Australia is investigating a US police attack on two Australian television journalists outside the White House, the foreign minister said Tuesday, expressing "strong concerns" about the assault caught live on camera. 
 
"We have asked the Australian embassy in Washington, DC to investigate this incident," Marise Payne said after the journalists were slammed with a riot shield, punched and hit with a baton while broadcasting from the protest.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/horrified-by-george-floyds-death-says-new-zealand-pm-jacinda-ardern-302598" hreflang="en">'Horrified' by George Floyd's death, says New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern</a> 
 
"I want to get further advice on how we would go about registering Australia's strong concerns with the responsible local authorities in Washington," she said, indicating a formal complaint would follow.&nbsp; 
 
Footage showed 7NEWS reporter Amelia Brace being clubbed with a truncheon and cameraman Tim Myers being hit with a riot shield and punched in the face by police clearing Washington's Lafayette Square of protesters on Monday. 
 
The journalists said they were later shot with rubber bullets and tear-gassed, which Brace said left the pair "a bit sore". 
 
The incident was widely broadcast in Australia, causing consternation in a country that has been a close US ally. 
 
US police -- with support from military personnel -- had forcibly cleared the square of peaceful protesters to allow President Donald Trump to leave the White House for a photo opportunity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-police-officers-shot-in-violent-protests-after-trump-vows-to-bring-in-us-military-302581" hreflang="en">Four police officers shot in violent protests after Trump vows to bring in US military</a> 
 
Trump has faced fierce criticism for his handling of week-long protests over the death in custody of an unarmed African-American man in Minneapolis. 
 
George Floyd died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. 
 
In several cities, the demonstrations have spiralled into rioting, violent confrontations with police and looting, prompting National Guard deployments to around two dozen US states and strictly enforced curfews. 
 
Payne steered clear of criticising Trump directly,&nbsp;highlighting the delicate balancing act US allies face when registering unease with his administration. 
 
"This is obviously a very troubling period in the United States and a very tough period at so many levels," she told ABC radio. 
 
"We are always supportive of people's right to peaceful protest and we encourage all involved on both sides to exercise restraint and avoid violence." &nbsp;

Australia is investigating a US police attack on two Australian television journalists outside the White House, the foreign minister said Tuesday, expressing "strong concerns" about the assault caught live on camera.

Australia is investigating a US police attack on two Australian television journalists outside the White House, the foreign minister said Tuesday, expressing "strong concerns" about the assault caught live on camera. "We have asked the Australian embassy in Washington, DC to investigate this incident," Marise Payne said after the journalists were slammed with a riot shield, punched and hit with a baton while broadcasting from the protest. Also read: 'Horrified' by George Floyd's death, says New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern "I want to get further advice on how we would go about registering Australia's strong concerns with the responsible local authorities in Washington," she said, indicating a formal complaint would follow. Footage showed 7NEWS reporter Amelia Brace being clubbed with a truncheon and cameraman Tim Myers being hit with a riot shield and punched in the face by police clearing Washington's Lafayette Square of protesters on Monday. The journalists said they were later shot with rubber bullets and tear-gassed, which Brace said left the pair "a bit sore". The incident was widely broadcast in Australia, causing consternation in a country that has been a close US ally. US police -- with support from military personnel -- had forcibly cleared the square of peaceful protesters to allow President Donald Trump to leave the White House for a photo opportunity. Also read: Four police officers shot in violent protests after Trump vows to bring in US military Trump has faced fierce criticism for his handling of week-long protests over the death in custody of an unarmed African-American man in Minneapolis. George Floyd died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. In several cities, the demonstrations have spiralled into rioting, violent confrontations with police and looting, prompting National Guard deployments to around two dozen US states and strictly enforced curfews. Payne steered clear of criticising Trump directly, highlighting the delicate balancing act US allies face when registering unease with his administration. "This is obviously a very troubling period in the United States and a very tough period at so many levels," she told ABC radio. "We are always supportive of people's right to peaceful protest and we encourage all involved on both sides to exercise restraint and avoid violence."

Australia probes US police assault on its journalists

The Kremlin on Monday rejected accusations it had played any role in protests rocking the United States, after former US&nbsp;National Security Advisor Susan Rice raised the possibility of Russian involvement.&nbsp;

Unrest has swept US&nbsp;cities since last week, after peaceful protests over the death of a black man in the custody of a white police officer turned violent. On Saturday Rice told CNN that fostering violence at protests was "right out of the Russian playbook".

"We see it all the time, we've seen it for years and frankly every day on social media where they take any painful divisive issue....and they play on both sides," she said. "Their aim is to divide us, to cause us to come into combat with each other, and to disintegrate from within."

"I would not be surprised to learn they have fomented some of these extremists on both sides using social media. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they are funding it in some way, shape or form and that's something that we need to take seriously."

Asked about Rice's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We have never interfered in international affairs and we don't intend to interfere now."

"Any insinuations that have been mentioned are absolutely wrong, erroneous, and, as far as we understand, such insinuations can in no way reflect Washington's official position," said Peskov.

Russia has previously denied U.S. allegations it meddled in the 2016 presidential election to try to help Donald Trump get elected and says it is keen to try to rebuild battered ties with Washington.

The Kremlin on Monday rejected accusations it had played any role in protests rocking the United States, after former US National Security Advisor Susan Rice raised the possibility of Russian involvement.

The Kremlin on Monday rejected accusations it had played any role in protests rocking the United States, after former US National Security Advisor Susan Rice raised the possibility of Russian involvement. Unrest has swept US cities since last week, after peaceful protests over the death of a black man in the custody of a white police officer turned violent. On Saturday Rice told CNN that fostering violence at protests was "right out of the Russian playbook". "We see it all the time, we've seen it for years and frankly every day on social media where they take any painful divisive issue....and they play on both sides," she said. "Their aim is to divide us, to cause us to come into combat with each other, and to disintegrate from within." "I would not be surprised to learn they have fomented some of these extremists on both sides using social media. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they are funding it in some way, shape or form and that's something that we need to take seriously." Asked about Rice's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We have never interfered in international affairs and we don't intend to interfere now." "Any insinuations that have been mentioned are absolutely wrong, erroneous, and, as far as we understand, such insinuations can in no way reflect Washington's official position," said Peskov. Russia has previously denied U.S. allegations it meddled in the 2016 presidential election to try to help Donald Trump get elected and says it is keen to try to rebuild battered ties with Washington.

Kremlin rejects idea floated by Obama-era security advisor it stoked US protests

Facebook employees critical of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's decision not to remove&nbsp;an inflammatory comment from U.S. President Donald Trump took their dissent public over the weekend on Twitter, praising the rival social media firm for taking action and rebuking their own employer.

Many tech workers at companies including Facebook, Google and Amazon have become active on social justice issues in recent years and urged their employers take action and change policies.&nbsp;

Still, the criticism of Zuckerberg marked a rare case of high-level employees publicly taking their own CEO to task, with at least three of the seven critical posts seen by Reuters coming from people who identified themselves as senior managers.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/facebook-will-not-be-arbiters-of-truth-says-zuckerberg-after-trump-threat-301827" hreflang="en">Facebook will not be 'arbiters of truth', says Zuckerberg after Trump threat</a>

“Mark is wrong, and I will endeavor in the loudest possible way to change his mind," wrote Ryan Freitas, whose Twitter account identifies him as director of product design for Facebook’s News Feed. He added he had mobilized "50+ likeminded folks" to lobby for internal change.

Jason Toff, identified as director of product management, wrote: "I work at Facebook and I am not proud of how we’re showing up. The majority of coworkers I’ve spoken to feel the same way. We are making our voice heard."

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the employee dissent.

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Twitter on Friday hid a tweet from Trump that included the phrase "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" behind a warning label. It explained the tweet violated Twitter's rules against "glorifying violence" but was being left up as a "public service exception."&nbsp;

Facebook declined to take action on the same message, with Zuckerberg saying in a Facebook post on Friday that while he found the remarks "deeply offensive," the company decided they did not violate its policy against "incitements to violence."

Some of the dissenting employees directly praised Twitter's response.

"Respect to @Twitter’s integrity team for making the enforcement call," wrote David Gillis, identified as a director of product design. In a long Twitter thread he said he understood the logic of Facebook's decision, but said: "I think it would have been right for us to make a 'spirit of the policy' exception that took more context into account."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/facebook-plans-to-shift-to-work-from-home-lesser-salary-packages-expected-300372" hreflang="en">Facebook plans to shift to work-from-home; lesser salary packages expected</a>

Toff was one of several Facebook employees who were organizing fundraisers for non-profit groups assisting protesters in Minnesota. Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post early Monday that the company would contribute an additional $10 million to social justice causes.&nbsp;

"Giving a platform to incite violence and spread disinformation is unacceptable, regardless who you are or if it’s newsworthy," wrote another Facebook manager, Andrew Crow, head of design for the Portal product. "I disagree with Mark’s position and will work to make change happen."

Facebook employees critical of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's decision not to remove an inflammatory comment from U.S. President Donald Trump took their dissent public over the weekend on Twitter, praising the rival social media firm for taking action and rebuking their own employer.

Facebook employees critical of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's decision not to remove an inflammatory comment from U.S. President Donald Trump took their dissent public over the weekend on Twitter, praising the rival social media firm for taking action and rebuking their own employer. Many tech workers at companies including Facebook, Google and Amazon have become active on social justice issues in recent years and urged their employers take action and change policies. Still, the criticism of Zuckerberg marked a rare case of high-level employees publicly taking their own CEO to task, with at least three of the seven critical posts seen by Reuters coming from people who identified themselves as senior managers. Also read: Facebook will not be 'arbiters of truth', says Zuckerberg after Trump threat “Mark is wrong, and I will endeavor in the loudest possible way to change his mind," wrote Ryan Freitas, whose Twitter account identifies him as director of product design for Facebook’s News Feed. He added he had mobilized "50+ likeminded folks" to lobby for internal change. Jason Toff, identified as director of product management, wrote: "I work at Facebook and I am not proud of how we’re showing up. The majority of coworkers I’ve spoken to feel the same way. We are making our voice heard." Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the employee dissent. Twitter on Friday hid a tweet from Trump that included the phrase "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" behind a warning label. It explained the tweet violated Twitter's rules against "glorifying violence" but was being left up as a "public service exception." Facebook declined to take action on the same message, with Zuckerberg saying in a Facebook post on Friday that while he found the remarks "deeply offensive," the company decided they did not violate its policy against "incitements to violence." Some of the dissenting employees directly praised Twitter's response. "Respect to @Twitter’s integrity team for making the enforcement call," wrote David Gillis, identified as a director of product design. In a long Twitter thread he said he understood the logic of Facebook's decision, but said: "I think it would have been right for us to make a 'spirit of the policy' exception that took more context into account." Also read: Facebook plans to shift to work-from-home; lesser salary packages expected Toff was one of several Facebook employees who were organizing fundraisers for non-profit groups assisting protesters in Minnesota. Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post early Monday that the company would contribute an additional $10 million to social justice causes. "Giving a platform to incite violence and spread disinformation is unacceptable, regardless who you are or if it’s newsworthy," wrote another Facebook manager, Andrew Crow, head of design for the Portal product. "I disagree with Mark’s position and will work to make change happen."

Facebook's Zuckerberg faces employee blowback over ruling on Trump comments

One of the biggest social media sites on the internet, Twitter has changed its official display image to show solidarity with the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality.

The protests, which began in the United States after a black man, George Floyd was knelt on and killed by a policeman in Minneapolis, a city in the US state of Minnesota. The man died in the process on May 25, raising concerns of race-oriented state brutality in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/white-house-doubles-down-dares-twitter-to-block-another-trumps-tweet-301891" hreflang="en">White House doubles down &amp; dares Twitter to block another Trump's tweet</a>

The Black Lives Matter movement has regained&nbsp;steam&nbsp;after the incident. Thousands of people across major cities like New York and Los Angeles have taken to the streets demanding justice for the victim.

The police officer, Derek Chauvin has been charged with murdering Floyd, after the video surfaced whereby the black man was asking for respite and reiterated his inability to breathe, which did not stop Chauvin from kneeling on his neck.

Related video:&nbsp;Twitter flags Donald Trump's tweet, Twitter says post 'Glorified Violence'

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Besides Chauvin, four officers have been sacked for their involvement in Floyd’s death.

“Please, I can’t breathe”, Floyd’s last words before death have become the primary slogan for the movement’s resurgence.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/twitter-says-ceo-dorsey-was-informed-in-advance-of-decision-to-hide-trump-tweet-301828" hreflang="en">Twitter says CEO Dorsey was informed in advance of decision to hide Trump tweet</a>

Twitter has been heavily involved in the movement. Recently, President Trump tweeted “When the looting starts, the shooting starts”, which was interpreted by many as an open threat to shoot protesters. The company flagged his tweet with a warning, in which he had also referred to the protesters as “thugs”.

His another factually incorrect tweet about ballot boxes was flagged by the company recently, after which Trump displayed outrage against social media companies and promised to sign a new order limiting the powers of such companies.

One of the biggest social media sites on the internet, Twitter has changed its official display image to show solidarity with the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality.

One of the biggest social media sites on the internet, Twitter has changed its official display image to show solidarity with the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality. The protests, which began in the United States after a black man, George Floyd was knelt on and killed by a policeman in Minneapolis, a city in the US state of Minnesota. The man died in the process on May 25, raising concerns of race-oriented state brutality in the country. Also read: White House doubles down & dares Twitter to block another Trump's tweet The Black Lives Matter movement has regained steam after the incident. Thousands of people across major cities like New York and Los Angeles have taken to the streets demanding justice for the victim. The police officer, Derek Chauvin has been charged with murdering Floyd, after the video surfaced whereby the black man was asking for respite and reiterated his inability to breathe, which did not stop Chauvin from kneeling on his neck. Related video: Twitter flags Donald Trump's tweet, Twitter says post 'Glorified Violence' Besides Chauvin, four officers have been sacked for their involvement in Floyd’s death. “Please, I can’t breathe”, Floyd’s last words before death have become the primary slogan for the movement’s resurgence. Also read: Twitter says CEO Dorsey was informed in advance of decision to hide Trump tweet Twitter has been heavily involved in the movement. Recently, President Trump tweeted “When the looting starts, the shooting starts”, which was interpreted by many as an open threat to shoot protesters. The company flagged his tweet with a warning, in which he had also referred to the protesters as “thugs”. His another factually incorrect tweet about ballot boxes was flagged by the company recently, after which Trump displayed outrage against social media companies and promised to sign a new order limiting the powers of such companies.

Twitter’s blue bird goes black to show solidarity with protestors in the US

Any incident in the US, particularly adverse incident, whether big or small, gets world-wide publicity almost instantaneously. This is mainly due to the fact that the US is recognised as a rich country with superpower status and known for significant advancement in a variety of fields. Such news is followed by debates and discussions in the world media, with some pledged critics stating that such adverse incidents clearly show that the US&nbsp;is a troubled society. Is that really so?

Shoot-out incidents&nbsp;

In recent years, many shoot-outs have taken place in the US&nbsp;in universities, malls and other public places, when a number of innocent lives have been lost. Shoot-outs have been carried out by individuals for one reason or other and even due to psychic problems. &nbsp;

It is generally said that the liberal gun policy and the prevailing gun culture in the US&nbsp;is the primary reason for such shoot outs and violence.

Most of the Americans possess guns and rarely anyone amongst them indulges in such practices. If the violent prone person would not have a gun, he can use a knife or any other weapon.&nbsp;

No evidence of widespread racial conflict :

Now, the case of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed his knee into his neck has caused widespread anger across the country. Obviously, the police officer should be punished severely.

Even while President Trump has condemned the incident, protestors burned businesses in Minneapolis. &nbsp;They smashed police cars and windows in Atlanta, broke into police headquarters in Portland and chanted curses at Donald Trump outside the White House.

This sad incident should not be misinterpreted as a result of racial conflict. 
 
While some protestors turned violent, there have been a number of other protestors who conducted themselves peacefully and with dignity, holding placards and demanding justice for George Floyd. Of these protestors, many of them are white, brown or black Americans.

Certainly, there is no racial conflict issue involved in the George Floyd murder but only the stupidity of a violent prone police officer was seen.

A tolerant country :

George Floyd incident has created an impression all over the world that the US&nbsp;is a country under the boil. This certainly is not so.

There are many civilized and sane voices in the US, who rarely get adequate coverage in the media and their civilized thoughts are not adequately publicised for the benefit of the country.

Today, one cannot but deny the fact that the US&nbsp;is the most tolerant country in the world. People from countries with various background seek migration to the US&nbsp;and think that they would be privileged to get US citizenship. This is mainly due to their confidence that they would get a fair deal in the US&nbsp;and the law would protect their interests.

Today, the US&nbsp;is essentially described as a migrant country with people visiting the US as students, job seekers or immigrants and most of them seeking to stay in the US&nbsp;life long by getting citizenship.

Any attempt to describe the US&nbsp;as a country under boil after the George Floyd issue is a mischievous and motivated attempt to discredit the US.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) .

Any incident in the US, particularly adverse incident, whether big or small, gets world-wide publicity almost instantaneously. This is mainly due to the fact that the US is recognised as a rich country with superpower status and known for significant advancement in a variety of fields.

Any incident in the US, particularly adverse incident, whether big or small, gets world-wide publicity almost instantaneously. This is mainly due to the fact that the US is recognised as a rich country with superpower status and known for significant advancement in a variety of fields. Such news is followed by debates and discussions in the world media, with some pledged critics stating that such adverse incidents clearly show that the US is a troubled society. Is that really so? Shoot-out incidents In recent years, many shoot-outs have taken place in the US in universities, malls and other public places, when a number of innocent lives have been lost. Shoot-outs have been carried out by individuals for one reason or other and even due to psychic problems. It is generally said that the liberal gun policy and the prevailing gun culture in the US is the primary reason for such shoot outs and violence. Most of the Americans possess guns and rarely anyone amongst them indulges in such practices. If the violent prone person would not have a gun, he can use a knife or any other weapon. No evidence of widespread racial conflict : Now, the case of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed his knee into his neck has caused widespread anger across the country. Obviously, the police officer should be punished severely. Even while President Trump has condemned the incident, protestors burned businesses in Minneapolis. They smashed police cars and windows in Atlanta, broke into police headquarters in Portland and chanted curses at Donald Trump outside the White House. This sad incident should not be misinterpreted as a result of racial conflict. While some protestors turned violent, there have been a number of other protestors who conducted themselves peacefully and with dignity, holding placards and demanding justice for George Floyd. Of these protestors, many of them are white, brown or black Americans. Certainly, there is no racial conflict issue involved in the George Floyd murder but only the stupidity of a violent prone police officer was seen. A tolerant country : George Floyd incident has created an impression all over the world that the US is a country under the boil. This certainly is not so. There are many civilized and sane voices in the US, who rarely get adequate coverage in the media and their civilized thoughts are not adequately publicised for the benefit of the country. Today, one cannot but deny the fact that the US is the most tolerant country in the world. People from countries with various background seek migration to the US and think that they would be privileged to get US citizenship. This is mainly due to their confidence that they would get a fair deal in the US and the law would protect their interests. Today, the US is essentially described as a migrant country with people visiting the US as students, job seekers or immigrants and most of them seeking to stay in the US life long by getting citizenship. Any attempt to describe the US as a country under boil after the George Floyd issue is a mischievous and motivated attempt to discredit the US. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) .

Does recent violence in US indicate a basic flaw in American society?

"The birds don't care what colour you are," says the man who recently made it to the headlines by being an object of racism for a white woman.

The only similarity between the two was their surname -- Cooper, and the biggest difference... Well, the colour. At least according to the woman, who paid a hefty price of the racist remark she greeted Mr Cooper with.

The black man, an avid birder, asked the white woman to leash her dog in New York's Central Park, as the rules required. She refused.

The encounter then took an ugly turn, and was recorded on video.

The man, Christian Cooper, filmed on his phone, the woman, Amy Cooper, clutching her thrashing dog, and calling the police, with her voice rising in hysteria.

“I’m going to tell them there’s an African-American man threatening my life,” she said to him while dialling, then repeated to the operator, twice, “African-American.”

On Tuesday, the video went viral on Twitter and garnered over 40 million views, setting off a painful discourse about the history of dangerous false accusations against black people made to police.

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Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash. <a href="https://t.co/3YnzuATsDm">pic.twitter.com/3YnzuATsDm</a>
— Melody Cooper (@melodyMcooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/melodyMcooper/status/1264965252866641920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The video sparked an outrage, leading the lady in question to lose her job.

Ms Cooper then surrendered her pet dog and publically apologised to the black man.

The man in question, however, now says he did not envision such a consequence.

"Any of us can make — not necessarily a racist mistake, but a mistake. And to get that kind of tidal wave in such a compressed period of time, it’s got to hurt. It’s got to hurt," Mr Cooper told New York Times.

“I’m not excusing the racism,” he added.&nbsp;

“But I don’t know if her life needed to be torn apart.”

“She went racial. There are certain dark societal impulses that she, as a white woman facing in a conflict with a black man, that she thought she could marshal to her advantage,” he said.

“I don’t know if it was a conscious thing or not,” he added. “But she did it, and she went there.”

“If we are going to make progress, we’ve got to address these things, and if this painful process is going to help us address this -- there’s the yellow warbler!”

“If this painful process helps to correct, or takes us a step further toward addressing the underlying racial, horrible assumptions that we African-Americans have to deal with, and have dealt with for centuries, that this woman tapped into, then it’s worth it,” he said, setting his binoculars down on his chest.

“Sadly, it has to come at her expense,” he added.

On Tuesday, Ms Cooper was fired by her employer, Franklin Templeton, where she had been a head of insurance portfolio management, according to her LinkedIn page.

In her public apoloy, Ms Cooper said she had misread his intent.

“I reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions when, in fact, I was the one who was acting inappropriately by not having my dog on a leash,” she said.

On Wednesday, New York City’s Commission on Human Rights began an investigation into Ms Cooper’s actions.

"The birds don't care what colour you are," says the man who recently made it to the headlines by being an object of racism for a white woman. The only similarity between the two was their surname -- Cooper, and the biggest difference.

"The birds don't care what colour you are," says the man who recently made it to the headlines by being an object of racism for a white woman. The only similarity between the two was their surname -- Cooper, and the biggest difference... Well, the colour. At least according to the woman, who paid a hefty price of the racist remark she greeted Mr Cooper with. The black man, an avid birder, asked the white woman to leash her dog in New York's Central Park, as the rules required. She refused. The encounter then took an ugly turn, and was recorded on video. The man, Christian Cooper, filmed on his phone, the woman, Amy Cooper, clutching her thrashing dog, and calling the police, with her voice rising in hysteria. “I’m going to tell them there’s an African-American man threatening my life,” she said to him while dialling, then repeated to the operator, twice, “African-American.” On Tuesday, the video went viral on Twitter and garnered over 40 million views, setting off a painful discourse about the history of dangerous false accusations against black people made to police. Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash. pic.twitter.com/3YnzuATsDm — Melody Cooper (@melodyMcooper) May 25, 2020 × The video sparked an outrage, leading the lady in question to lose her job. Ms Cooper then surrendered her pet dog and publically apologised to the black man. The man in question, however, now says he did not envision such a consequence. "Any of us can make — not necessarily a racist mistake, but a mistake. And to get that kind of tidal wave in such a compressed period of time, it’s got to hurt. It’s got to hurt," Mr Cooper told New York Times. “I’m not excusing the racism,” he added. “But I don’t know if her life needed to be torn apart.” “She went racial. There are certain dark societal impulses that she, as a white woman facing in a conflict with a black man, that she thought she could marshal to her advantage,” he said. “I don’t know if it was a conscious thing or not,” he added. “But she did it, and she went there.” “If we are going to make progress, we’ve got to address these things, and if this painful process is going to help us address this -- there’s the yellow warbler!” “If this painful process helps to correct, or takes us a step further toward addressing the underlying racial, horrible assumptions that we African-Americans have to deal with, and have dealt with for centuries, that this woman tapped into, then it’s worth it,” he said, setting his binoculars down on his chest. “Sadly, it has to come at her expense,” he added. On Tuesday, Ms Cooper was fired by her employer, Franklin Templeton, where she had been a head of insurance portfolio management, according to her LinkedIn page. In her public apoloy, Ms Cooper said she had misread his intent. “I reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions when, in fact, I was the one who was acting inappropriately by not having my dog on a leash,” she said. On Wednesday, New York City’s Commission on Human Rights began an investigation into Ms Cooper’s actions.

'Don’t know if her life needed to be torn apart': What Mr Cooper thinks of his now-famous racist encounter with a white lady

LeBron James has become the latest high-profile athlete who took to social media to react on the death of an unarmed black man who had his face down as a white officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.&nbsp;

On Monday, a black guy named George Floyd was handcuffed by police officers in Minneapolis and while doing it one of the officers placed his knee over the man's neck. George kept on saying, "Please, I can’t breathe, please, man.” But the officer stayed which resulted in George getting choked to death. After that incident, four Minneapolis officers were fired.&nbsp;

The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player made a series of posts on Instagram lashing out on the officers for their racist act. He posted a photo of Colin Kaepernick, former NFL quarterback who kneeled during US national anthem in the game to protest against racial discrimination.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CAsswn-gbwe/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">STILL!!!! 🤬😢😤</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kingjames/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> LeBron James</a> (@kingjames) on <time datetime="2020-05-27T16:43:10+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">May 27, 2020 at 9:43am PDT</time>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CAq3fpCgyve/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Do you understand NOW!!??!!?? Or is it still blurred to you?? 🤦🏾‍♂️ #StayWoke👁</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kingjames/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> LeBron James</a> (@kingjames) on <time datetime="2020-05-26T23:38:29+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">May 26, 2020 at 4:38pm PDT</time>
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The Los Angeles Lakers captioned it: &nbsp;“Do you understand NOW!!??!!?? Or is it still blurred to you?? #StayWoke”.

Many sports personalities including Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, a two-time Women’s National Basketball Association champion tweeted: “If anybody that follows me is not outraged about these senseless attacks on BLACK MEN, please stop following me! If your spirit is not disturbed, please stop following me!”

“This inflicted Pain but it will never inflict FEAR… sorry, were not made like that! #BlackMenMatter,” she added.

LeBron James has become the latest high-profile athlete who took to social media to react on the death of an unarmed black man who had his face down as a white officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.

LeBron James has become the latest high-profile athlete who took to social media to react on the death of an unarmed black man who had his face down as a white officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. On Monday, a black guy named George Floyd was handcuffed by police officers in Minneapolis and while doing it one of the officers placed his knee over the man's neck. George kept on saying, "Please, I can’t breathe, please, man.” But the officer stayed which resulted in George getting choked to death. After that incident, four Minneapolis officers were fired. The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player made a series of posts on Instagram lashing out on the officers for their racist act. He posted a photo of Colin Kaepernick, former NFL quarterback who kneeled during US national anthem in the game to protest against racial discrimination. View this post on Instagram STILL!!!! 🤬😢😤 A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on May 27, 2020 at 9:43am PDT × View this post on Instagram Do you understand NOW!!??!!?? Or is it still blurred to you?? 🤦🏾‍♂️ #StayWoke👁 A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on May 26, 2020 at 4:38pm PDT × The Los Angeles Lakers captioned it: “Do you understand NOW!!??!!?? Or is it still blurred to you?? #StayWoke”. Many sports personalities including Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, a two-time Women’s National Basketball Association champion tweeted: “If anybody that follows me is not outraged about these senseless attacks on BLACK MEN, please stop following me! If your spirit is not disturbed, please stop following me!” “This inflicted Pain but it will never inflict FEAR… sorry, were not made like that! #BlackMenMatter,” she added.

'Stay Woke', LeBron James expresses his sorrow after Minneapolis incident

Sports personalities have been a constant victim of racism. Players have been a target based on caste, colour or religion. During a live video chat with Virat Kohli, Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri fell victim to some racial slurs passed by online users.&nbsp;

Indian cricket skipper Virat Kohli and Sunil Chhetri have been good friends and have spoken highly of each other and during Sunday's Instagram live chats few people questioned Chhetri's ethnicity based on his looks. An Instagram user 'yasharma.official' commented "Ye Nepali kon hai (Who is this Nepali)."

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India is one of the most racist country. 
The Indian football captain is called Nepali can only imagine the plight of North East people here. People not knowing Chhetri is still fine. But society has sort of normalised chinki, Nepali etc towards them. 
It's shameful. <a href="https://t.co/m8v14kOrTu">pic.twitter.com/m8v14kOrTu</a>
— Abhinav kaka (@kabhinav08) <a href="https://twitter.com/kabhinav08/status/1262283048449716224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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This comment was highlighted by other netizens and condemned such kind of racism. On of the users on Twitter said: "The Indian football captain is called Nepali can only imagine the plight of North East people here. People not knowing Chhetri is still fine. But society has sort of normalised chinki, Nepali etc towards them. It's shameful."

The Indian captain has been subject to racism before also, and during an interview with Quint he called such people "ignorant". He said: "The people who are doing it, and who understand the difference, are just ignorant. It's just not right. You shouldn't do it."

"Let's suppose you are working in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam or Sikkim, and people hound you or bully you or trouble you. How will you feel?", he had further said.&nbsp;

Sports personalities have been a constant victim of racism. Players have been a target based on caste, colour or religion. During a live video chat with Virat Kohli, Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri fell victim to some racial slurs passed by online users.

Sports personalities have been a constant victim of racism. Players have been a target based on caste, colour or religion. During a live video chat with Virat Kohli, Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri fell victim to some racial slurs passed by online users. Indian cricket skipper Virat Kohli and Sunil Chhetri have been good friends and have spoken highly of each other and during Sunday's Instagram live chats few people questioned Chhetri's ethnicity based on his looks. An Instagram user 'yasharma.official' commented "Ye Nepali kon hai (Who is this Nepali)." India is one of the most racist country. The Indian football captain is called Nepali can only imagine the plight of North East people here. People not knowing Chhetri is still fine. But society has sort of normalised chinki, Nepali etc towards them. It's shameful. pic.twitter.com/m8v14kOrTu — Abhinav kaka (@kabhinav08) May 18, 2020 × This comment was highlighted by other netizens and condemned such kind of racism. On of the users on Twitter said: "The Indian football captain is called Nepali can only imagine the plight of North East people here. People not knowing Chhetri is still fine. But society has sort of normalised chinki, Nepali etc towards them. It's shameful." The Indian captain has been subject to racism before also, and during an interview with Quint he called such people "ignorant". He said: "The people who are doing it, and who understand the difference, are just ignorant. It's just not right. You shouldn't do it." "Let's suppose you are working in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam or Sikkim, and people hound you or bully you or trouble you. How will you feel?", he had further said.

Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri hit by racist slur during Instagram live chat

NASCAR team Chip Ganassi Racing has fired it's driver Kyle Larson who used passed a racial slur during the virtual racing event on Sunday. The driver used the n-word during the event.&nbsp;

The race team took to Twitter to announce the news, it read: "After much consideration, Chip Ganassi Racing has determined that it will end its relationship with driver Kyle Larson," the statement reads. "As we said before, the comments that Kyle made were both offensive and unacceptable especially given the values of our organization."

Larson was being live-streamed during the iRacing tournament which was being held on a gaming platform called the Twitch, he lost his communication for a while where he said: "I can't see it. You can't hear me? Hey n****r." This slur was recorded.&nbsp;

This decision to terminate him comes a day after the racing team said it would suspend him without pay.

Chip Ganassi Racing gave a statement on Tuesday, which read: "As we continue to evaluate the situation with all the relevant parties, it became obvious that this was the only appropriate course of action to take. NASCAR has made diversity and inclusion a priority and will not tolerate the type of language used by Kyle Larson during Sunday's iRacing event. Our Member Conduct Guidelines are clear in this regard, and we will enforce these guidelines to maintain an inclusive environment for our entire industry and fan base."

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Statement regarding Kyle Larson: <a href="https://t.co/5Q06Dhst8V">pic.twitter.com/5Q06Dhst8V</a>
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Larson posted a video message on Twitter in which he was "very sorry" for his actions.

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NASCAR team Chip Ganassi Racing has fired it's driver Kyle Larson who used passed a racial slur during the virtual racing event on Sunday. The driver used the n-word during the event.

NASCAR team Chip Ganassi Racing has fired it's driver Kyle Larson who used passed a racial slur during the virtual racing event on Sunday. The driver used the n-word during the event. The race team took to Twitter to announce the news, it read: "After much consideration, Chip Ganassi Racing has determined that it will end its relationship with driver Kyle Larson," the statement reads. "As we said before, the comments that Kyle made were both offensive and unacceptable especially given the values of our organization." Larson was being live-streamed during the iRacing tournament which was being held on a gaming platform called the Twitch, he lost his communication for a while where he said: "I can't see it. You can't hear me? Hey n****r." This slur was recorded. This decision to terminate him comes a day after the racing team said it would suspend him without pay. Chip Ganassi Racing gave a statement on Tuesday, which read: "As we continue to evaluate the situation with all the relevant parties, it became obvious that this was the only appropriate course of action to take. NASCAR has made diversity and inclusion a priority and will not tolerate the type of language used by Kyle Larson during Sunday's iRacing event. Our Member Conduct Guidelines are clear in this regard, and we will enforce these guidelines to maintain an inclusive environment for our entire industry and fan base." Statement regarding Kyle Larson: pic.twitter.com/5Q06Dhst8V — Chip Ganassi Racing (@CGRTeams) April 14, 2020 × Larson posted a video message on Twitter in which he was "very sorry" for his actions. pic.twitter.com/RPsp7ARIea — Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) April 13, 2020 ×

NASCAR driver Kyle Larson fired by his team after racial slur during virtual event

Foreigners are being targeted in China amid the fears surrounding the Wuhan Coronavirus. A comic has gone to the extent of labeling foreigners as 'trash'. WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report on the rising xenophobia.

Gravitas: Coronavirus outbreak triggers racist attacks in China

Chelsea's defender Antonio Rudiger says "racism has won" after the London police said that they did not find any evidence to back the German footballer's claim.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fc-porto-striker-moussa-marega-leaves-ground-after-racist-chants-281359"> FC Porto striker Moussa Marega leaves ground after racist chants</a>

Rudiger reported that he was racially abused during the match with Tottenham on December 22, but an investigation conducted by Spurs proved "inconclusive" and police could find no evidence to support the complaint.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-chelseas-antonio-rudiger-wants-swift-action-against-alleged-racist-abusers-269639">Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger wants swift action on racist taunt during Tottenham match</a>

The 26-year-old told german-based sports broadcaster:&nbsp; "Racism has won. They want to make us believe, 'You have no voice'. That's how I see it. Then also thanks to the media, who naturally pushed it that way, nobody was found and such things, the case is closed...and that's why you get booed in the end because you raise your voice. So I say: racism has won."

"They never get punished and in the end, I'm the scapegoat. I won't give up, I'll never stop raising my voice. I'll always raise my voice, but concerning this, I'm alone," he added.

Antonio Rudiger, though he was disheartened but has vowed to continue his fight against the racist chants and will not be silenced and has pledged to make his voice heard.

"It is a catastrophe. One day my child will highly probably suffer because of the way we are today," Rudiger said.

&nbsp;

Chelsea's defender Antonio Rudiger says "racism has won" after the London police said that they did not find any evidence to back the German footballer's claim. Also read: FC Porto striker Moussa Marega leaves ground after racist chants Rudiger reported that he was racially abused during the match with Tottenham on December 22, but an investigation conducted by Spurs proved "inconclusive" and police could find no evidence to support the complaint.

Chelsea's defender Antonio Rudiger says "racism has won" after the London police said that they did not find any evidence to back the German footballer's claim. Also read: FC Porto striker Moussa Marega leaves ground after racist chants Rudiger reported that he was racially abused during the match with Tottenham on December 22, but an investigation conducted by Spurs proved "inconclusive" and police could find no evidence to support the complaint. Also read: Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger wants swift action on racist taunt during Tottenham match The 26-year-old told german-based sports broadcaster: "Racism has won. They want to make us believe, 'You have no voice'. That's how I see it. Then also thanks to the media, who naturally pushed it that way, nobody was found and such things, the case is closed...and that's why you get booed in the end because you raise your voice. So I say: racism has won." "They never get punished and in the end, I'm the scapegoat. I won't give up, I'll never stop raising my voice. I'll always raise my voice, but concerning this, I'm alone," he added. Antonio Rudiger, though he was disheartened but has vowed to continue his fight against the racist chants and will not be silenced and has pledged to make his voice heard. "It is a catastrophe. One day my child will highly probably suffer because of the way we are today," Rudiger said.

Antonio Rudiger says 'Racism won' as London police fail to find evidence

A suspected far-right extremist has killed at least nine people in attacks on two shisha bars in a city in western Germany. Federal prosecutors are treating the case as terrorism.

Fineprint: Man goes on a shooting spree in Germany, Found dead, Motive still unknown

A suspected far-right extremist has killed at least nine people in attacks on two shisha bars in a city in western Germany.Federal prosecutors are treating the case as terrorism.

Wion Dispatch: German Shooter kills 9 people and found dead

Porto forward Moussa Marega walked off the pitch after racist chants by the opposition fans during the match against Vitoria de Guimaraes on Sunday.

Also read-&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/serie-a-lazio-fined-after-fans-racially-insult-balotelli-273162">Serie A: Lazio fined after fans racially insult Balotelli</a>

Marega left the pitch despite scoring the match-winning goal. FC Porto's players tried to console the Malian player, but the 28-year-old pushed his teammates aside to leave the ground.

Moussa Marega was playing against his former club as he played on loan for Vitoria during the 2016-2017 season. After his goal in the 60th minute, a section of the crowd threw objects at the player. According to reports, monkey chants were heard in the stadium.

"I felt like shit, it was a huge embarrassment for me, it affected me," Marega said.

"It started during the warm-up, but during the warm-up, it was just three people.

"Three people shouting monkey chants and racist insults I think it happens to everyone in the world of football.

"When it's just three people you don't care. When it's a whole stadium, it's impossible to stay on the pitch."

In the 69th minute, Moussa looked distressed and he was substituted after he walked off the field.

While walking out the Porto striker showed middle fingers to the section of the crowd as he was being booed off the ground.

"With all the insults I received, with the monkey chants targeted at me, I couldn't stay on the pitch," Marega told French radio station RMC.

"You can't stay like that and keep playing a match when people mock your skin colour."

Portuguese police are said to be looking into the matter, they said is taking the necessary steps to identify the suspects who committed the criminal offences and administrative offences.

Porto forward Moussa Marega walked off the pitch after racist chants by the opposition fans during the match against Vitoria de Guimaraes on Sunday. Also read- Serie A: Lazio fined after fans racially insult Balotelli Marega left the pitch despite scoring the match-winning goal.

Porto forward Moussa Marega walked off the pitch after racist chants by the opposition fans during the match against Vitoria de Guimaraes on Sunday. Also read- Serie A: Lazio fined after fans racially insult Balotelli Marega left the pitch despite scoring the match-winning goal. FC Porto's players tried to console the Malian player, but the 28-year-old pushed his teammates aside to leave the ground. Moussa Marega was playing against his former club as he played on loan for Vitoria during the 2016-2017 season. After his goal in the 60th minute, a section of the crowd threw objects at the player. According to reports, monkey chants were heard in the stadium. "I felt like shit, it was a huge embarrassment for me, it affected me," Marega said. "It started during the warm-up, but during the warm-up, it was just three people. "Three people shouting monkey chants and racist insults I think it happens to everyone in the world of football. "When it's just three people you don't care. When it's a whole stadium, it's impossible to stay on the pitch." In the 69th minute, Moussa looked distressed and he was substituted after he walked off the field. While walking out the Porto striker showed middle fingers to the section of the crowd as he was being booed off the ground. "With all the insults I received, with the monkey chants targeted at me, I couldn't stay on the pitch," Marega told French radio station RMC. "You can't stay like that and keep playing a match when people mock your skin colour." Portuguese police are said to be looking into the matter, they said is taking the necessary steps to identify the suspects who committed the criminal offences and administrative offences.

FC Porto striker Moussa Marega leaves ground after racist chants

The Church of England&nbsp;has announced plans to ''apologise'' for the racism that was faced by minorities, namely African, and Asians.

In a recent statement, the Church said that their legislative body ''The General Synod'' voted in favour of formally apologising for the injustices faced by racial minorities in the last 70 years.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pope-opens-synod-urges-conservatives-to-be-open-to-changes-in-church-254327/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the church's senior-most bishop asserted that ''no doubt'' over the ''deeply institutionally racist'' nature of the church, CNN reported. 
 
Reverend Andrew Moughtin-Mumby had introduced the motion regarding the apology to the synod. It was as a response to him that Welby made these comments. 
 
"We did not do justice in the past, we do not do justice now, and unless we are radical and decisive in this area in the future, we will still be having this conversation in 20 years time and still doing injustice," he said. 
 
Moughtin-Mumby alluded to the family of Doreen Browne. In 1961, they were prohibited from entering the St Peter's Church in Walworth owing to the colour of their skin.

<h6><img alt="pppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01896a26-0bd5-467e-bd8a-1ffc285759e3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_71.jpg" /> 
Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal Welby, gestures as he delivers a speech during his visit at a church in Amritsar&nbsp;on September 10, 2019 | AFP</h6>

&nbsp;

"Doreen's family suffered horrible, humiliating racism which still affects Doreen's relationship with the Church even today," Moughtin-Mumby had asserted.

Referring to it ''as a scandal of our own'', he added that the family was later able to find a church, but that many like them didn't, pushing them away from the Church itself.

It's imperative to note here that Church was specifically talking about the ''Windrush generation'', who were a group of Caribbean migrants that came to the UK after the culmination of World War II.

The government of Britain had called on them to help rebuild their country, which led to an influx of migrants into the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trending-bishops-church%20of%20england-church-apologises-after-saying-sex-should-be-for-married-heterosexual-couples-only-277683">Church apologises after saying 'sex should be for married heterosexual couples only'</a>

However, with the global political discourse following suit of geographical protectionism against immigrants, the group has recently been put under scrutiny.

Earlier, the citizens of any Commonwealth country could work and live in the UK legally. But the immigrants now face tougher laws that demand concrete proof of their citizenship, which is difficult for the ''Windrush generation''.

This is not the first official British apology to the immigrant group, for the government had earlier apologised for their ill-treatment.

The Church of England has announced plans to ''apologise'' for the racism that was faced by minorities, namely African, and Asians. In a recent statement, the Church said that their legislative body ''The General Synod'' voted in favour of formally apologising for the injustices faced by racial minorities in the last 70 years.

The Church of England has announced plans to ''apologise'' for the racism that was faced by minorities, namely African, and Asians. In a recent statement, the Church said that their legislative body ''The General Synod'' voted in favour of formally apologising for the injustices faced by racial minorities in the last 70 years. Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the church's senior-most bishop asserted that ''no doubt'' over the ''deeply institutionally racist'' nature of the church, CNN reported. Reverend Andrew Moughtin-Mumby had introduced the motion regarding the apology to the synod. It was as a response to him that Welby made these comments. "We did not do justice in the past, we do not do justice now, and unless we are radical and decisive in this area in the future, we will still be having this conversation in 20 years time and still doing injustice," he said. Moughtin-Mumby alluded to the family of Doreen Browne. In 1961, they were prohibited from entering the St Peter's Church in Walworth owing to the colour of their skin. Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal Welby, gestures as he delivers a speech during his visit at a church in Amritsar on September 10, 2019 | AFP "Doreen's family suffered horrible, humiliating racism which still affects Doreen's relationship with the Church even today," Moughtin-Mumby had asserted. Referring to it ''as a scandal of our own'', he added that the family was later able to find a church, but that many like them didn't, pushing them away from the Church itself. It's imperative to note here that Church was specifically talking about the ''Windrush generation'', who were a group of Caribbean migrants that came to the UK after the culmination of World War II. The government of Britain had called on them to help rebuild their country, which led to an influx of migrants into the country. Also read: Church apologises after saying 'sex should be for married heterosexual couples only' However, with the global political discourse following suit of geographical protectionism against immigrants, the group has recently been put under scrutiny. Earlier, the citizens of any Commonwealth country could work and live in the UK legally. But the immigrants now face tougher laws that demand concrete proof of their citizenship, which is difficult for the ''Windrush generation''. This is not the first official British apology to the immigrant group, for the government had earlier apologised for their ill-treatment.

'Scandal of our own': Church of England to apologise over 'institutionalised racism'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-gives-fifa-commitment-on-womens-access-to-matches-report-269399">FIFA</a> has&nbsp;banned Bahrain defender Sayed&nbsp;Baqer&nbsp;for&nbsp;10&nbsp;matches for 'discriminatory behaviour' in a World Cup qualifier against Hong Kong, soccer's world governing body has said.

Baqer, 25, was captured on video making a slant-eyed&nbsp;gesture&nbsp;in the direction of Hong Kong supporters after a goalless draw in the city on November&nbsp;14.

FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against&nbsp;Baqer&nbsp;last month and announced that the player had also been fined 30,000 Swiss francs ($30,549.90) and warned over his conduct.

The suspension follows the governing body's July announcement that it had doubled the minimum&nbsp;ban&nbsp;for&nbsp;racist&nbsp;behaviour to&nbsp;10&nbsp;games.

A number of high-profile&nbsp;racist&nbsp;incidents have marred the&nbsp;game&nbsp;this season.

The most recent involved the arrest of a Chelsea fan for allegedly racially abusing Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mourinho-confirms-tottenham-appeal-against-wrong-red-for-son-269877">Son Heung-min</a> in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-chelseas-frank-lampard-savours-win-over-old-mentor-jose-mourinho-269624">Premier League</a> match in London on Sunday.

Chelsea defender <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Yes%C2%A0Bank">Antonio Rudiger</a> also alleged he was racially abused in the same&nbsp;game, prompting the Professional Footballers' Association to call for a government inquiry into the proliferation of&nbsp;racist&nbsp;incidents in English soccer.

Italy has also been front and centre this season with Inter Milan's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/were-going-backwards-says-romelu-lukaku-after-racist-abuse-at-cagliari-247197">Romelu Lukaku</a> and Brescia's Mario Balotelli being targeted by rival fans during Serie A matches.

In a separate ruling, FIFA ordered Indonesia to play one match behind closed doors without fans and fined the country's soccer association 200,000 Swiss francs over security failings during a World Cup qualifier with Malaysia last month.

Malaysia were fined 50,000 Swiss francs for the behaviour of their fans.

Sierra Leone have also been told to play one&nbsp;game&nbsp;behind closed doors and were fined 50,000 Swiss francs for a lack of order during a qualifier against Liberia in September.

FIFA has banned Bahrain defender Sayed Baqer for 10 matches for 'discriminatory behaviour' in a World Cup qualifier against Hong Kong, soccer's world governing body has said.

FIFA has banned Bahrain defender Sayed Baqer for 10 matches for 'discriminatory behaviour' in a World Cup qualifier against Hong Kong, soccer's world governing body has said. Baqer, 25, was captured on video making a slant-eyed gesture in the direction of Hong Kong supporters after a goalless draw in the city on November 14. FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Baqer last month and announced that the player had also been fined 30,000 Swiss francs ($30,549.90) and warned over his conduct. The suspension follows the governing body's July announcement that it had doubled the minimum ban for racist behaviour to 10 games. A number of high-profile racist incidents have marred the game this season. The most recent involved the arrest of a Chelsea fan for allegedly racially abusing Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung-min in a Premier League match in London on Sunday. Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger also alleged he was racially abused in the same game, prompting the Professional Footballers' Association to call for a government inquiry into the proliferation of racist incidents in English soccer. Italy has also been front and centre this season with Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku and Brescia's Mario Balotelli being targeted by rival fans during Serie A matches. In a separate ruling, FIFA ordered Indonesia to play one match behind closed doors without fans and fined the country's soccer association 200,000 Swiss francs over security failings during a World Cup qualifier with Malaysia last month. Malaysia were fined 50,000 Swiss francs for the behaviour of their fans. Sierra Leone have also been told to play one game behind closed doors and were fined 50,000 Swiss francs for a lack of order during a qualifier against Liberia in September.

Football: Bahrain's Baqer gets 10-game ban for racist gesture

England pacer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../englands-jofra-archer-rewarded-with-contracts- after-impressive-debut-season-250828">Jofra Archer</a> said that it was disturbing to hear racial comments by a man in the crowd during batting on day five of the first Test against New Zealand at Bay Oval here on Monday.

"A bit disturbing hearing racial insults today whilst battling to help save my team, the crowd was been amazing this week except for that one guy, @TheBarmyArmy was good as usual also," Archer tweeted.

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A bit disturbing hearing racial insults today whilst battling to help save my team , the crowd was been amazing this week except for that one guy , <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBarmyArmy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheBarmyArmy</a> was good as usual also
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) <a href="https://twitter.com/JofraArcher/status/1198870354980040714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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England suffered a massive defeat at the hands of hosts by an innings and 65 runs earlier in the day.

England resumed their innings from 55/3 on the last day of the first Test and were bowled out on 197. Denly and Root added 14-run brief partnership for the fourth wicket. Root (11) became the first scalp of the day and was caught by Tom Latham at gully off Colin de Grandhomme, reducing England for 69/4.

Ben Stokes along with Denly provided a 52-run partnership to get past the 100-run mark. Stokes, after playing a knock of 28 runs was bowled by Tim Southee.

England were in trouble as they lost Denly (35), Ollie Pope (6) and Jos Buttler (0) in quick succession.

Sam Curran and Jofra Archer built a stand of 59 runs for the ninth wicket but could not deny their side's defeat. Archer (30) was scalped by Neil Wagner, taking New Zealand close to victory in the 97th over. On the next delivery of the same over, Wagner put the final nail in the coffin and dismissed Stuart Board on a golden duck.

For New Zealand, Wagner bagged five wickets while Mitchell Santner clinched three wickets.

The two teams will now face each other in the second Test at Hamilton from November 29 to December 3.

England pacer Jofra Archer said that it was disturbing to hear racial comments by a man in the crowd during batting on day five of the first Test against New Zealand at Bay Oval here on Monday.

England pacer Jofra Archer said that it was disturbing to hear racial comments by a man in the crowd during batting on day five of the first Test against New Zealand at Bay Oval here on Monday. "A bit disturbing hearing racial insults today whilst battling to help save my team, the crowd was been amazing this week except for that one guy, @TheBarmyArmy was good as usual also," Archer tweeted. A bit disturbing hearing racial insults today whilst battling to help save my team , the crowd was been amazing this week except for that one guy , @TheBarmyArmy was good as usual also — Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) November 25, 2019 × England suffered a massive defeat at the hands of hosts by an innings and 65 runs earlier in the day. England resumed their innings from 55/3 on the last day of the first Test and were bowled out on 197. Denly and Root added 14-run brief partnership for the fourth wicket. Root (11) became the first scalp of the day and was caught by Tom Latham at gully off Colin de Grandhomme, reducing England for 69/4. Ben Stokes along with Denly provided a 52-run partnership to get past the 100-run mark. Stokes, after playing a knock of 28 runs was bowled by Tim Southee. England were in trouble as they lost Denly (35), Ollie Pope (6) and Jos Buttler (0) in quick succession. Sam Curran and Jofra Archer built a stand of 59 runs for the ninth wicket but could not deny their side's defeat. Archer (30) was scalped by Neil Wagner, taking New Zealand close to victory in the 97th over. On the next delivery of the same over, Wagner put the final nail in the coffin and dismissed Stuart Board on a golden duck. For New Zealand, Wagner bagged five wickets while Mitchell Santner clinched three wickets. The two teams will now face each other in the second Test at Hamilton from November 29 to December 3.

A bit disturbing hearing racial insults: England pacer Jofra Archer

Exposing Ilhan Omar's Double Standards On Human Rights & Racism.

Gravitas: Exposing Ilhan Omar's whataboutery on Armenian genocide

Bulgarian police said on Wednesday they had detained six people in connection with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/euro-2020-qualifier-anti-racism-body-says-england-game-should-have-been-abandoned-256082">racist abuse faced by England's black players</a> during a Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia with more arrests likely.

England thrashed Bulgaria 6-0 on Monday to hand the hosts their heaviest ever home defeat but the match was marred by a section of home supporters taunting the visiting players with Nazi salutes and monkey chants.

"Six people were detained so far and we're searching for three more as we have collected evidence about their involvement in the incidents" Senior Commissioner Georgi Hadzhiev, director of the Sofia police department, said.

Hadzhiev added that the operation was still underway and they were trying to identify more suspects.

The match on Monday at the Vasil Levski stadium was temporarily halted by the Croatian&nbsp;referee under a three-step protocol devised by European soccer governing body UEFA.

UEFA said it had opened disciplinary proceedings against Bulgaria on a number of charges including racist behaviour and the throwing of objects.

Bulgarian police said on Wednesday they had detained six people in connection with the racist abuse faced by England's black players during a Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia with more arrests likely.

Bulgarian police said on Wednesday they had detained six people in connection with the racist abuse faced by England's black players during a Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia with more arrests likely. England thrashed Bulgaria 6-0 on Monday to hand the hosts their heaviest ever home defeat but the match was marred by a section of home supporters taunting the visiting players with Nazi salutes and monkey chants. "Six people were detained so far and we're searching for three more as we have collected evidence about their involvement in the incidents" Senior Commissioner Georgi Hadzhiev, director of the Sofia police department, said. Hadzhiev added that the operation was still underway and they were trying to identify more suspects. The match on Monday at the Vasil Levski stadium was temporarily halted by the Croatian referee under a three-step protocol devised by European soccer governing body UEFA. UEFA said it had opened disciplinary proceedings against Bulgaria on a number of charges including racist behaviour and the throwing of objects.

Bulgarian police detain six over racist chants at England game

Montgomery, the capital of the southern US&nbsp;state of Alabama, known as the birthplace of the civil rights movement for its 1950s bus boycotts over segregated seating, has elected the first black mayor in its 200-year history.

Steven Reed, a county probate judge who is black, defeated David Woods, a white businessman who owns a regional television station, unofficial results posted online by the city show, by winning 67 per cent of the vote in a nonpartisan runoff.

Media photographs online showed Reed supporters holding up campaign T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan, "We made history," in the city of about 200,000, about 60 per cent of whom are African American, according to the US&nbsp;Census Bureau.

"This election has never been about me," Mayor-elect Reed said in his victory speech late on Tuesday, according to the Montgomery Advertiser newspaper.

"This election has never been about just my ideas. It's been about all the hopes and dreams we have as individuals and collectively in this city."

Reed's victory came in a city still getting to terms with its past. It was the first capital of the Confederate States of America in 1861.

Last year, the Equal Justice Initiative opened the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in downtown Montgomery to honour victims of lynching in the racially segregated era after the US&nbsp;Civil War.

The city is the site of the Montgomery bus boycott, a year-long civil rights protest that started in 1955, led by black seamstress Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat to a white patron, as the law then required, and was famously jailed.

The US&nbsp;Supreme Court ultimately ordered Montgomery to integrate its bus system, and one of the boycott leaders was the Rev&nbsp;Martin Luther King, Jr, who would emerge as the most prominent leader of the American civil rights movement.

Reed was also the first African-American elected the county's probate judge in 2012, the Advertiser said. In 2015, he was the first probate judge in Alabama to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

Reed is scheduled to be sworn into office on November&nbsp;12 at city hall.

Montgomery, the capital of the southern US state of Alabama, known as the birthplace of the civil rights movement for its 1950s bus boycotts over segregated seating, has elected the first black mayor in its 200-year history.

Montgomery, the capital of the southern US state of Alabama, known as the birthplace of the civil rights movement for its 1950s bus boycotts over segregated seating, has elected the first black mayor in its 200-year history. Steven Reed, a county probate judge who is black, defeated David Woods, a white businessman who owns a regional television station, unofficial results posted online by the city show, by winning 67 per cent of the vote in a nonpartisan runoff. Media photographs online showed Reed supporters holding up campaign T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan, "We made history," in the city of about 200,000, about 60 per cent of whom are African American, according to the US Census Bureau. "This election has never been about me," Mayor-elect Reed said in his victory speech late on Tuesday, according to the Montgomery Advertiser newspaper. "This election has never been about just my ideas. It's been about all the hopes and dreams we have as individuals and collectively in this city." Reed's victory came in a city still getting to terms with its past. It was the first capital of the Confederate States of America in 1861. Last year, the Equal Justice Initiative opened the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in downtown Montgomery to honour victims of lynching in the racially segregated era after the US Civil War. The city is the site of the Montgomery bus boycott, a year-long civil rights protest that started in 1955, led by black seamstress Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat to a white patron, as the law then required, and was famously jailed. The US Supreme Court ultimately ordered Montgomery to integrate its bus system, and one of the boycott leaders was the Rev Martin Luther King, Jr, who would emerge as the most prominent leader of the American civil rights movement. Reed was also the first African-American elected the county's probate judge in 2012, the Advertiser said. In 2015, he was the first probate judge in Alabama to issue same-sex marriage licenses. Reed is scheduled to be sworn into office on November 12 at city hall.

Birthplace of US civil rights movement elects first black mayor

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has come under fire from anti-racism body Kick It Out after a Twitter post concerning team mate Benjamin Mendy that he deleted an hour after posting.

Silva, who scored a hat-trick in Manchester City's 8-0 hammering of Watford on Saturday, posted a message comparing Mendy to the character used in the logo for Conguitos, a brand of confectionary popular in Spain and Portugal.

"We are extremely disappointed to see the tweet posted by Bernardo Silva, which has since been deleted," Kick it Out said in a statement on Monday.

"Racist stereotypes are never acceptable as 'banter', and we're shocked that someone who is a role model to millions has failed to understand the discriminatory nature of his post."

Kick It Out said the FA had been notified and that they believe "retrospective action" should be taken, including "mandatory education".

Silva, who deleted the post an hour after it was published on Sunday, posted another message saying "Can't even joke with a friend these days....you guys."

The two players were teammates at Monaco before joining Manchester City in 2017.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has come under fire from anti-racism body Kick It Out after a Twitter post concerning team mate Benjamin Mendy that he deleted an hour after posting.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has come under fire from anti-racism body Kick It Out after a Twitter post concerning team mate Benjamin Mendy that he deleted an hour after posting. Silva, who scored a hat-trick in Manchester City's 8-0 hammering of Watford on Saturday, posted a message comparing Mendy to the character used in the logo for Conguitos, a brand of confectionary popular in Spain and Portugal. "We are extremely disappointed to see the tweet posted by Bernardo Silva, which has since been deleted," Kick it Out said in a statement on Monday. "Racist stereotypes are never acceptable as 'banter', and we're shocked that someone who is a role model to millions has failed to understand the discriminatory nature of his post." Kick It Out said the FA had been notified and that they believe "retrospective action" should be taken, including "mandatory education". Silva, who deleted the post an hour after it was published on Sunday, posted another message saying "Can't even joke with a friend these days....you guys." The two players were teammates at Monaco before joining Manchester City in 2017.

Bernardo Silva comes under fire from anti-racism charity over Mendy tweet

A veteran Italian pundit has been told he will not be invited back onto one of the country's Sunday night round table programmes after suggesting Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku could only be stopped by giving him bananas to eat.

The remark came two weeks after Belgium striker Lukaku, who has only been playing in Italy for one month, was subjected to monkey chants by supporters at Cagliari when he stepped up to take a penalty against the Sardinian side.

Luciano Passirani was praising Lukaku's qualities when he made the remark during the Qui Studio a Voi Stadio programme on Telelombardia.

"Lukaku is one of the best signings Inter could have made. I don't see another player like him on any other team in Italy, not in Milan, in Juventus, in Roma, in Lazio," he said.

"This guy kills you in one-on-ones, if you go against him, you will fall. Either you have 10 bananas to eat, that you give to him, or..."

The presenter immediately reprimanded Passirani, who said the remark was meant as a joke.

Fabio Ravezzani, the programme director, later announced that, despite being "the first person to apologise", Passirani would not be appearing again.

"Mr Passirani is 80 years old and to compliment Lukaku he used a metaphor that turned out to be racist," he said.

Lukaku said last month that football was going backwards in the fight against racism.

After the Cagliari incident, the Curva Nord group of hardcore Inter fans posted a message on Facebook which claimed the behaviour of Cagliari fans was not racist.

"You have to understand that Italy is not like many other north European countries where racism is a REAL problem. We understand that it could have seemed racist to you, but it is not like that," it said.

Italian football has been blighted by racism incidents over the last decade. In 2013, AC Milan walked off the pitch during a friendly against a lower division side in protest at racist chanting against some of their players.

In 2014, Carlo Tavecchio was elected head of the Italian Football federation (FIGC) weeks after making a comment about a fictitious African player he named Opti Poba "eating bananas."

The FIGC cleared him of wrongdoing but he was barred from holding any position with soccer's world governing body FIFA for six months.

He resigned in 2017 after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia.

A veteran Italian pundit has been told he will not be invited back onto one of the country's Sunday night round table programmes after suggesting Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku could only be stopped by giving him bananas to eat.

A veteran Italian pundit has been told he will not be invited back onto one of the country's Sunday night round table programmes after suggesting Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku could only be stopped by giving him bananas to eat. The remark came two weeks after Belgium striker Lukaku, who has only been playing in Italy for one month, was subjected to monkey chants by supporters at Cagliari when he stepped up to take a penalty against the Sardinian side. Luciano Passirani was praising Lukaku's qualities when he made the remark during the Qui Studio a Voi Stadio programme on Telelombardia. "Lukaku is one of the best signings Inter could have made. I don't see another player like him on any other team in Italy, not in Milan, in Juventus, in Roma, in Lazio," he said. "This guy kills you in one-on-ones, if you go against him, you will fall. Either you have 10 bananas to eat, that you give to him, or..." The presenter immediately reprimanded Passirani, who said the remark was meant as a joke. Fabio Ravezzani, the programme director, later announced that, despite being "the first person to apologise", Passirani would not be appearing again. "Mr Passirani is 80 years old and to compliment Lukaku he used a metaphor that turned out to be racist," he said. Lukaku said last month that football was going backwards in the fight against racism. After the Cagliari incident, the Curva Nord group of hardcore Inter fans posted a message on Facebook which claimed the behaviour of Cagliari fans was not racist. "You have to understand that Italy is not like many other north European countries where racism is a REAL problem. We understand that it could have seemed racist to you, but it is not like that," it said. Italian football has been blighted by racism incidents over the last decade. In 2013, AC Milan walked off the pitch during a friendly against a lower division side in protest at racist chanting against some of their players. In 2014, Carlo Tavecchio was elected head of the Italian Football federation (FIGC) weeks after making a comment about a fictitious African player he named Opti Poba "eating bananas." The FIGC cleared him of wrongdoing but he was barred from holding any position with soccer's world governing body FIFA for six months. He resigned in 2017 after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia.

Italian pundit dropped after Romelu Lukaku banana comment

Paul Pogba says he is ready to fight against racist abuse after the Manchester United star and his team-mate Marcus Rashford were <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-united-fans-will-back-paul-pogba-after-racist-abuse-solskjaer-245487">subjected to social media taunts</a> following their penalty misses.

Pogba was the target of racial slurs on Twitter when his penalty was saved by Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio in Monday's 1-1 draw.

Then United striker Rashford suffered racist abuse online after hitting the post with a penalty in Saturday's shock 2-1 defeat against Crystal Palace.

Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham and Reading's Yakou Meite were also recently targeted by social media trolled and World Cup winner Pogba has had enough.

The 26-year-old insists he will use the jibes as fuel to step up the fight against racists.

"My ancestors and my parents suffered for my generation to be free today, to work, to take the bus, to play football," Pogba wrote on his Instagram account on Sunday.&nbsp;

"Racist insults are ignorance and can only make me stronger and motivate me to fight for the next generation."

During the Palace match at Old Trafford, United fans unveiled a banner reading 'United against racism'.

Rashford had tweeted in support of Pogba after the Wolves games, saying: "Enough now, this needs to stop Twitter. Manchester United is a family. Paul Pogba is a huge part of that family. You attack him you attack us all."

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer condemned both incidents involving his players.

"It's the same we spoke about before the weekend. It's unheard of and we need it to stop, it needs to stop," Solskjaer said.

"I'm just lost for words if it keeps going. We keep having all these campaigns 'No to Racism' and it keeps hiding behind fake identities. It's just crazy that we talk about this in 2019."

Pogba's message was accompanied by a photograph showing him holding his baby alongside portraits of his late father Fassou Antoine and civil rights activist Martin Luther King,

Twitter said on Wednesday that they will meet with United, Kick It Out (anti-discrimination organisation within football) and any other civil society stakeholders to discuss the problem.

Twitter claim to have already permanently suspended a series of accounts as a result of the racist posts.

Anti-discrimination campaigners Kick It Out have also called for action.

"The vile racist abuse on social media continued today. This problem will not go away and needs decisive action - that's what we'll be making clear to Twitter when we meet," Kick It Out said on Saturday.

"Without immediate and the strongest possible action, these cowardly acts will continue to grow."

Paul Pogba says he is ready to fight against racist abuse after the Manchester United star and his team-mate Marcus Rashford were subjected to social media taunts following their penalty misses.

Paul Pogba says he is ready to fight against racist abuse after the Manchester United star and his team-mate Marcus Rashford were subjected to social media taunts following their penalty misses. Pogba was the target of racial slurs on Twitter when his penalty was saved by Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio in Monday's 1-1 draw. Then United striker Rashford suffered racist abuse online after hitting the post with a penalty in Saturday's shock 2-1 defeat against Crystal Palace. Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham and Reading's Yakou Meite were also recently targeted by social media trolled and World Cup winner Pogba has had enough. The 26-year-old insists he will use the jibes as fuel to step up the fight against racists. "My ancestors and my parents suffered for my generation to be free today, to work, to take the bus, to play football," Pogba wrote on his Instagram account on Sunday. "Racist insults are ignorance and can only make me stronger and motivate me to fight for the next generation." During the Palace match at Old Trafford, United fans unveiled a banner reading 'United against racism'. Rashford had tweeted in support of Pogba after the Wolves games, saying: "Enough now, this needs to stop Twitter. Manchester United is a family. Paul Pogba is a huge part of that family. You attack him you attack us all." United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer condemned both incidents involving his players. "It's the same we spoke about before the weekend. It's unheard of and we need it to stop, it needs to stop," Solskjaer said. "I'm just lost for words if it keeps going. We keep having all these campaigns 'No to Racism' and it keeps hiding behind fake identities. It's just crazy that we talk about this in 2019." Pogba's message was accompanied by a photograph showing him holding his baby alongside portraits of his late father Fassou Antoine and civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Twitter said on Wednesday that they will meet with United, Kick It Out (anti-discrimination organisation within football) and any other civil society stakeholders to discuss the problem. Twitter claim to have already permanently suspended a series of accounts as a result of the racist posts. Anti-discrimination campaigners Kick It Out have also called for action. "The vile racist abuse on social media continued today. This problem will not go away and needs decisive action - that's what we'll be making clear to Twitter when we meet," Kick It Out said on Saturday. "Without immediate and the strongest possible action, these cowardly acts will continue to grow."

Racist abuse 'only makes me stronger' says Paul Pogba

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ole-gunnar-solskjaer-to-give-paul-pogba-another-chance-from-the-penalty-spot-245053">Ole Gunnar Solskjaer</a> expects&nbsp;Manchester&nbsp;United&nbsp;fans to rally around Paul Pogba after he <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-uniteds-solskjaer-urges-crackdown-on-online-abuse-245142">suffered racist abuse</a> on social media in the wake of his penalty miss against Wolves.

United&nbsp;supporters have promised to show their backing for Pogba when the France midfielder returns to Old Trafford for the Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Pogba took over penalty duties from Marcus Rashford at Molineux, but his kick was saved by Rui Patricio, forcing&nbsp;United&nbsp;to settle for a 1-1 draw.

Solskjaer added his voice to the clamour for social media companies to clamp down on racist outbursts but the&nbsp;United&nbsp;manager knows, despite some controversial moments off the field in his time with the club, Pogba is beloved by his own supporters.

"I expect it to happen, we can all see Paul was disappointed when he missed the penalty. He doesn't deserve this," Solskjaer told reporters.

"When you sign for Man&nbsp;United&nbsp;you become a Manc. Once a Manc, always a Manc. He gives his absolute everything for the club every week.

"I know people expect him to do absolutely everything on a football pitch.

"He's got so many qualities. We're seeing different qualities from Paul this year compared to last season and he's a leader in the group. I expect the fans to be behind him."

Those qualities have been evident in bursts during Pogba's time with&nbsp;United, although the World Cup winner has not always hit the dizzy heights of which he is capable.

Solskjaer believes a lot is expected of the midfielder, sometimes unreasonably.

"He expects a lot from himself as well," he said.

"We expect a lot from him but we know that we can't get Roy Keane, Veron, Scholes, Giggs and Cantona in one player. It's hard. He's a top, top player.

"We do expect a lot from our players and we have high hopes this season. Hopefully we can be consistent and challenge when we come to April and May and Paul plays a big part in that."

'Thick-skinned'

United&nbsp;have sought talks with Twitter chiefs in response to the threats and racist insults and, while Solskjaer believes Pogba will respond positively to the affair, he pointed out there is a limit to such resilience.

"You become thick-skinned playing football and being high profile, as our players are," he said.&nbsp;

"Apart from using common sense, sometimes you've just got to turn a blind eye to it. We know that these people are not the majority, it's a few select ones who hide behind a mask.

"When I spoke to Paul I didn't get the feeling that he struggled with it. He'd not been sat down reading a lot.

"Some, and I think Paul is one of them, get stronger from criticism. I enjoyed criticism but when it gets personal and when it gets to race then it's a different thing. There's a certain point, a limit."

The Pogba incident has brought the issue of racism in football back to the fore and the&nbsp;United&nbsp;manager confessed the sport had perhaps been complacent in believing the problem had been eradicated.

"Yeah I think so. And I am not going to go into politics but you can follow the world in politics and it's not too far. I am not going to go into that," he said.

Solskjaer has also tipped 18-year-old midfielder James Garner and winger Angel Gomes, also 18, to be the latest youngsters to break into the&nbsp;United&nbsp;first-team squad.

"When we get to September and October, the midweek games and cup competitions, we'll see Jimmy (Garner), definitely," he said.&nbsp;

"He's done really well in the reserves. And Angel, definitely more of him."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expects Manchester United fans to rally around Paul Pogba after he suffered racist abuse on social media in the wake of his penalty miss against Wolves.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expects Manchester United fans to rally around Paul Pogba after he suffered racist abuse on social media in the wake of his penalty miss against Wolves. United supporters have promised to show their backing for Pogba when the France midfielder returns to Old Trafford for the Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace on Saturday. Pogba took over penalty duties from Marcus Rashford at Molineux, but his kick was saved by Rui Patricio, forcing United to settle for a 1-1 draw. Solskjaer added his voice to the clamour for social media companies to clamp down on racist outbursts but the United manager knows, despite some controversial moments off the field in his time with the club, Pogba is beloved by his own supporters. "I expect it to happen, we can all see Paul was disappointed when he missed the penalty. He doesn't deserve this," Solskjaer told reporters. "When you sign for Man United you become a Manc. Once a Manc, always a Manc. He gives his absolute everything for the club every week. "I know people expect him to do absolutely everything on a football pitch. "He's got so many qualities. We're seeing different qualities from Paul this year compared to last season and he's a leader in the group. I expect the fans to be behind him." Those qualities have been evident in bursts during Pogba's time with United, although the World Cup winner has not always hit the dizzy heights of which he is capable. Solskjaer believes a lot is expected of the midfielder, sometimes unreasonably. "He expects a lot from himself as well," he said. "We expect a lot from him but we know that we can't get Roy Keane, Veron, Scholes, Giggs and Cantona in one player. It's hard. He's a top, top player. "We do expect a lot from our players and we have high hopes this season. Hopefully we can be consistent and challenge when we come to April and May and Paul plays a big part in that." 'Thick-skinned' United have sought talks with Twitter chiefs in response to the threats and racist insults and, while Solskjaer believes Pogba will respond positively to the affair, he pointed out there is a limit to such resilience. "You become thick-skinned playing football and being high profile, as our players are," he said. "Apart from using common sense, sometimes you've just got to turn a blind eye to it. We know that these people are not the majority, it's a few select ones who hide behind a mask. "When I spoke to Paul I didn't get the feeling that he struggled with it. He'd not been sat down reading a lot. "Some, and I think Paul is one of them, get stronger from criticism. I enjoyed criticism but when it gets personal and when it gets to race then it's a different thing. There's a certain point, a limit." The Pogba incident has brought the issue of racism in football back to the fore and the United manager confessed the sport had perhaps been complacent in believing the problem had been eradicated. "Yeah I think so. And I am not going to go into politics but you can follow the world in politics and it's not too far. I am not going to go into that," he said. Solskjaer has also tipped 18-year-old midfielder James Garner and winger Angel Gomes, also 18, to be the latest youngsters to break into the United first-team squad. "When we get to September and October, the midweek games and cup competitions, we'll see Jimmy (Garner), definitely," he said. "He's done really well in the reserves. And Angel, definitely more of him."

Manchester United fans will back Paul Pogba after racist abuse: Solskjaer

Thousands marched against hate and racism in the eastern German of city Dresden on Saturday, a week before state elections when far-right party AfD is projected to make huge gains.

Under the banner "indivisible", a broad coalition of artists, unionists and politicians gathered to urge voters to reject exclusion, which they argue is championed by right-wing extremists.

The three-hour march began in a relaxed atmosphere under the warm summer sun from 1200 GMT in the picturesque baroque city, one of the most popular tourism destinations in the former communist east.

But Dresden is also the cradle of the Islamophobic movement Pegida, and the state of Saxony is a stronghold of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party.

Many at the protest held aloft signs that read: "No place for Nazis" and "Racism is not an alternative".

One of the marchers, 27-year-old Berlin teacher Janna Rakowski, said she wanted "to show the people of Dresden that they are not alone in the fight against racism.

"We want to show our solidarity in this particular situation before the elections in Saxony," she told AFP.&nbsp;

A spokeswoman for the organisers, Susann Riske, said: "We want to do something against the current political climate and support those who oppose hatred and violence every day."

Greta Schmidt, a 66-year-old retiree from Dresden, held up a sign reading "Grandmas against the extreme right".

"The people are very dissatisfied... the big parties have sabotaged their chances," she said.

'Moment of truth'

Before the march started, organisers said they expected at least 10,000 people to turn up at the protest, while about 70 kilometres (40 miles) away, the co-leader of the AfD Alexander Gauland is due to address a rally in the city of Chemnitz.

An AfD candidate in the Saxony election, Nico Koehler, on Saturday denied his party is racist, calling such charges "propaganda designed to get left-wing parties into the state assembly".

He also called on other parties to enter into dialogue with the AfD.&nbsp;

"Democracy starts with interpersonal dialogue... even with those you consider the enemy," he said at a campaign stall in Chemnitz.

New polls show the AfD party running neck and neck with Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party in Saxony.

In the state of Brandenburg, the region surrounding Berlin, some surveys even see the AfD topping the polls, which would be a major blow for Merkel's junior coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD).

If a strong showing by the AfD is confirmed in both regional polls, it could throw Merkel's coalition into a new crisis by potentially heightening calls for the SPD to pull the plug on the partnership.

For the organisers of Saturday's march, the regional elections, together with October 27 polls in the state of Thuringia, will be the "moment of truth for democracy".

Under the banner #indivisible, the collective of activists managed to get a quarter of a million people on the streets in Berlin last October to defend inclusion and unity.

That march was organised with Germany still shocked by xenophobic attacks in a Saxony city, Chemnitz, in the aftermath of the stabbing of a German by a migrant.

AfD politicians then also joined in a silent march through Chemnitz alongside the head of Pegida, as well as neo-Nazis and other hooligans.

Since its entry into the Bundestag after the 2017 general election, the far-right AfD has shaken up German politics, including breaching taboos such as openly questioning Germany's atonement culture over World War II.&nbsp;

Its anti-immigrant and anti-Islam rhetoric has proved attractive to those resentful of Merkel's decision to let in more than a million asylum seekers since the 2015 refugee crisis.

The former communist east has been most receptive to the AfD, with part of the population feeling left behind economically as villages are depleted of younger inhabitants, many of whom have headed to western Germany for better-paying jobs or opportunities.

Thousands marched against hate and racism in the eastern German of city Dresden on Saturday, a week before state elections when far-right party AfD is projected to make huge gains.

Thousands marched against hate and racism in the eastern German of city Dresden on Saturday, a week before state elections when far-right party AfD is projected to make huge gains. Under the banner "indivisible", a broad coalition of artists, unionists and politicians gathered to urge voters to reject exclusion, which they argue is championed by right-wing extremists. The three-hour march began in a relaxed atmosphere under the warm summer sun from 1200 GMT in the picturesque baroque city, one of the most popular tourism destinations in the former communist east. But Dresden is also the cradle of the Islamophobic movement Pegida, and the state of Saxony is a stronghold of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party. Many at the protest held aloft signs that read: "No place for Nazis" and "Racism is not an alternative". One of the marchers, 27-year-old Berlin teacher Janna Rakowski, said she wanted "to show the people of Dresden that they are not alone in the fight against racism. "We want to show our solidarity in this particular situation before the elections in Saxony," she told AFP. A spokeswoman for the organisers, Susann Riske, said: "We want to do something against the current political climate and support those who oppose hatred and violence every day." Greta Schmidt, a 66-year-old retiree from Dresden, held up a sign reading "Grandmas against the extreme right". "The people are very dissatisfied... the big parties have sabotaged their chances," she said. 'Moment of truth' Before the march started, organisers said they expected at least 10,000 people to turn up at the protest, while about 70 kilometres (40 miles) away, the co-leader of the AfD Alexander Gauland is due to address a rally in the city of Chemnitz. An AfD candidate in the Saxony election, Nico Koehler, on Saturday denied his party is racist, calling such charges "propaganda designed to get left-wing parties into the state assembly". He also called on other parties to enter into dialogue with the AfD. "Democracy starts with interpersonal dialogue... even with those you consider the enemy," he said at a campaign stall in Chemnitz. New polls show the AfD party running neck and neck with Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party in Saxony. In the state of Brandenburg, the region surrounding Berlin, some surveys even see the AfD topping the polls, which would be a major blow for Merkel's junior coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD). If a strong showing by the AfD is confirmed in both regional polls, it could throw Merkel's coalition into a new crisis by potentially heightening calls for the SPD to pull the plug on the partnership. For the organisers of Saturday's march, the regional elections, together with October 27 polls in the state of Thuringia, will be the "moment of truth for democracy". Under the banner #indivisible, the collective of activists managed to get a quarter of a million people on the streets in Berlin last October to defend inclusion and unity. That march was organised with Germany still shocked by xenophobic attacks in a Saxony city, Chemnitz, in the aftermath of the stabbing of a German by a migrant. AfD politicians then also joined in a silent march through Chemnitz alongside the head of Pegida, as well as neo-Nazis and other hooligans. Since its entry into the Bundestag after the 2017 general election, the far-right AfD has shaken up German politics, including breaching taboos such as openly questioning Germany's atonement culture over World War II. Its anti-immigrant and anti-Islam rhetoric has proved attractive to those resentful of Merkel's decision to let in more than a million asylum seekers since the 2015 refugee crisis. The former communist east has been most receptive to the AfD, with part of the population feeling left behind economically as villages are depleted of younger inhabitants, many of whom have headed to western Germany for better-paying jobs or opportunities.

Thousands march against racism in Dresden ahead of key state polls

This time, he didn't quite go there.

President Donald Trump on Thursday briefly renewed his criticism of four minority Democratic congresswomen at his first rally since the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-rebuke-trump-says-i-dont-have-a-racist-bone-in-my-body-236506">controversy erupted</a> when a crowd at a rally last month broke into a chant of "Send her back" about a US lawmaker who immigrated to the United States from Somalia.

But he did not name or dwell on them. The crowd as a whole did not chant, and the president - who was being watched for his response if such a unified cry erupted - did not have to show whether he would try to stop his supporters from engaging in a call that critics view as racist.

"While Republicans are working every day to build up our country, the rage-filled Democrat Party is trying to tear America apart. The Democrat Party is now being led by four left-wing extremists who reject everything that we hold dear," Trump told the crowd in Ohio, making reference to US Representative Ilhan Omar and three colleagues are known as "the Squad."

"No one has paid a higher price for the far-left's destructive agenda than Americans living in our nation's inner cities," he said.

And that was that. Trump continued on a long riff about Democrats' performance in inner cities, but he did not name Elijah Cummings, a black US congressman from Baltimore and civil rights champion, whom Trump has also recently criticized.

Trump still had plenty to say about his opponents, and the enthusiastic crowd chanted, "Lock Her Up!" when the president criticized his 2016 Democratic presidential rival, Hillary Clinton.

The Republican president also picked up on a theme from Wednesday night's Democratic presidential debate, in which former Democratic President Barack Obama's legacy came under criticism from some candidates seeking their party's nomination to run against Trump next year. Trump said they spent more time attacking Obama than they did attack him.

Democrats have criticized the attacks by Trump on Omar and the three other progressive congresswomen as racist. The attacks started with Trump's tweets last month saying they should "go back" to where they came from. Many Republicans have shrugged off the remarks.

All four are US citizens and Omar is the only one not born in the United States.

Trump looked on when supporters chanted: "Send Her back!" at a July 17 North Carolina rally after he recounted past comments by Omar. The next day, he said he disagreed with the chant, but later resumed his criticism of the congresswomen, saying they had said horrible things about the United States and defending the North Carolina crowd as "incredible patriots."

Before he left for Cincinnati, Trump was asked by reporters at the White House whether he would stop rally participants if they started that chant.

"I don’t know that you can stop people. ... I’d prefer that they don’t. But if they do it, we’ll have to make a decision then."

This time, he didn't quite go there. President Donald Trump on Thursday briefly renewed his criticism of four minority Democratic congresswomen at his first rally since the controversy erupted when a crowd at a rally last month broke into a chant of "Send her back" about a US lawmaker who immigrated to the United States from Somalia.

This time, he didn't quite go there. President Donald Trump on Thursday briefly renewed his criticism of four minority Democratic congresswomen at his first rally since the controversy erupted when a crowd at a rally last month broke into a chant of "Send her back" about a US lawmaker who immigrated to the United States from Somalia. But he did not name or dwell on them. The crowd as a whole did not chant, and the president - who was being watched for his response if such a unified cry erupted - did not have to show whether he would try to stop his supporters from engaging in a call that critics view as racist. "While Republicans are working every day to build up our country, the rage-filled Democrat Party is trying to tear America apart. The Democrat Party is now being led by four left-wing extremists who reject everything that we hold dear," Trump told the crowd in Ohio, making reference to US Representative Ilhan Omar and three colleagues are known as "the Squad." "No one has paid a higher price for the far-left's destructive agenda than Americans living in our nation's inner cities," he said. And that was that. Trump continued on a long riff about Democrats' performance in inner cities, but he did not name Elijah Cummings, a black US congressman from Baltimore and civil rights champion, whom Trump has also recently criticized. Trump still had plenty to say about his opponents, and the enthusiastic crowd chanted, "Lock Her Up!" when the president criticized his 2016 Democratic presidential rival, Hillary Clinton. The Republican president also picked up on a theme from Wednesday night's Democratic presidential debate, in which former Democratic President Barack Obama's legacy came under criticism from some candidates seeking their party's nomination to run against Trump next year. Trump said they spent more time attacking Obama than they did attack him. Democrats have criticized the attacks by Trump on Omar and the three other progressive congresswomen as racist. The attacks started with Trump's tweets last month saying they should "go back" to where they came from. Many Republicans have shrugged off the remarks. All four are US citizens and Omar is the only one not born in the United States. Trump looked on when supporters chanted: "Send Her back!" at a July 17 North Carolina rally after he recounted past comments by Omar. The next day, he said he disagreed with the chant, but later resumed his criticism of the congresswomen, saying they had said horrible things about the United States and defending the North Carolina crowd as "incredible patriots." Before he left for Cincinnati, Trump was asked by reporters at the White House whether he would stop rally participants if they started that chant. "I don’t know that you can stop people. ... I’d prefer that they don’t. But if they do it, we’ll have to make a decision then."

'Lock Her Up!' but no 'Send her Back!' chant at Trump rally in Ohio

An advertisement featuring an actor of Chinese origin with his skin darkened to portray different races has sparked anger in multi-ethnic Singapore, prompting an apology from the country's state-owned broadcaster.

Race is a sensitive issue in Singapore, which is home to ethnic Chinese, ethnic Indians and Muslim Malays, as well as a large number of expatriates from all over the world.

The ad, part of a government-initiated campaign for cashless transactions in the tech-savvy city-state, featured actor Dennis Chew from broadcaster Mediacorp as four characters.

His skin was darkened to depict an Indian man and a Malay woman wearing a headscarf, and he also portrayed a Chinese man and a Chinese woman. Each character was shown holding a plate of food paid for electronically.

"Brownface in a Singaporean ad in 2019. I thought we already went over this," magazine editor Ruby Thiagarajan said on Twitter, in a post that had been retweeted nearly 3,000 times by Monday.

"Brownface" or "blackface" are terms referring to the practice of darkening an actor's skin to portray a person of a different race.

Mediacorp, through its celebrity management arm The Celebrity Agency, apologised "for any hurt that was unintentionally caused".

"The message behind this advertising campaign is that e-payment is for everyone," it added.

The broadcaster would not confirm whether the ad had been pulled but it had disappeared from a website as well as some public places where it was displayed last week.

Most of the criticism centred on how the ad had used just one actor from the country's main ethnic group, rather than getting other performers to play different roles.

"They could have hired an artist for every single race?? Is it really hard?" one Twitter user said.

A Singaporean office worker told AFP she found the ad "very, very insensitive", but other social media users said they thought there was nothing wrong with it.

"I don't see the issue, don't be too sensitive over ads like this," one comment said.

&nbsp;

An advertisement featuring an actor of Chinese origin with his skin darkened to portray different races has sparked anger in multi-ethnic Singapore, prompting an apology from the country's state-owned broadcaster.

An advertisement featuring an actor of Chinese origin with his skin darkened to portray different races has sparked anger in multi-ethnic Singapore, prompting an apology from the country's state-owned broadcaster. Race is a sensitive issue in Singapore, which is home to ethnic Chinese, ethnic Indians and Muslim Malays, as well as a large number of expatriates from all over the world. The ad, part of a government-initiated campaign for cashless transactions in the tech-savvy city-state, featured actor Dennis Chew from broadcaster Mediacorp as four characters. His skin was darkened to depict an Indian man and a Malay woman wearing a headscarf, and he also portrayed a Chinese man and a Chinese woman. Each character was shown holding a plate of food paid for electronically. "Brownface in a Singaporean ad in 2019. I thought we already went over this," magazine editor Ruby Thiagarajan said on Twitter, in a post that had been retweeted nearly 3,000 times by Monday. "Brownface" or "blackface" are terms referring to the practice of darkening an actor's skin to portray a person of a different race. Mediacorp, through its celebrity management arm The Celebrity Agency, apologised "for any hurt that was unintentionally caused". "The message behind this advertising campaign is that e-payment is for everyone," it added. The broadcaster would not confirm whether the ad had been pulled but it had disappeared from a website as well as some public places where it was displayed last week. Most of the criticism centred on how the ad had used just one actor from the country's main ethnic group, rather than getting other performers to play different roles. "They could have hired an artist for every single race?? Is it really hard?" one Twitter user said. A Singaporean office worker told AFP she found the ad "very, very insensitive", but other social media users said they thought there was nothing wrong with it. "I don't see the issue, don't be too sensitive over ads like this," one comment said.

Racist ad with actor 'brownfaced' to look Indian sparks outrage in Singapore

US President Donald Trump was hit with new accusations of racism Saturday after he attacked a prominent African-American lawmaker and branded the majority-black city of Baltimore an "infested mess."

Trump's outburst came in a series of sharply worded tweets aimed at Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings -- a high-profile critic of Trump's administration whose district covers much of Baltimore.

"Cumming (sic) District is a disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess," the president wrote, calling it "the worst run and most dangerous anywhere in the United States."

"No human being would want to live there," he said -&nbsp;in an attack ostensibly provoked by Cummings' criticism of the harsh conditions facing would-be asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border.

The morning diatribe ignited a storm of criticism, less than two weeks after the House of Representatives condemned Trump for "racist" comments targeting four first-term Democratic congresswomen who are ethnic minorities.

The top Democrat in Congress, Nancy Pelosi, accused Trump of a "racist" attack on a "champion... of civil rights and economic justice, a beloved leader in Baltimore, and deeply valued colleague."&nbsp;

"We all reject racist attacks against him," wrote Pelosi -- who was born in Baltimore and whose father served as mayor of the city.&nbsp;

Former vice president Joe Biden -- the Democratic frontrunner to challenge Trump in 2020 -- called out the president directly on Twitter.

"It is despicable for you to attack him and the people of Baltimore this way," Biden wrote. "Once again you have proved yourself unfit to hold the office. A President is supposed to lift this nation up. Not tear it down."

There was similar condemnation from half a dozen White House candidates including Cory Booker, who tweeted footage of a black CNN anchor and Baltimore native who broke down on air while reacting to the attack on his hometown.

"This is painful. This is a moral, defining moment in America," wrote Booker. "Silence is toxic complicity."

Democratic 2020 contender Kamala Harris, who like Booker is black, said she was "proud" to have her campaign headquarters in Cummings' district and called Trump's attack "disgraceful."

The city's Democratic Mayor Bernard "Jack" Young&nbsp; -- also black -- rejected Trump's rhetoric, calling it "hurtful and dangerous."

"It was a total insult," he told reporters. "We're not going to ignore anyone degrading Baltimore city and its effective leadership, no one."

The editorial board of the city's newspaper, The Baltimore Sun, took a direct swipe at Trump in a scathing column which concluded that it is "better to have a few rats than to be one."

A historic port city of 600,000 people, Baltimore presents a mixed picture, with both handsome and affluent neighbourhoods and poverty-stricken districts. It has one of the country's highest murder rates.&nbsp;

Cummings' district is more than 50 per cent black -- and the city of Baltimore as a whole, more than 60 per cent.

Cummings himself tweeted: "Mr President, I go home to my district daily. Each morning, I wake up, and I go and fight for my neighbours. It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. But it is my moral duty to fight for my constituents."

As chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Cummings -- one of the most prominent African Americans in Congress -- has launched investigations into Trump administration policies, including reports of poor treatment at migrant detention centres.

"Rep. Elijah Cummings has been a brutal bully, shouting and screaming at the great men &amp; women of Border Patrol about conditions at the Southern Border, when actually his Baltimore district is FAR WORSE and more dangerous," Trump charged.

He attacked Cummings again Saturday evening after spending the day at Trump National Golf Club outside Washington.

"Elijah Cummings spends all of his time trying to hurt innocent people through 'Oversight.' He does NOTHING for his very poor, very dangerous and very badly run district!," the president tweeted, adding the hashtag #BlacksForTrump2020.

The broadside was reminiscent of Trump's recent, racially charged onslaught against four young Democratic women lawmakers, who he said should "go back" to the "crime infested" places they came from. In fact, three were born in the US and all are American citizens.

Trump denies accusations of racism -- and has made a point of pushing for the release of US rapper A$AP Rocky, held in Sweden on assault charges, in an apparent effort to curb his unpopularity with black voters.

But his calculated targeting of the "Squad" -- as the four are known -- was widely seen as a bid to galvanize his mostly white electoral base as he gears up for next year's re-election battle.

US President Donald Trump was hit with new accusations of racism Saturday after he attacked a prominent African-American lawmaker and branded the majority-black city of Baltimore an "infested mess.

US President Donald Trump was hit with new accusations of racism Saturday after he attacked a prominent African-American lawmaker and branded the majority-black city of Baltimore an "infested mess." Trump's outburst came in a series of sharply worded tweets aimed at Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings -- a high-profile critic of Trump's administration whose district covers much of Baltimore. "Cumming (sic) District is a disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess," the president wrote, calling it "the worst run and most dangerous anywhere in the United States." "No human being would want to live there," he said - in an attack ostensibly provoked by Cummings' criticism of the harsh conditions facing would-be asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border. The morning diatribe ignited a storm of criticism, less than two weeks after the House of Representatives condemned Trump for "racist" comments targeting four first-term Democratic congresswomen who are ethnic minorities. The top Democrat in Congress, Nancy Pelosi, accused Trump of a "racist" attack on a "champion... of civil rights and economic justice, a beloved leader in Baltimore, and deeply valued colleague." "We all reject racist attacks against him," wrote Pelosi -- who was born in Baltimore and whose father served as mayor of the city. Former vice president Joe Biden -- the Democratic frontrunner to challenge Trump in 2020 -- called out the president directly on Twitter. "It is despicable for you to attack him and the people of Baltimore this way," Biden wrote. "Once again you have proved yourself unfit to hold the office. A President is supposed to lift this nation up. Not tear it down." There was similar condemnation from half a dozen White House candidates including Cory Booker, who tweeted footage of a black CNN anchor and Baltimore native who broke down on air while reacting to the attack on his hometown. "This is painful. This is a moral, defining moment in America," wrote Booker. "Silence is toxic complicity." Democratic 2020 contender Kamala Harris, who like Booker is black, said she was "proud" to have her campaign headquarters in Cummings' district and called Trump's attack "disgraceful." The city's Democratic Mayor Bernard "Jack" Young -- also black -- rejected Trump's rhetoric, calling it "hurtful and dangerous." "It was a total insult," he told reporters. "We're not going to ignore anyone degrading Baltimore city and its effective leadership, no one." The editorial board of the city's newspaper, The Baltimore Sun, took a direct swipe at Trump in a scathing column which concluded that it is "better to have a few rats than to be one." A historic port city of 600,000 people, Baltimore presents a mixed picture, with both handsome and affluent neighbourhoods and poverty-stricken districts. It has one of the country's highest murder rates. Cummings' district is more than 50 per cent black -- and the city of Baltimore as a whole, more than 60 per cent. Cummings himself tweeted: "Mr President, I go home to my district daily. Each morning, I wake up, and I go and fight for my neighbours. It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. But it is my moral duty to fight for my constituents." As chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Cummings -- one of the most prominent African Americans in Congress -- has launched investigations into Trump administration policies, including reports of poor treatment at migrant detention centres. "Rep. Elijah Cummings has been a brutal bully, shouting and screaming at the great men & women of Border Patrol about conditions at the Southern Border, when actually his Baltimore district is FAR WORSE and more dangerous," Trump charged. He attacked Cummings again Saturday evening after spending the day at Trump National Golf Club outside Washington. "Elijah Cummings spends all of his time trying to hurt innocent people through 'Oversight.' He does NOTHING for his very poor, very dangerous and very badly run district!," the president tweeted, adding the hashtag #BlacksForTrump2020. The broadside was reminiscent of Trump's recent, racially charged onslaught against four young Democratic women lawmakers, who he said should "go back" to the "crime infested" places they came from. In fact, three were born in the US and all are American citizens. Trump denies accusations of racism -- and has made a point of pushing for the release of US rapper A$AP Rocky, held in Sweden on assault charges, in an apparent effort to curb his unpopularity with black voters. But his calculated targeting of the "Squad" -- as the four are known -- was widely seen as a bid to galvanize his mostly white electoral base as he gears up for next year's re-election battle.

Outrage as Trump brands mostly-black Baltimore 'infested mess'

U.S. President Trump Targets Congresswomen Of Colour, Asks Them To Leave The U.S. U.S. President Trump lands himself in hot water yet again. His racially charged tweets aimed at women lawmakers of colour leads to strong criticism. Here's a report

Gravitas: All the President's tweets: Trump accused of racism

Democratic congresswomen targeted in a xenophobic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-defiant-as-lawmakers-blast-his-racist-attacks-on-four-congresswomen-236257">tirade by President Donald Trump</a> hit back Monday, saying he was trying to distract attention away from his policies with his "blatantly racist attack."

The president first <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-youre-not-happy-here-you-can-leave-trump-to-democratic-congresswomen-236251">attacked the four lawmakers</a> -- all but one of whom were born in America -- with a series of tweets on Sunday, saying they should "go back" to their countries of origin.

The four -- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts -- struck back at a news conference Monday and urged people not to "take the bait."

Trump was simply trying to distract with his "blatantly racist attack" on the four women of color, Omar said.

"This is the agenda of white nationalists," she said.

Pressley also urged the American people "to not take the bait."

"This is simply a disruption and a distraction from the callous chaotic and corrupt culture of this administration, all the way down," Pressley said.

The four lawmakers -- who have been nicknamed "The Squad" by some media -- said attention should instead be focused on healthcare and immigration and, in particular, the treatment of asylum seekers on the southern border.

"Weak minds and leaders challenge loyalty to our country in order to avoid challenging and debating the policy," said Ocasio-Cortez.

Trump "does not know how to defend his policies, so what he does is attack us personally, and that is what this is all about," she said.

Tlaib said Trump's tweets and remarks were "a continuation of his racist and xenophobic playbook."

"We cannot allow these hateful actions by the president to distract us from the critical work to hold this administration accountable to the inhumane conditions at the border that is separating children from their loved ones and caging them up in illegal, horrific conditions," she said.

Omar and Tlaib repeated calls for Trump to be impeached.

Watch: Congresswomen call Trump's attack an attempt to distract from his policies

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Trump doubles down

The president also came under fire from some members of his Republican party but remained unrepentant.

"All they do is complain," Trump told reporters at a White House event featuring products made in America.

"These are people that hate our country," he said of the four lawmakers.

"If you're not happy here, you can leave."

Trump also accused the four first-term congresswomen -- who are of Hispanic, Arab, Somali and African American origin -- of having "love" for US "enemies like Al-Qaeda."

Asked by a reporter whether he was concerned that many people saw his comments as racist, Trump said: "It doesn't concern me because many people agree with me."

'Destructive'

Trump's extraordinary attacks on the lawmakers prompted critical reactions from foreign leaders and outrage from Democrats.

Republicans were initially silent, but on Monday several of his party faithful began to speak up.

"My view is that what was said and what was tweeted was destructive, was demeaning, was disunifying, and frankly it was very wrong," said Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah.

"There is no excuse for the president's spiteful comments -- they were absolutely unacceptable and this needs to stop," said Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska. "We must demand a higher standard of decorum and decency."

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she disagreed with the policies espoused by the "far-left" Democratic lawmakers, but that Trump was "way over the line."

Texan Will Hurd, the only black Republican in the House of Representatives, told CNN that Trump's behavior was "unbecoming of the leader of the free world."

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became the latest international leader to condemn Trump's tweets.

"I completely and utterly disagree with him," she told Radio New Zealand, noting that her country welcomed diversity in the corridors of power.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Britain's Theresa May also expressed disapproval.

'Cold, hard strategy'

Trump's comments appear to be aimed at galvanizing his mostly white electoral base ahead of the 2020 presidential vote -- while also stoking racial tensions and divisions among his political opponents.

"With his deliberate, racist outburst, @realDonaldTrump wants to raise the profile of his targets, drive Dems to defend them and make them emblematic of the entire party," said David Axelrod, who served as chief strategist for Barack Obama's two White House campaigns.

In his initial Twitter attack on Sunday, Trump -- who before becoming president pushed the racist "birther" conspiracy theory that Obama was not born on US soil -- said the congresswomen came from corrupt, poorly managed countries to which they should return.

Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib and Pressley were all born in the United States while Omar arrived as a refugee from war-torn Somalia, which she fled as a child.

Former vice president Joe Biden, who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, denounced Trump as the most "openly racist and divisive" president in US history.

"Go home to your country? It's sickening, it's embarrassing," Biden said.

Democratic congresswomen targeted in a xenophobic tirade by President Donald Trump hit back Monday, saying he was trying to distract attention away from his policies with his "blatantly racist attack.

Democratic congresswomen targeted in a xenophobic tirade by President Donald Trump hit back Monday, saying he was trying to distract attention away from his policies with his "blatantly racist attack." The president first attacked the four lawmakers -- all but one of whom were born in America -- with a series of tweets on Sunday, saying they should "go back" to their countries of origin. The four -- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts -- struck back at a news conference Monday and urged people not to "take the bait." Trump was simply trying to distract with his "blatantly racist attack" on the four women of color, Omar said. "This is the agenda of white nationalists," she said. Pressley also urged the American people "to not take the bait." "This is simply a disruption and a distraction from the callous chaotic and corrupt culture of this administration, all the way down," Pressley said. The four lawmakers -- who have been nicknamed "The Squad" by some media -- said attention should instead be focused on healthcare and immigration and, in particular, the treatment of asylum seekers on the southern border. "Weak minds and leaders challenge loyalty to our country in order to avoid challenging and debating the policy," said Ocasio-Cortez. Trump "does not know how to defend his policies, so what he does is attack us personally, and that is what this is all about," she said. Tlaib said Trump's tweets and remarks were "a continuation of his racist and xenophobic playbook." "We cannot allow these hateful actions by the president to distract us from the critical work to hold this administration accountable to the inhumane conditions at the border that is separating children from their loved ones and caging them up in illegal, horrific conditions," she said. Omar and Tlaib repeated calls for Trump to be impeached. Watch: Congresswomen call Trump's attack an attempt to distract from his policies × Trump doubles down The president also came under fire from some members of his Republican party but remained unrepentant. "All they do is complain," Trump told reporters at a White House event featuring products made in America. "These are people that hate our country," he said of the four lawmakers. "If you're not happy here, you can leave." Trump also accused the four first-term congresswomen -- who are of Hispanic, Arab, Somali and African American origin -- of having "love" for US "enemies like Al-Qaeda." Asked by a reporter whether he was concerned that many people saw his comments as racist, Trump said: "It doesn't concern me because many people agree with me." 'Destructive' Trump's extraordinary attacks on the lawmakers prompted critical reactions from foreign leaders and outrage from Democrats. Republicans were initially silent, but on Monday several of his party faithful began to speak up. "My view is that what was said and what was tweeted was destructive, was demeaning, was disunifying, and frankly it was very wrong," said Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah. "There is no excuse for the president's spiteful comments -- they were absolutely unacceptable and this needs to stop," said Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska. "We must demand a higher standard of decorum and decency." Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she disagreed with the policies espoused by the "far-left" Democratic lawmakers, but that Trump was "way over the line." Texan Will Hurd, the only black Republican in the House of Representatives, told CNN that Trump's behavior was "unbecoming of the leader of the free world." New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became the latest international leader to condemn Trump's tweets. "I completely and utterly disagree with him," she told Radio New Zealand, noting that her country welcomed diversity in the corridors of power. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Britain's Theresa May also expressed disapproval. 'Cold, hard strategy' Trump's comments appear to be aimed at galvanizing his mostly white electoral base ahead of the 2020 presidential vote -- while also stoking racial tensions and divisions among his political opponents. "With his deliberate, racist outburst, @realDonaldTrump wants to raise the profile of his targets, drive Dems to defend them and make them emblematic of the entire party," said David Axelrod, who served as chief strategist for Barack Obama's two White House campaigns. In his initial Twitter attack on Sunday, Trump -- who before becoming president pushed the racist "birther" conspiracy theory that Obama was not born on US soil -- said the congresswomen came from corrupt, poorly managed countries to which they should return. Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib and Pressley were all born in the United States while Omar arrived as a refugee from war-torn Somalia, which she fled as a child. Former vice president Joe Biden, who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, denounced Trump as the most "openly racist and divisive" president in US history. "Go home to your country? It's sickening, it's embarrassing," Biden said.

Democratic congresswomen hit back after Trump's 'racist' tirade

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/evil-britain-commits-piracy-and-steals-our-ship-there-will-be-a-response-at-an-appropriate-time-warns-khamenei-236467">Evil Britain commits piracy and steals our ship, there will be a response at an appropriate time, warns Khamenei</a>

Iran's supreme leader,&nbsp;Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Tuesday&nbsp;Iran would respond to Britain's "piracy" over the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-desperate-to-reach-trade-deal-with-us-totally-misleading-foreign-ministry-236382">China 'desperate' to reach trade deal with US totally misleading: Foreign ministry</a>

China on Tuesday rebuffed a suggestion from&nbsp;US President Donald Trump&nbsp;that Beijing needs a trade deal with the United States because its economy is slowing, saying this was "totally misleading" and that both countries wanted an agreement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democratic-congresswomen-hit-back-after-racist-trump-tirade-236437">Democratic congresswomen hit back after Trump's 'racist' tirade</a>

Democratic congresswomen targeted in a xenophobic&nbsp;tirade by President Donald Trump&nbsp;hit back Monday, saying he was trying to distract attention away from his policies with his "blatantly racist attack."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nuclear-talks-at-risk-if-us-south-korea-exercises-go-ahead-north-korea-236394">Nuclear talks at risk if US-South Korea exercises go ahead: North Korea</a>

Talks on getting&nbsp;North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons&nbsp;are at risk because the United States looks set to break a promise not to hold military exercises with&nbsp;South Korea, North Korea said on Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/afghanistan-22-taliban-terrorists-1-civilian-killed-in-counter-terrorism-operation-236473">Afghanistan: 22 Taliban terrorists, 1 civilian killed in counter terrorism operation</a>

Twenty-two Taliban terrorists and one civilian were killed in a counter-terrorism operation launched by the Special Operation Forces of Afghan National Police in the country's eastern province of Logar, the country's Ministry of Interior Affairs said on Tuesday.

Evil Britain commits piracy and steals our ship, there will be a response at an appropriate time, warns Khamenei Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Tuesday Iran would respond to Britain's "piracy" over the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar.

Evil Britain commits piracy and steals our ship, there will be a response at an appropriate time, warns Khamenei Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Tuesday Iran would respond to Britain's "piracy" over the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar. China 'desperate' to reach trade deal with US totally misleading: Foreign ministry China on Tuesday rebuffed a suggestion from US President Donald Trump that Beijing needs a trade deal with the United States because its economy is slowing, saying this was "totally misleading" and that both countries wanted an agreement. Democratic congresswomen hit back after Trump's 'racist' tirade Democratic congresswomen targeted in a xenophobic tirade by President Donald Trump hit back Monday, saying he was trying to distract attention away from his policies with his "blatantly racist attack." Nuclear talks at risk if US-South Korea exercises go ahead: North Korea Talks on getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons are at risk because the United States looks set to break a promise not to hold military exercises with South Korea, North Korea said on Tuesday. Afghanistan: 22 Taliban terrorists, 1 civilian killed in counter terrorism operation Twenty-two Taliban terrorists and one civilian were killed in a counter-terrorism operation launched by the Special Operation Forces of Afghan National Police in the country's eastern province of Logar, the country's Ministry of Interior Affairs said on Tuesday.

News brief: Big stories of the day

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