-focused event. Pictured at the official launch of the festival are Dr Sharon Alston, festival organiser; James Brooks, Managing Director at Opel Ireland; and a 1980s Opel Kadett with the multi-award winning Opel Astra, Irish Compact Car of the Year 2023. 

Renault has carried out a big re-styling of its long-popular Clio, and added a full hybrid powertrain, writes Brian Byrne. Very sharp and techy changes to the front and rear will make the latest version quite a standout on the road, and there are also substantial upgrades to the interior including a new Alpine-level trim option. The car also carries the latest design of the Renault logo. The new 145hp E-Tech hybrid can operates for up to 80pc of the time in electric mode in town driving, according to Renault. More details closer to launch. The Clio nameplate was launched in 1990 and since then some 16 million units have been sold.