Salvador, Brazil | AFP | Lionel Messi said his team was feeling bitter after Argentina lost their opening Copa America match 2-0 to Colombia despite dominating the second half. Goals from Roger Martinez and Duvan Zapata in the final 20 minutes gave Colombia their first tournament victory over Argentina in …
Read More »Blue Samurai to unleash ‘Japanese Messi’ on Copa America
Tokyo, Japan | AFP | On a continent where “imitation” Galacticos are a dime a dozen, Japan’s Takefusa Kubo could just be the real deal. Snapped up by Real Madrid on Friday from under the noses of some of the world’s other top clubs, the teenage sensation is about to demonstrate …
Read More »Detailed account in the BOU currency saga
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | As Ugandans continue to digest what could have happened with the Bank of Uganda currency printing recently, a few details are trickling in. An official at the central bank says what alarmed the central bank is the extra cargo aboard the chartered plane that …
Read More »Hong Kong unrest alarms Taiwan with wary eye on China
Taipei, Taiwan | AFP | Images of riot police battling protesters in Hong Kong this week have reverberated in nearby Taiwan where many recoil at what they fear could be their future if Beijing has its way. Taiwan has been a self-ruled de facto nation in charge of its own affairs …
Read More »Sea of purple: Swiss women strike for equal pay
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Several hundred thousand purple-clad protesters blowing whistles, banging pots and pans and brandishing feminist slogans filled the streets of Swiss towns and cities on Friday, as women across the country went on strike for equal pay. “I love badass women” and “Eliminate the patriarchy” figured …
Read More »Fear and stigma mark life for gays in conservative Malawi
Lilongwe, Malawi | AFP | Fearing persecution after being outed as gay, Aniz Mitha fled Malawi. Leaving behind his well-off Muslim family and four-year-old son, he headed for South Africa, where he became a sex worker to survive. “The laws that we have in Malawi are incriminating. I wanted to …
Read More »Sudan opposition chief, US demand probe on protest crackdown
Omdourman, Sudan | AFP | Sudan’s veteran opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi called on Friday for an “objective” international investigation into last week’s deadly crackdown on protesters, after the ruling military council rejected such a probe. Mahdi’s call was backed by top US envoy Tibor Nagy, who urged an “independent and credible” …
Read More »Woodland fires 65 to top star-studded US Open leaderboard
Pebble Beach, United States | AFP | Gary Woodland drained a 50-foot birdie put at his final hole on Friday to cap a six-under par 65 and take a two-stroke US Open lead over former champion Justin Rose at Pebble Beach. Woodland’s tee shot at his final hole, the par-four ninth, …
Read More »Coutinho brace helps Brazil forget Neymar in winning Copa start
Sao Paulo, Brazil | AFP | A brace from Philippe Coutinho handed hosts Brazil a winning start to the Copa America on Friday in a 3-0 victory over Bolivia as the absence of superstar Neymar was quickly forgotten. Barcelona’s Coutinho scored from the penalty spot early in the second half and …
Read More »Juventus move ends Sarri’s unhappy marriage with Chelsea
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Maurizio Sarri is set to return to Italy to take the vacant managerial role at Juventus and bring the curtain down on a fretful one-year stay at Chelsea. Sarri met his targets by returning Chelsea to the Champions League via a third-placed finish in the …
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