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

An Australian man has died after being attacked by a kangaroo he had been keeping as a pet, police say. A relative found the 77-year-old man with serious injuries at his home in Redmond, about 400km (250 miles) south of Perth. When the ambulance crew arrived at the rural property, the kangaroo prevented them from treating the man. Police say they were forced to shoot the marsupial dead so paramedics could reach him. The man died at the scene. A police spokesperson told media they believed the man had been attacked by the kangaroo - a wild animal - earlier in the day. Australia is home to about 50 million kangaroos, which can weigh up to 90kg and grow to 2m tall. But fatal attacks are rare - this is the first one reported in Australia since 1936. Kangaroos have "a lot of weapons" such as sharp teeth, claws and powerful legs, kangaroo behaviour expert Graeme Coulson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "Certainly if they're cornered or in some sort of distress, that can be quite dangerous," Associate Professor Coulson said. "The problem with kangaroos and people is we're both upright animals, we stand on our two feet, and an upright stance like that is a challenge to the male kangaroo." In July, a kangaroo left a 67-year-old woman with cuts and a broken leg after it attacked her on a walk in Queensland. And a three-year-old girl suffered serious head injuries in an attack in New South Wales in March. Urban development across Australia is increasingly encroaching on wild kangaroo habitats. Source: BBC News

The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, has said he will call for a referendum on the country becoming a republic within three years, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Browne signed a document confirming Charles III’s status as the new King, but minutes later, said he would push for a republic referendum after indicating such a move earlier this year during a visit by the Earl and Countess of Wessex. The Caribbean country is one of 14 nations to retain the British monarch as their head of state. Browne told ITV: “This is not an act of hostility or any difference between Antigua and Barbuda and the monarchy, but it is the final step to complete that circle of independence, to ensure that we are truly a sovereign nation. When asked for a timeframe on the referendum, he said: “I’d say probably within the next three years.” Browne told ITV on Saturday his country would remain a committed member of the Commonwealth, even if it removes the monarchy via referendum. Browne in April called on the Wessexes during a trip to Antigua in April to use their “diplomatic influence” to achieve “reparatory justice”, and outlined his country’s wish to one day become a republic. Prince Edward was criticised as “arrogant” for joking that he had not been taking notes during Browne’s comments. William and Kate, meanwhile, were accused of harking back to colonial days in Jamaica in March after the pair shook hands with crowds behind a wire mesh fence and rode in the back of a Land Rover, just as the Queen had done 60 years prior. Demonstrators accused them of benefiting from the “blood, tears and sweat” of slaves, while in the Bahamas they were urged to acknowledge the British economy was “built on the backs” of past Bahamians and to pay reparations. Jamaica’s prime minister, Andrew Holness, suggested to William and Kate that his country may be the next to become a republic, while a minister from Belize said afterwards that perhaps it was time to “take the next step in truly owning our independence”. William acknowledged after the trip that the monarchy’s days in the Caribbean may be numbered as he stated the future “is for the people to decide upon”. … we have a small favour to ask. Millions are turning to the Guardian for open, independent, quality news every day, and readers in 180 countries around the world now support us financially. We believe everyone deserves access to information that’s grounded in science and truth, and analysis rooted in authority and integrity. That’s why we made a different choice: to keep our reporting open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This means more people can be better informed, united, and inspired to take meaningful action. In these perilous times, a truth-seeking global news organization like the Guardian is essential. We have no shareholders or billionaire owner, meaning our journalism is free from commercial and political influence – this makes us different. When it’s never been more important, our independence allows us to fearlessly investigate, challenge and expose those in power.    Source: The Guardian

The Rabbitohs are through to the preliminary final for the fifth year in a row, setting up a rematch of last year's NRL Grand Final against the Panthers next weekend, after beating the Sharks 38-12 on Saturday night, Just six days after a brutal clash with the Roosters in Finals Week 1, South Sydney were a step above their opponents at Allianz Stadium, showing both impressive grit in defence and patience with ball in hand. Winger Taane Milne was a key contributor, scoring two tries and setting another up, while the accurate boot of Latrell Mitchell was important too, with the fullback converting all six of his side's tries and kicking a late penalty. The loss came at a cost though, with record-breaking winger Alex Johnston failing to finish the game due to a suspected hip flexor issue and forwards Siliva Havili (calf) and Jai Arrow (groin) being ruled out as well. After getting off to a flying start with a try inside the opening two minutes, South Sydney spent much of the opening 20 minutes defending their line, as Cronulla dominated possession but failed to find a way through. And after weathering the storm as the game flowed from end to end, Jason Demetriou's side struck two telling blows inside the final 10 minutes of the first half. Milne scored out wide after some crisp quick hands inside created space, before Cameron Murray powered through a would-be tackle from Dale Finucane to score under the posts, with Mitchell converting all three of his side's tries for an 18-0 lead. Cronulla scored immediately in the second stanza, with winger Ronaldo Mulitalo batting the ball down for his Kiwis teammate Briton Nikora to score, but Lachlan Ilias quickly cancelled it out with one of his own at the other end. The NRL Bunker ruled out a possible second for the Sharks after finding an infringement in the lead up to Jesse Ramien crossing, before both sides traded tries which left the the Rabbitohs in front 30-12 with 15 minutes to play. A second for Milne, along with a Mitchell penalty, finished the game at 38-12.

A diplomat from Papua New Guinea allegedly assaulted his wife and an employee in an apparent drunken rage at a Taipei City restaurant last month. At 5 p.m. a 44-year-old man who works as a secretary at the Papua New Guinea representative office in Taiwan took part in a dinner party with his fellow staff members at a restaurant in Taipei's Zhongshan District on Aug. 12. After a long night of heavy drinking, the diplomat at 4 a.m. got into a heated argument with his wife and began to smash her head with several glass beer mugs, reported SET News. When a male employee surnamed Liao tried to intervene to protect the woman, the diplomat waved the broken beer mug at him before throwing it at Liao. As the worker tried to shield himself, he suffered a laceration to his left arm that required six stitches. It was not until other bystanders joined in with Liao that they were finally able to restrain the diplomat on a pool table. Liao had four or five abrasions to his upper chest during the struggle with the assailant. When police arrived on the scene, they took the diplomat into custody at a nearby station. After the incident, the suspect reportedly refused to apologize to Liao, who has since filed a lawsuit for his injuries suffered. Liao told SET News that the assailant's wife suffered trauma to the back of her head and temples and appeared to lose consciousness and was unable to speak on the day of the assault. She has since reportedly declined to press charges against her husband. The suspect has served as a diplomat for Papua New Guinea in Taiwan for over 10 years and in 2018 was arrested for driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.58, reported Next TV. Although he claimed diplomatic immunity, a Taiwan court ordered him to pay a fine of NT$75,000.   Source: Taiwan News

Huon Gulf District MP and minister for Community Development, Youth and Religious Jason Peter visited the Erap Gabmazum cluster primary school's expo yesterday during the 47th independence day celebrations. This was part of his visit to schools and communities to get first hand information and the status of how basic public services are operating in his electorate. He spent an hour greeted students, teachers and parents around Erap Primary school campus before taking the stage. He was welcomed by a traditional singsing group from Erap Primary school. His message to the students, teachers and parents was to work hard and work together as a team to change education status in the district to produce competitive human resources in Papua New Guinea. On his speech, he has promised to support by funding the cluster primary schools expo in Wampar LLG and eventually to fund the other schools in the district run similar event. He was really convinced on the cluster primary schools expo staged as first of its kind event in his district. He has also promised to build a high school for Wampar LLG area. He stated that under his leadership, he is planning to build an advanced education system in his electorate which the high school would be part of the work to deliver. Jason said the plan to build the high school will be a priority. He continued on with his visit after spending three hours at the school's expo.