LONDON: U.S. captain Megan Rapinoe knows all about taking a stance for social equality and justice, and can understand why Norway's Ada Hegerberg has turned her back on the women's World Cup.That said, she still wishes Hegerberg - the first female to be awarded the Ballon d'Or and the winner of four successive Champions League titles with Olympique Lyon - was competing in the tournament in France this month.The 23-year-old has not played for Norway since 2017 due to a dispute with her home federation about how women's football is treated."I support her in that she gets to make whatever choice she wants. I personally wouldn't ever miss out on a World Cup," Rapinoe, a World Cup winner and Olympic gold medallist, told reporters at the U.S. team's training camp on Wednesday."The World Cup is not better for her being out of it... I would have liked to see her be able to entertain on this stage," added the Californian midfielder."But I understand that's her personal decision, and for her she … [Read more...] about Absent Hegerberg would have lit up the World Cup, says Rapinoe
How to protest police brutality
Silence, US tensions mark Tiananmen 30th anniversary in China
BEIJING: Beijing marked 30 years since the deadly Tiananmen crackdown on Tuesday with a wall of silence and extra security, as the anniversary turned into a diplomatic slugfest between the United States and China. Police checked the identification cards of every tourist and commuter leaving the subway near Tiananmen Square, the site of the pro-democracy protests that were brutally extinguished by tanks and soldiers on June 4, 1989. Foreign journalists were not allowed onto the square at all or warned by police not to take pictures. Officials told one reporter that “illegal media behaviour” could impact visa renewals. Washington — deep in a bruising trade war with Beijing — marked the occasion by hailing the “heroic” movement of 1989. In Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997 but retains a degree of autonomy, thousands of people were gathering Tuesday night for a candlelight vigil tinged with symbolism as the city struggles to preserve its … [Read more...] about Silence, US tensions mark Tiananmen 30th anniversary in China
Iron fist
With the help of the house helper who survived the carnage last Sunday, the killer of an octogenarian couple in Quezon City was arrested with impressive speed by police in Caloocan on Tuesday. Carl Joseph Bananola, 37, was presented to the media late Wednesday morning. House helper Editha Fernandez identified him as the one who broke into the home of Nicolas Austria, 86, and his wife Leonora, 87, in Barangay San Agustin in Quezon City, and fatally stabbed and bludgeoned the couple with a pipe. Fernandez reportedly recognized Bananola because he used to deliver eggs to the couple. About seven hours after the media presentation, Bananola, who reportedly took P16,100 in cash from the house, was himself dead. The cops gave conflicting details of what happened. But the emerging official version, it seems, is that while being transported in a police vehicle from the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office, where he was brought for inquest, back to Camp Karingal, Bananola asked to have … [Read more...] about Iron fist
How peaceful street protests turned violent in Jakarta
JAKARTA: A “provocative and violent” crowd turned up from nowhere in central Jakarta at around 11pm on Tuesday (May 21) before deadly clashes broke out, an Indonesian police spokersperson said.Six people were killed after riots took place following the announcement of official election results on Tuesday and more than 200 people injured, Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan confirmed on Wednesday morning.Just hours earlier on Tuesday evening, police officers had been joined by a separate group of protesters for breaking fast and prayers, before the night's violence unfolded. According to inspector-general Muhammad Iqbal, the head of public relations for Indonesian police, a number of groups had participated in a “conducive, cooperative and peaceful” protest in front of the Election Supervisory Agency from 10am, local time.They then dispersed following prayers at 9pm, while officers on the ground continued to secure a … [Read more...] about How peaceful street protests turned violent in Jakarta