Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico‘s southwest coast on Sunday as it unleashed landslides, knocked the power grid out and ripped up asphalt from roads and flung the pieces around. Forecasters said the storm would cause massive flooding and threatened to dump “historic” levels of rain, with up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) possible in eastern and southern Puerto Rico. “The damages that we are seeing are catastrophic,” said Gov. Pedro Pierluisi. “I urge people to stay in their homes,” said William Miranda Torres, mayor of the northern town of Caguas, where at least one large landslide was reported, with water rushing down a big slab of broken asphalt and into a gully. The storm also washed away a bridge in the central mountain town of Utuado that police say was installed by the National Guard after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017. Fiona was centered 10 miles (15 kilometers) west of Mayaguez with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. It was moving to the northwest at 9 mph (15 kph). Fiona struck on the anniversary of Hurricane Hugo, which hit Puerto Rico 33 years ago as a Category 3 storm. The storm’s clouds covered the entire island and tropical storm-force winds extended as far as 140 miles (220 kilometers) from Fiona’s center. U.S. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in the U.S. territory as the eye of the storm approached the island’s southwest corner. Luma, the company that operates power transmission and distribution, said bad weather, including winds of 80 mph, had disrupted transmission lines, leading to “a blackout on all the island.” “Current weather conditions are extremely dangerous and are hindering out capacity to evaluate the complete situation,” it said, adding that it could take several days to fully restore power. Health centers were running on generators – and some of those had failed. Health Secretary Carlos Mellado said crews were working to repair generators as soon as possible at the Comprehensive Cancer Center. Fiona hit just two days before the anniversary of Hurricane Maria, a devastating Category 4 storm that struck on Sept. 20, 2017, destroying the island’s power grid and causing nearly 3,000 deaths. More than 3,000 homes still have only a blue tarp as a roof, and infrastructure remains weak. “I think all of us Puerto Ricans who lived through Maria have that post-traumatic stress of, `What is going to happen, how long is it going to last and what needs might we face?”’ said Danny Hernandez, who works in the capital of San Juan but planned to weather the storm with his parents and family in the western town of Mayaguez. He said the atmosphere was gloomy at the supermarket as he and others stocked up before the storm hit. “After Maria, we all experienced scarcity to some extent,” he said. The storm was forecast to pummel cities and towns along Puerto Rico’s southern coast that have not yet fully recovered from a string of strong earthquakes starting in late 2019. Officials reported several road closures across the island as trees and small landslides blocked access. More than 780 people with some 80 pets had sought shelter across the island by Saturday night, the majority of them in the southern coast. Puerto Rico’s power grid was razed by Hurricane Maria and remains frail, with reconstruction starting only recently. Outages are a daily occurrence. In the southwest town of El Combate, hotel co-owner Tomas Rivera said he was prepared but worried about the “enormous” amount of rain he expected. He noted that a nearby wildlife refuge was eerily quiet. Rivera said his employees brought bedridden family members to the hotel, where he has stocked up on diesel, gasoline, food, water and ice, given how slowly the government responded after Hurricane Maria. “What we’ve done is prepared ourselves to depend as little as possible on the central government,” he said. It’s a sentiment shared by 70-year-old Ana Cordova, who arrived Saturday at a shelter in the north coastal town of Loiza after buying loads of food and water. “I don’t trust them,” she said, referring to the government. “I lost trust after what happened after Hurricane Maria.” Puerto Rico’s governor, Pedro Pierluisi, activated the National Guard as the Atlantic hurricane season’s sixth named storm approached. “What worries me most is the rain,” said forecaster Ernesto Morales with the National Weather Service in San Juan. Fiona was predicted to drop 12 to 16 inches (30 to 41 centimeters) of rain over eastern and southern Puerto Rico, with as much as 25 inches (64 centimeters) in isolated spots. Morales noted that Hurricane Maria in 2017 had unleashed 40 inches (102 centimeters). Pierluisi announced Sunday that public schools and government agencies would remain closed on Monday. Fiona was forecast to swipe the Dominican Republic on Monday and then northern Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands with the threat of heavy rain. It could threaten the far southern end of the Bahamas on Tuesday. A hurricane warning was posted for the Dominican Republic’s eastern coast from Cabo Caucedo to Cabo Frances Viejo. Fiona previously battered the eastern Caribbean, killing one man in the French territory of Guadeloupe when floods washed his home away, officials said. The storm also damaged roads, uprooted trees and destroyed at least one bridge. St. Kitts and Nevis also reported flooding and downed trees, but announced its international airport would reopen on Sunday afternoon. Dozens of customers were still without power or water, according to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. In the eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Madeline was forecast to cause heavy rains and flooding across parts of southwestern Mexico. The storm was centered about 155 miles (245 kilometers) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes Sunday morning, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph). Source: Global News

Interest rate hikes by central banks around the world could trigger a global recession in 2023, the World Bank has said. Central banks have raised rates "with a degree of synchronicity not seen over the past five decades" to tackle soaring prices, it said. Raising rates makes borrowing more expensive to try to bring down the pace of price rises. But it also makes loans more costly, which can slow economic growth. The warning from the World Bank comes ahead of monetary policy meetings by the US Federal Reserve and Bank of England, which are expected to increase key interest rates next week. US mortgage rates hit 14-year high as inflation soars World Bank boss warns of global recession threat On Thursday (16/09/22), the World Bank said the global economy was in its steepest slowdown following a post-recession recovery since 1970. It said a study found that "the world's three largest economies - the US, China and the euro area - have been slowing sharply". "Under the circumstances, even a moderate hit to the global economy over the next year could tip it into recession," it said. Signs of economic difficulties are already emerging. On Thursday, delivery giant FedEx warned investors that a sharp and unexpected slowdown in activity, especially in Asia and Europe, would cause revenue to be hundreds of millions of dollars short of forecasts. The firm said it planned to close dozens of offices and reduce service in response to the drop in demand. The news sparked a widespread sell-off of FedEx shares, sending them down more than 20%. Shares in other delivery firms, including Amazon, Deutsche Post and Royal Mail, also fell. In the face of recession risk, the World Bank called on central banks to coordinate their actions and "communicate policy decisions clearly" to "reduce the degree of tightening needed". Inflation, which is the rate at which prices rise, hit a 40-year-high in the US and UK in recent months. This was driven by higher demand as pandemic restrictions eased, and as the war in Ukraine boosted energy, fuel and food prices. In response, central bank policymakers have raised interest rates to cool demand from households and businesses. However, big rate increases increase the risk of recession as it can cause an economy to slow.   Source: BBC

Samarai-Murua MP and Tourism, Art and Culture Minister Isi Henry Leonard called on his people of Sidudu and surrounding areas of Sariba island to harness the spirit of unity as the nation observes 47 years of independence. He made these remarks while attending the Sidudu Primary School 50th anniversary celebration on Sariba Island which coincided with the country’s independence celebrations on Independence Day on Friday. Hon. Henry echoed the memories of the lowering of the flag in 1975 while attending Cameron High School and how as students they paraded in the rain while in that initial independence ceremony. Adding that the spirit of independence had descended upon them as a people as they witnessed the birth of a new nation. He said it was a one-off experience that would never be witnessed again as the Australian flag was lowered and the PNG flag was hoisted for the first time as it marked a very significant moment in the birth of a country. “Today I stand here, I still feel that spirit in me. “Not only that I wear the colours of PNG, but the spirit that I witnessed that day, it was so emotional and moving because I witnessed my birth as a nation. I still feel the spirit of Independence,” he said. He compared the birthing of a nation to that of a woman giving birth to a child, that after a painful experience, a joyful moment will come upon you. Leonard challenged the students and those gathered during the 50th anniversary of the Sariba/Sidudu Primary School in his district to take education seriously. He said education and acquiring knowledge and skills would ensure they had a place in the global community. Stressing that it was the responsibility of all those involved including parents, students and teachers to make this happen. Leonard congratulated the people of Sidudu/Sariba on the 50th anniversary of the primary school and thanked his people for re-electing him into Parliament. He also thanked the Marape/Rosso government for showing confidence in his leadership in reappointing him as Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister.

Buckingham Palace has released the Orders of Service for Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral and committal service. The funeral service will be steeped in royal tradition and "pay tribute to The Queen's remarkable reign and lifetime of service as Head of State, Nation and Commonwealth." The state funeral will conducted by the Dean of Westminster at Westminster Abbey, starting at 11 a.m. (6 a.m. ET), with the Archbishop of Canterbury giving the Sermon and Commendation. The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, will read the first Lesson, while the UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, who the Queen appointed just two days before her death, will read the Second Lesson. To represent each year of the Queen's life, the abbey's Tenor Bell will be tolled once a minute for 96 minutes before the service. The Queen's great-grandchildren Prince George and Princess Charlotte will form part of the royal family procession behind the Queen's coffin as it is carried into Westminster Abbey. As the coffin is moved inside, the Choir of Westminster Abbey in the Nave will sing the Sentences -- lines of scripture set to music which have been used at every state funeral since the early part of the 18th century, the palace said. During the service, a specially commissioned choral piece inspired by the Queen's "unwavering Christian faith" will be performed by the choir. "Like as the hart" is a setting of Psalm 42 by the Master of the King's Music, Judith Weir, which will be sung unaccompanied. Other music selected for the state funeral include the hymn "The Lord's my shepherd," which was also sung at the then-Princess Elizabeth's wedding to Prince Philip in 1947, and the anthem "O Taste and see how gracious the Lord is," which was composed for the Queen's coronation in 1953 by Ralph Vaughan Williams. The nation will observe a two-minute silence towards the end of the hour-long service after which the Sovereign's Piper of the Royal Regiment of Scotland will play the traditional lament, "Sleep, dearie, sleep" -- a fitting farewell to Britain's longest-reigning monarch. Following the funeral, the Queen's coffin will travel in procession through central London to Wellington Arch, where it will be placed in the state hearse and depart for Windsor, where a committal service will take place at St. George's Chapel at 4 p.m. (11 a.m. ET). The second service of the day will be a more intimate occasion, conducted by the Dean of Windsor, who will deliver the Bidding. Prayers will be said by the Rector of Sandringham, the Minister of Crathie Kirk, where the family worship when they are in residence at Balmoral, and the Chaplain of the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park. The royal family will gather along with a congregation made up of members of the Royal Household, past and present, as well as personal staff who have worked on the private estates. Some of the musical selections for the committal service were composed by William Henry Harris, a former organist of St. George's between 1933 and 1961. It is thought that the young princess was taught to play piano by Harris, according to the palace. The service will also feature several nods to the the Queen's family, with the choir singing "The Russian Contakion of the Departed," which was also sung during Prince Philip's funeral at St. George's last April. Meanwhile, the Dean will read Revelation 21, verses 1-7, which were read at the funerals of the Queen's grandparents King George V and Queen Mary in 1936 and 1953. They were also read at the Queen's father's funeral in 1952. As the committal service draws to a close, the Queen's coffin will be lowered into the Royal Vault, set beneath St. Georges, as the Dean reads Psalm 103, which concludes with the words, "Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul." The Garter King of Arms will then proclaim the Queen's styles and titles before her piper plays for her one last time. Source: CNN 

Lebanon is suffering from a worsening economic crisis since 2019, plunging three-quarters of its population below poverty. Bank heists in Lebanon have become a growing trend – but these armed “robbers” storming into banks are not stealing anyone else’s money. They are just demanding access to their own savings. And instead of being prosecuted, the perpetrators have largely been allowed to remain free and have become folk heroes. The incidents have become increasingly common as Lebanon’s economic crisis continues. The local currency, the Lebanese pound, has depreciated by more than 90 percent against the United States dollar on the black market, while the government’s restrictions on how much money people can withdraw from their own bank accounts have also exacerbated the situation. So what is behind these bank heists? Lebanon has been reeling from a worsening economic meltdown since 2019, plunging 80 percent of its population – about three million people – below the poverty line, according to the United Nations. Poverty and unemployment have soared, and savings-account values have evaporated, along with the country’s middle class. Since 2019, Lebanese banks gradually imposed draconian controls on deposits, effectively locking millions of customers out of their foreign currency savings. “Every time you want to withdraw money, it would be at a rate much lower than the market value,” said Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr. “For example, if you want to withdraw $700, they gave you $200. So that’s a de facto haircut.” A haircut in economic terms means a reduction applied to the value of an asset. In this case, it refers to the banks’ absurdly unfavourable exchange rate in Lebanese pound when people try to withdraw cash. How many ‘bank robberies’ have there been so far? The first-known case of someone forcibly getting their funds back was reported in January when a man held dozens of people hostage in eastern Lebanon after he was told he could not withdraw his foreign currency savings. Local media reported that the customer was eventually given some of his savings and surrendered to security forces. In August, an armed man also held employees and customers hostage at a Beirut bank after he was told he could not withdraw $200,000 from his account for his sick father’s treatment. The man was cheered on by a crowd outside the bank. On Wednesday, another armed man entered a branch of BankMed in Lebanon’s mountain city of Aley and attempted to retrieve his savings. On the same day, a woman called Sali Hafiz entered a BLOM Bank branch in Beirut with what she later said was a toy gun, along with other activists, in order to retrieve money from her own account to fund hospital treatment for her cancer-stricken sister. She poured gasoline inside the branch and threatened to set it on fire if she did not receive her savings. She managed to get $13,000 from her deposits, out of a total of $20,000. Are these lone-wolf acts or part of an organized movement? Hafiz and the man who held up the bank in Aley are part of a group called Depositors’ Outcry. Its founder, Alaa Khorchid, said that desperate times have left people with no choice but to “take matters into their own hands”. “These people worked for decades, but not for the rulers to build palaces while they can’t afford a bottle of medicine,” he said. “There is no government, no economic recovery plan, and little reserves left.” How bad is Lebanon’s economic crisis? The government estimates that losses in the lethargic financial sector since the onset of the currency crisis fall somewhere between $68bn and $69bn. The World Bank has warned that the economic calamity could rank as one of the three most severe the world has seen since the mid-19th century. What can be done to alleviate the crisis? The international community has repeatedly urged Lebanon to reform its economy, notably by ending wasteful spending and corruption and restructuring its ineffective energy sector. They have also called for a forensic audit of the central bank. Amin Salam, Lebanon’s minister of Economy and Trade, told Al Jazeera: “Lebanon is in need of a bailout and the International Monetary Fund wants reforms done before that happens.” However, successive governments have failed to deliver a credible economic reform plan that is a prerequisite for unlocking billions of dollars in desperately needed financial aid. Source: Aljazeera

After a two- year hiatus due to Covid-19 restrictions, the famous Rabaul Frangipani Festival was successfully revived during the Independence weekend. Thousands of people in East New Britain province braved the sun’s heat to join the excitement and spirit of celebration during the Frangipani Festival in Rabaul town on Friday (Sept 16) and Saturday (Sept 17). The two-day event marked the country’s 47th Independence anniversary, ENB’s 28th anniversary of the twin volcanic eruptions and the 85th anniversary of the 1937 eruptions in which 200 people died. The festival began last Friday with the McGrade Family Cup Two Stone Kanu (canoe) Race around the Beehives. This was followed by the Frangipani Hamamas Pageant organised by schools in Rabaul district. On Saturday 17 September, a Tolai Kinavai was held at the Rabaul Foreshore followed by an art competition. After that, the streets of Rabaul town came alive with colour and pomp as the float parade by business houses, government offices and schools passed through the town Susie McGrade, a member of the organising committee, said this year’s theme “Rabaul Reboot” saw wonderful displays of flair and creativity. She said Agmark Cocoa and Rabaul Volcano Observatory came out as tie winners in the “most outstanding” category, Rabaul Town Clinic won the “best community float” award, Barlows Industries for “best corporate” award, Origin Energy for “best entertaining” award and Baining float for “best cultural” award. “Rabaul town went without the festival in 2020 and 2021 due to pandemic measures but the crowd turnout in the past two days brought the community together. We have rebooted and we are back,” she said. Ms McGrade commended the support from mostly business houses who made it possible to host the two day event. She also acknowledged the ENB Governor Michael Marum, Rabaul MP Graham Piniau and Gazelle MP and Fisheries Minister Jelta Wong.

Another Russian energy boss has died in mysterious circumstances after "falling overboard" from a boat, according to local media reports. Ivan Pechorin's body was found washed up around 100 miles from Vladivostok in Russia's far east, on Monday (12/09/22) after a two-day search, local outlet VL.ru reported. Pechorin fell off his moving boat on September 10 as it sailed near Russky Island, the outlet reported. He was the Aviation Director for Russia's Far East and Arctic Development Corporation (KRDV), which described his death as an "irreparable loss." The KRDV is President Vladimir Putin's project for developing the rich energy and mining resources of Russia's farthest eastern region, which has become a crucial objective under the weight of international sanctions. According to the Mirror's Russia correspondent, he was personally selected by Putin for his role, and was described by Newsweek as Putin's "key man" in the region. Days earlier, Pechorin spoke on a panel about transportation at an economic forum where Putin gave a keynote speech. Born in 1983, Pechorin is the second KRDV executive to die unexpectedly this year, adding to an ever-expanding roster of Russian businessman and oligarch deaths. In February, the same firm announced the death of its general director, Igor Nosov. The 43-year-old died of a stroke, Newsweek reported. On September 1, state media reported the death of Ravik Maganov, chair of the board of directors of top Russian oil company Lukoil, saying he fell from a hospital window. Lukoil had taken the unusual step of criticizing the Russian invasion of Ukraine six months earlier. At least eight other oligarchs with connections to the energy industry have also died in mysterious circumstances in 2022. They include Sergey Protosenya, who was found dead in Spain along with his wife and daughter in a suspected murder-suicide in April and Vladislav Avayev, also suspected of a murder-suicide just two days before in Moscow. In May, former oil executive Alexander Subbotin died at the house of a shaman in the Moscow region, which was reported in state media as the result of a likely heart attack. According to Newsweek, he was seeking a hangover cure. Then in July, shipping CEO Yuri Baranov was found dead of a gunshot wound in his St Petersburg swimming pool.   Source: Business Insider

Chinese scientists say they have developed a robotic fish that can remove microplastic particles from water environments. Researchers working on the project say the robots could help to clean up plastic pollution in oceans around the world. The robotic swimmers are about 1.3 centimeters long. They are made of a soft chemical compound. The robots are designed to absorb microplastics while moving through the water. The project was launched by a team at Sichuan University in southwestern China. The researchers said the robots have already performed well in shallow water and they plan to carry out more tests in deeper waters. The scientists reported their findings in a new study in Nano Letters. The publication comes from the American Chemical Society, a nonprofit organization supported by the U.S. Congress. The robotic fish were built to target microplastic particles, which are smaller than five millimeters. Studies have confirmed that microplastic pollution has been discovered in many natural environments. The material comes from the breakdown of manufactured plastic products and industrial waste. The team said the robots can be controlled by light. Turning “a near-infrared light laser” on and off causes the fish’s tail to move back and forth, the American Chemical Society said. The robotic fish can swim up to 2.76 body lengths per second. The researchers said this is faster than most similar soft robots. Wang Yuyan was a member of Sichuan University’s research team. She told Reuters news agency that the small, lightweight robot is currently being used to collect microplastics for research purposes. But Wang added that the team plans to expand that use so the robot fish can remove larger amounts of microplastic waste from deep ocean areas. The fish can take in different kinds of microplastics and even repair itself when damaged, the researchers said. And if a robot fish is accidentally eaten by a real fish, it could safely digest the material, the team added. Wang said similar robots could be developed to be placed inside the human body to remove unwanted materials or disease.     Source: VOA News

A draft proposal in New Zealand aims to address methane emissions linked to global warming, one cow and sheep burp at a time. If the plan is adopted, the nation would become the first to charge farmers for the methane emissions emanating from their livestock. "There is no question that we need to cut the amount of methane we are putting into the atmosphere, and an effective emissions pricing system for agriculture will play a key part in how we achieve that," New Zealand's Climate Change Minister James Shaw explained to BBC News. New Zealand’s resolution+ is set against a backdrop of escalating global concern over methane emission and growing criticism over the country’s past inaction to address the agricultural sector’s hand in global warming. Cow Burp Science Explained While the docile animals don't seem like a global threat, they're prolific when it comes to their methane emissions. Cows and sheep belong to a class of mammals known as ruminants because they have stomachs that are separated into compartments, the largest of which is the rumen. The rumen chamber is populated by a community of microbes that help break down fibrous plant cellulose the animals are unable to digest. This process, known as enteric fermentation, releases carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere every time one the beasts burps – which is pretty often. Globally, bovine burps are responsible for roughly 10% of greenhouse gas emissions generated by human activity, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Every one of the world’s 1.4 billion cows burps up to 500 liters of methane daily. In Australia, farm animals are responsible for up to half of the country’s methane emissions. Climate scientists are interested in containing carbon dioxide and methane, the two most common greenhouse gases. Methane is 80 times more potent at global warming than carbon dioxide, with atmospheric methane proliferating faster than ever, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration claims. An Animal Gas Tax New Zealand's proposal would begin taxing livestock belches in 2025 while also providing incentives to reduce emissions by feeding farm animals a special diet and planting trees to offset their pollution. The tax revenue it raises would be plowed back into research and farm support services. Other strategies to clear the air include face masks for cows that trap and turn methane into water and carbon dioxide, a method that reduces emissions by more than 50% according to Zelp, the company that invented the contraption. Some farmers are already experimenting with feed made from seaweed. And scientists are tinkering with cow genetics to increase their digestive efficiency. The proposal could potentially be the biggest regulatory disruption to farming since the removal of agricultural subsidies in the 1980s, Susan Kilsby, an agricultural economist at ANZ Bank, told Reuters. A final decision on the plan is expected by the end of the year, she said.   Source: WEBMD HEALTH NEWS

A 28-year-old man has been charged with a public order offence after allegedly leaving the queue of mourners to approach the Queen's coffin on Friday. Muhammad Khan, from Tower Hamlets in east London, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday. The Metropolitan Police said he was charged under the Public Order Act. The live video feed of Westminster Hall cut away when the incident occurred at around 22:00 BST. A statement from the Met Police said: "Muhammad Khan, 28, of Barleycorn Way, Tower Hamlets, was charged on Saturday, September 17, with an offence under Section 4A of the Public Order Act; behaviour intending to cause alarm, harassment or distress. "He will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday, September 19." He is the second person to be charged with committing an offence while in the queue to see the Queen lying in state. A 19-year-old man was charged after allegedly exposing himself and pushing into mourners from behind as they waited in the line at Victoria Tower Gardens on Wednesday. Adio Adeshine was charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order. He will appear at Southwark Crown Court on 14 October. The late Queen Elizabeth II will remain in Westminster Hall until the day of her funeral on Monday. Source: BBC News

The National Rugby League Competition (NRLC) Match Review Committee suspended two Mendi Muruks players after citing them for Contrary Conduct in the Digicel Cup Major Semi Final match between PRK Mendi Muruks and Agmark Rabaul Gurias. The decision was reviewed after an appeal was submitted by the Mendi Muruks’ team management against the one-week suspension each for Julius Yakopa and Charlie Simon. In the 77th minute, Muruks five-eighth and captain Charlie Simon and second rower Julius Yakopa disputed the referee’s decision to call a knock on and used offensive language at the referee. Their actions delayed the game for over three minutes as the referee repeatedly called for the scrum to be set. After fulltime Simon and Yakopa carried on with contrary conduct towards the referee which incited some spectators to react by throwing plastic water containers towards the field of play. Appeals Committee Decisions: Referee’s Actions Reviewed: Referee failed to put Charlie Simon and Julius Yakopa on report and also failed to sinbin/send them off during the time of the incident which held up the game for 3 minutes. Decision Outcome: Referee’s failure to penalize the players has enabled the Appeals Committee to reduce the demerit points by 50%, enabling both Mendi Muruks players to take the field in this Sunday’s Preliminary Final against Kroton Hela Wigmen. Players’ Actions Reviewed: The actions of both players also impacted the game after fulltime by inciting spectators to throw water bottles and other items towards the interchange areas and field of play which is not acceptable to the ground standards of Digicel Cup games. Decision Outcome: A fine of K10,000 has been imposed on PRK Mendi Muruks for the actions of the two players inciting unacceptable crowd behavior after the game. We hope this sends the message to franchise officials and players and spectators that contrary conduct and disrespectful behavior will be acted upon. Such behavior should not be allowed to diminish the enjoyment of the finals for the majority of spectators.

Two decades ago, the idyllic bay was transformed for the cult classic starring Leo DiCaprio. Today, the area is still struggling with the ecological fallout. In the 2000 film The Beach, a young Leonardo DiCaprio, hot off Titanic fame, plays a young backpacker who discovers a tropical paradise in the form of a secluded beach, home to a community of travelers. Despite its cult classic status, The Beach was a critical flop—DiCaprio was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for worst actor, and today the film ranks as one of the worst Danny Boyle ever directed. But though both the film’s director and stars moved on from the tropical-themed blip in their career, the filming location—located on southern Thailand’s Phi Phi Leh island—remains mired in an environmental crisis caused by the filming of the movie between 1998 and 1999, according to local officials. On Tuesday 13/09/22, Thailand’s Supreme Court upheld a previous ruling for the Royal Forest Department to continue with rehabilitation works on the beach and island. It also upheld a 2019 agreement made between the plaintiffs and the two film production companies—20th Century Fox and Thai film studio Santa International Film Productions—to provide 10 million baht (around $273,000) for the rehabilitation project, funded by the U.S. firm. When The Beach film crew arrived on the white sand beach of Maya Bay 24 years ago to shoot the movie’s most iconic scenes, they gave the area a makeover which included uprooting native plants and introducing alien species—changes that local officials say have severely damaged the local ecosystem. The years following the movie’s release also saw hoards of tourists flock to Maya Bay and its surrounding islands, which put further pressure on the beach’s environment, as pollution from tourist activity destroyed nearby coral. In 2018, local officials shut the beach indefinitely as part of a rehabilitation plan, before reopening it in January this year. Tuesday’s ruling came more than 20 years after the first lawsuit was filed. Back in 1999, local authorities and environmentalists sought 100 million baht in compensation in a civil lawsuit filed against senior Thai government officials and the two production studios involved in the filming of The Beach. However, the court only accepted their case in 2012, more than a decade after filming had wrapped. After reportedly paying the Royal Forestry Department four million baht to film at the location, The Beach film crew made drastic changes to the beach’s landscape in an attempt to create a more cinematic tropical aesthetic. Bushes that naturally lined the beach, which held sand together and prevented erosion, were torn out and replaced with dozens of mature palm trees that were not previously there. DiCaprio, now known for his environmental activism, tried to reassure critics at that time, saying that the island was going to be “better off than it was before” by the time filming wrapped. “From what I see everything is okay. I have seen nothing that had been damaged in any way,” he said. But even as his team tried to return the beach to its original state after filming, removing the palm trees, replanting those plants they had uprooted, and setting up bamboo fences along the beach to hold sand in place, large amounts of sand continued to be washed out to sea. After the shoot was over, witnesses described the beach as a “forlorn scene of ugly bamboo fences and dead native plants,” the Guardian reported. The ecological damage was exacerbated in the years that followed. By 2018 the Hollywood-famous island was welcoming about 4,000 tourists and 200 boats every day. Maya Bay was reopened to visitors in January this year after more than three years of closure for rehabilitation, but with a cap on tourist numbers and visiting hours. However, it was closed again last month for another period of environmental restoration, with plans for reopening in October. Source: Vice World News