UPI – A professional football match in Norway was halted when fans hurled fish cakes and other items onto the field in protest against the use of video assistant referee (VAR) technology.
The Norwegian Eliteserien game between Rosenborg BK and Lillestrom was first paused just minutes after kickoff due to the fish cake barrage.
Although players briefly resumed play after the initial stoppage, the game was halted again when fans from both sides escalated their protest, adding tennis balls and smoke bombs to the mix.
The game was officially suspended after just over a half hour of play with the score 0-0.
The protest surrounded the use of VAR, which fans and even several supporter unions complain leads to referees taking too much time to make decisions, bringing games to long halts in the meantime. The league adopted VAR in 2023.
Some fans at the game were seen holding a banner, which read, “We will never give up, VAR will go away.”
ANN/THE JAPAN NEWS – A night parade of dinosaurs is set to take place at the Tokyo National Museum for two nights in September, offering a thrilling opportunity to see these creatures up close without any danger.
The stage show, titled ‘DINO-A-LIVE Dinosaur Grand Night Parade’, will feature life-like dinosaurs, guided by human handlers, as they stomp, roar, and even engage in fights.
This innovative production is brought to life by ON-ART Corp, a company renowned for its richly detailed and patented dinosaur suits, developed in collaboration with the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum.
Based in Higashikurume, Tokyo, ON-ART Corp uses its studies of modern-day animal movements to give each dinosaur unique quirks and idle motions, ensuring they appear realistic and not stiff or artificial.
Over a dozen varieties of dinosaur have been built so far, including carnivores like the Tyrannosaurus, and herbivores like the Ankylosaurus.
The Tyrannosaurus shown in a preview for the press earlier this month was impressively large at eight metres long.
But a larger 12-metre-long model has made an appearance in the past.
The Ankylosaurus comes in at 7.6 metres long, which fits neatly into the size range for its species.
What began as a solo project by Kazuya Kanemaru, the president of ON-ART, painting murals and making models for museums, has ballooned into a massive, ambitious project.
“The dinosaurs are constantly changing. There are many that have gotten injuries during earlier shows that still carry the scars,” he said.
Giganotosaurus at the Tokyo National Museum. PHOTO: THE JAPAN NEWS
FRANKFURT (AFP) – Police yesterday arrested climate activists who glued themselves to the tarmac at Frankfurt airport, Germany’s busiest, compelling it to temporarily suspend arrivals and departures.
Traffic was halted during the busy summer holiday season for two hours before the first of the airport’s landing runways was able to operate again at 0502GMT, said a spokesman at the airport.
Passengers were advised to check the status of their flights while the airport ramped up its operations again.
Seven of the activists had managed to reach the runway where they glued themselves onto the tarmac, a police spokesman said. The eighth was still trying to get through the perimeter fence when he was detained.
The police operation to clear activists off the airport’s restricted grounds was ongoing, added the spokesman. All eight were arrested.
According to climate activist group ‘Letzte Generation’ (Last Generation) which claimed the civil disobedience action, its members had used pincers to cut openings in the wire fence before making their way “by foot, with bicycles and skateboards to different points around the runways”.
A photo circulated by the group depicted a protester sitting on the tarmac with an orange banner “oil kills”.
The group is pushing for a binding international accord that would lead to an end in oil, gas and coal use by 2030.
Transport Minister Volker Wissing condemned the protests yesterday as “criminal” action and demanded tough penalties against activists.
Emergency vehicles from the police, fire department and airport security parked at Frankfurt Airport. PHOTO: AP
LONDON (AFP) – A 24-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder over the stabbing of a British soldier earlier this week, United Kingdom (UK) police said yesterday.
Anthony Esan is due to appear in court later in the day following the attack on Tuesday evening near an army barracks in Kent, southeast England.
The victim, a man in his forties, is in hospital and his condition “is currently described as serious but stable”, Kent Police said.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked and appalled” by the incident, which occurred in the town of Gillingham, about 64 kilometres southeast of London.Kent Police are yet to indicate any motive in the latest attack but they are not thought to be treating it as terror related.
The force had said it was “exploring the possibility that it may be mental health related”.
Officers arrested Esan in nearby Rochester within half an hour of being called to the scene of the attack, near the British Army’s Brompton Barracks.
The suspect was reported to have left the scene on a motorcycle, and “a number of knives” have been seized, the force said in an earlier statement.
ANKARA (AP) – A Turkish bill aimed at regulating the country’s millions of stray dogs moved closer to becoming law on Wednesday as animal rights advocates feared many of them would be killed or end up in neglected, overcrowded shelters.
“Although some people persistently ignore it, Turkiye has a stray dog problem,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose ruling party proposed the bill, told legislators after a parliamentary committee approved the bill late on Tuesday. The full assembly will have a final vote in the coming days.
The government estimates that around four million stray dogs roam Turkiye’s streets and rural areas. Although many are harmless, a growing number are congregating in packs, and numerous people have been attacked in Istanbul and elsewhere. The country’s well-known large stray cat population is not a focus of the bill. Erdogan noted that stray dogs “attack children, adults, elderly people and other animals. They attack flocks of sheep and goats, they cause traffic accidents”.
The proposed legislation mandates that municipalities collect stray dogs and house them in shelters where they would be neutered and spayed.
A stray dog rests outside Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul, Turkiye. PHOTO: AP
GUATEMALA CITY (AFP) – Dozens of Mexican families have fled across the border into Guatemala because of drug cartel violence, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo said on Wednesday.
The Central American nation’s defence ministry said that the army was tightening security along the countries’ shared border.
Guatemalan authorities were providing assistance “to people who are escaping this confrontation between (criminal) groups that is taking place on the Mexican side”, Arevalo said at a press conference.
The office of the country’s human rights ombudsman told AFP that around 280-300 displaced Mexicans were at a temporary shelter near the border.
Mexico’s southernmost state of Chiapas draws tourists with its lush jungle, Indigenous communities and ancient Mayan ruins, but it has also seen intensifying turf wars between gangs fighting for control of drug and people-smuggling routes.
Migrants on the outskirts of Tapachula, State of Chiapas, Mexico. PHOTO: AFP
MONTREAL (AFP) – A forest fire at a major national park in western Canada reached an evacuated town on Wednesday evening, with the army preparing to send in reinforcements.
The fire was spreading through Jasper National Park and destroyed several buildings in the town of Jasper, which had been evacuated on Monday night, according to park officials.
“Significant loss has occurred within the townsite,” a post on the park’s page said on social media platform X.
“Firefighters remain in town and are working to save as many structures as possible and to protect critical infrastructure,” including the Trans Mountain Pipeline, it said.
Authorities have not specified what infrastructure was destroyed.
Around 25,000 people have been evacuated due to recent forest fires in the region, which is also fighting a heatwave.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday his government had approved a request by Alberta province for federal assistance.
“We’re deploying @CanadianForces resources, evacuations support, and more emergency wildfire resources to the province immediately – and we’re coordinating firefighting and airlift assistance,” Trudeau wrote on X.
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland told broadcaster CBC that his town was experiencing “our community’s worst nightmare”.
More than 400 fires have been recorded in British Columbia province on the Pacific coast and 176 in Alberta, including more than a dozen in the Fort McMurray region, the hub of oil sands development.
Cars clog the highway as people evacuate in Jasper, Alberta, Canada. PHOTO: AP
ANN/THE STAR – Kudat in Sabah, Malaysia, a town with a rich cultural legacy and numerous natural splendours, is tucked away at the northernmost point of Borneo.
Well-known for its immaculate beaches, distinctive geology, and dynamic tribal culture, it provides a tranquil retreat into the embrace of nature together with a historical and cultural adventure.
Kudat’s Milky Way’s cosmic dance is one of its most captivating sights. Clear evenings reveal the Milky Way’s bright arch extending over the horizon, transforming the sky above Kudat into a work of cosmic art.
Due to light pollution, this brilliant spectacle is seldom seen in cities, yet it nevertheless provides stargazers and photographers with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Kudat’s beaches are a work of nature’s artistic expression. Soft, white sands meet the clear waters of the South China Sea, creating a serene coastal haven.
Among these shores, unique geological formations capture the eye.
Rocky outcrops and boulders dotting some beaches create a striking contrast against the gentle waves, offering a glimpse into the ancient forces that shaped the land.
Kudat’s geographical position gifts it with breathtaking sunrises and sunsets.
Rocky outcrops found in Kudat, Sabah in Malaysia. PHOTO: THE STARThe Rungus people during a performance. PHOTO: THE STARABOVE & BELOW: The Milky Way can be seen stretching across the horizons in Kudat; and a Kudat beach during a sunset. PHOTO: THE STARPHOTO: THE STAR
The eastern beaches welcome the first light of day, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, while the western coasts bid the day farewell with a symphony of colours as the sun dips below the horizon.
These moments of natural beauty provide a tranquil setting for reflection and relaxation.
The cultural heartbeat of Kudat lies with the Rungus people, a tribe known for their rich traditions and skilled craftsmanship.
Visitors can immerse themselves in the Rungus way of life, learning about their intricate beadwork, traditional longhouses, and vibrant customs preserved through generations at many Rungus villages, where they warmly welcome those seeking to understand their heritage and way of life.
The Tip of Borneo, locally known as Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, is not just a geographical landmark but a historical treasure trove.
It marks the South China and Sulu Seas meeting point, offering spectacular views.
This spot, steeped in history, has witnessed the passage of time and tales of the past, making it a must-visit for history enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.
For the adventurous at heart, Kudat offers a range of activities.
From snorkelling in its clear waters and exploring hidden coves to trekking through lush rainforests, the area is a playground for nature enthusiasts.
The Rungus also offer cultural experiences, such as traditional cooking classes and handicraft sessions, providing an insight into their daily lives.
Kudat also has an abundance of fresh seafood. Local eateries and markets offer a variety of fresh fish, prawns, crabs and other marine delicacies, often cooked in traditional styles that bring out their natural flavours.
In Kudat, it is not just a meal; it’s a celebration of the ocean’s bounty, prepared with the warmth of local hospitality.
Kudat is more than just a destination; it’s an experience that stays with you.
Whether it’s the awe-inspiring sight of the Milky Way, its beaches’ tranquil beauty, the Rungus’ vibrant culture, or the fresh seafood, Kudat invites you to explore and cherish its many wonders.
Every moment in this hidden gem of Malaysia is an opportunity to discover something beautiful. – Eddie Chua
AP – A chilling, half-remembered encounter from childhood looms over Longlegs, Osgood Perkins’ stylishly composed 1990s-set horror film about a young FBI agent (Maika Monroe) whose past seems to hold a key to a decades-long serial killer suburban spree.
In the opening flashback scene of Longlegs, a young girl walks out of her house to meet a stranger on her snow-covered yard. We never see more than the bottom half of his face, but the sense of creepiness is overwhelming. The image, with a scream, cuts out before Longlegs properly gets underway.
Twenty five years later, that girl (Monroe’s Lee Harker) is now grown and brought into the investigation. She’s preternaturally good at decoding the serial killer’s choreographed targets, but her psychological astuteness has a blind spot. In Osgood’s gripping if trite horror film about an elusive boogeyman, the most unnerving mystery is the foggy, fractured nature of childhood memory.
Longlegs arrived on its own wave of mystery thanks to a lengthy, enigmatic marketing campaign.
Is the buzz warranted? That may depend on your tolerance for a very serious procedural that’s extremely adept at building an ominous slow burn yet nevertheless leads to a pile-up of horror tropes: satanic worship, scary dolls and an outlandish Nicolas Cage.
It’s a credit to the harrowingly spell-binding first half of Longlegs – and to Monroe – that the film’s third act disappoints. After that prologue – presented in a boxy ratio with rounded edges, as if seen through an overhead projector – the screen widens.
ABOVE & BELOW: Neon’s ‘Longlegs’ Lauren Acala; and Blair Underwood. PHOTO: APPHOTO: APABOVE & BELOW: Photos show Maika Monroe as FBI Agent Lee Harker in ‘Longlegs’. PHOTO: APPHOTO: AP
Harker, a terse, solitary detective, is part of a large task force to track down the killer behind the deaths of 10 families over the course of 30 years. Sent to knock on doors, she gazes up at a second floor window and knows immediately. “It’s that one,” she told partner (Dakota Daulby) whose lack of faith in her intuition quickly proves regrettable.
Harker is brought in for a psych evaluation that demonstrates her strange clairvoyance.
Agent Carter (Blair Underwood) gives her all the accumulated evidence, which suggests the same killer – every murder scene has a coded letter left signed by Longlegs – but at the time points to no intruder within the homes of the murdered.
Carter is reminded of Charles Manson. “Manson had accomplices,” Harker reminded him.
Also troubling: all of the victims have a daughter with a birthday of the 14th of the month, a trait Harker, naturally, shares.
Families are prominent in the narrative, too. Harker occasionally visits her shut-in mother (Alicia Witt) and their brief interactions suggest a knowingness with the cruelty of the world.
One time on the phone, Harker tells her she’s been busy with “works stuff”.
“Nasty stuff?” the mom asked. “Yep,” she answered.
Scenes of dread follow as they hunt the killer in rural Oregon. They frequent the usual spots: an old crime scene, a locked up barn, an old witness in a psychiatric hospital.
Longlegs (Cage) is skulking about, too, and leaves a letter for Harker. We see him fleetingly at first.
He’s a bleached, pale figure who, with long white hair, looks increasingly clownish the nearer we get to him. If Manson belonged to the ’60s, Longlegs, with his Bob Dylan Rolling Thunder Revue white face, seems a product more in the ’70s. T.Rex opens and closes the film and the album cover of Lou Reed’s Transformer sits above his mirror.
Perkins (Gretel and Hansel), is the filmmaking son of Anthony Perkins, who famously played one of the movies’ most unsettling characters in Norman Bates of Psycho. The roots of Longlegs, which Perkins also wrote, have personal connections for the director, Perkins has said, about his own upbringing and his father’s complicated private life.
But something deeper struggles to pierce Longlegs. Its sense of horror seems to come mainly from little besides other movies.
Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs are clear touchstones. Longlegs ultimately feels like more of a stock boogeyman and big-screen vessel for Cage.
In any case, this is Monroe’s movie. Her compelling screen presence in movies like It Follows and Watcher has earned her the title of today’s preeminent Scream Queen. But she’s much more than a single-genre talent. Again and again in Longlegs, Monroe’s Harker confronts a singularly disturbing scenario and walks right in. – Jake Coyle
PARIS (AFP) – French oil heavyweight TotalEnergies yesterday reported slumping profits in the second quarter, blaming lower margins in refining and falling sales and prices for natural gas.
Net profit shed seven percent year-on-year in April-June, to USD3.8 billion, the company said in a statement.
Analysts had forecast around USD4.9 billion in surveys by Bloomberg and FactSet.
TotalEnergies’ liquid natural gas (LNG) business saw its adjusted net operating income retreat 13 per cent “in a context of lower LNG demand in Europe” sapping both sales and prices.
There was a still steeper tumble of more than a third for its refining and chemicals operation, with TotalEnergies blaming “lower refining margins mainly in Europe… and the Middle East”. But elevated oil prices ensured the group’s exploration and production division, by far its largest, saw a 14-per-cent boost in its operating result.
The electricity unit, which includes renewable energy, also scored a double-digit increase.
Over the first six months of 2024, TotalEnergies’ adjusted net income fell 15 per cent, to USD9.8 billion.
Chief executive Patrick Pouyanne nevertheless said that “TotalEnergies generated robust financial results in the second quarter”.
The board had decided to keep in place a dividend of EUR0.79 (USD0.86) per share, up seven per cent on 2023’s payout, the company said, along with agreeing a USD2 billion share buyback scheme for the third quarter.
Shareholders in May handed Pouyanne another term to push his strategy of a “balanced transition” based on oil and gas on one hand and renewables on the other.
File photo shows part of the head offices of French giant multi-energy company TotalEnergies at La Defense business district in Courbevoie, west of Paris. PHOTO: AFP
