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SINGAPORE: In a June 3 Instagram post, an Indian woman in Singapore told of how a woman pushed her in order to grab a seat on the train that had been offered to her by commuters who saw her holding her sleeping baby.

However, a complete reversal of that stranger’s rudeness soon took place. Another woman not only offered her a seat but also fanned her and her sleeping child nonstop for the next 15 minutes in the crowded train.

“One pushed. One helped. And that’s why I’ll never forget Singapore,” wrote the post author (@unplugwithsakshi), who lives in Singapore, adding a heart emoji to the caption of her post.

The new mum explained that while they were on their way back from Universal Studios on a hot day, her baby fell asleep on her shoulder while they were waiting for their ride home on the MRT.

Ms Sakshi said that the train that arrived was full, but when the passengers inside the cabin she entered saw her, several offered her a seat.

However, before she could take it, another woman swooped in and grabbed the seat for herself, apparently pushing her away. According to the post author, the woman appeared to also be an Indian and looked to be around 35 to 40 years old. 

Ms Sakshi added that the woman did not seem to have anything physically wrong with her, but she just chose to ignore the woman’s rudeness.

Fortunately, another woman, described by the post author as being between 40 and 45 years old, very quickly offered her a seat, and as if that kindness were not enough, went on to fan her and her child, as it was warm on the train. 

“I was so emotional at that time,” she said, “no stranger has ever done anything this kind for me.”

When Ms Sakshi thanked her for her kindness, the woman replied, telling her not to worry as she understood the challenges of travelling with a baby, adding that it was her duty to help the young mum out, as she was raising a future generation.

“So you know, you got the message, right? How one small act can represent your country in a foreign land, and how one small act by a stranger can define a complete memory, a complete journey, for you,” she said at the end of her video.

The Independent Singapore reached out to Ms Sakshi, who told us, “I just want to say that Singapore people are a gem. Unknowingly knowingly we met very kind people. In another incident, a stranger handed over an umbrella to us when it was drizzling, and we were standing at the traffic light with our baby.”

She added that she is “really impressed with everything… the rules, regulations, cleanliness… everything is top notch./TISG

Read also: ‘Always choose kindness!’: PAP MP stops at accident site, offers to take home stranded PHV passengers in the rain

This article (Indian mum says she was pushed aside for a seat before stranger stepped in to help) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

Geoffrey Wall is alleged to have flown over 900 flights domestically and internationally between 2009 and 2025

A former Air Canada pilot has been charged after flying for years without a proper license, Canadian police have said.

Geoffrey Wall, of Barrie, Ontario, is alleged to have operated as an airline captain between 2009 and 2025 without a license to fly large commercial passenger planes, according to Peel regional police.

Japan marked the 1,000th match in World Cup history with a commanding 4-0 win over Tunisia in Group F on Saturday, as Ayase Ueda scored twice to send the North Africans out.

Hajime Moriyasu’s side, who drew 2-2 with the Netherlands in their opener, went ahead after four minutes when a sweeping attack ended with Keito Nakamura cutting the ball back for Daichi Kamada to score.

Tunisia, beaten 5-1 by Sweden in their first match and playing under new coach Herve Renard, struggled to cope with Japan’s pressing and movement from the outset.

Japan almost doubled their advantage in the 11th minute with an attack down the right flank, with Tunisia’s Dylan Bronn turning a low cross away from Kamada.

From the resulting corner, Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen produced a fine save, with goal-line technology confirming the ball had not crossed the line.

Moriyasu’s team continued to dominate possession, their front line harrying Tunisia’s defence and preventing Renard’s side from establishing any rhythm in the Monterrey heat.

The second goal arrived in the 31st minute when Ueda advanced towards the edge of the area, and with the Tunisia defence backing off, he drove a low shot into the far corner.

Tunisia offered little in response, and Japan put the result beyond doubt in the 69th minute, Kamada’s pass opening up the Tunisian defence and Junya Ito racing clear to finish low past Dahmen.

Ueda completed the rout six minutes from time, meeting Kaishu Sano’s clipped far-post delivery and guiding a superb header into the top corner as Japan became the first Asian team to score four goals in a World Cup match.

With the win, Japan join the Netherlands on four points after the Dutch thrashed Sweden 5-1. Tunisia became the third side to be eliminated from the tournament after Haiti and Turkiye.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday rated Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium as “unsatisfactory”, noting that the pitch made it difficult to score runs in a recent match between Pakistan and Australia.

Gaddafi Stadium was the venue for the second and third one-day internationals (ODIs) between the Green Shirts and the Aussies. Pakistan won the low-scoring third ODI by four wickets to clinch the three-match series 2-1.

“It was tough to score runs in the low-scoring game and this proved to be the decisive factor in match referee Graeme La Brooy’s report,” the ICC said about the Lahore stadium in a press release.

“The pitch was slow and low and made scoring runs very difficult. It did not suit a One Day International game as batters had to spend more time to settle in. It helped spin very early in the match and continued the same way throughout,” La Brooy said.

The ICC also rated the Lord’s pitch in London, which hosted the first Test between England and New Zealand, as “unsatisfactory” based on Match Referee Andy Pycroft’s report.

“There was plenty of excessive seam movement throughout the Test and the ball also kept extremely low on several occasions. The bounce was variable throughout as 16 wickets fell on the first day and 17 on the second. There was simply an over-balance in favour of ball against bat caused by the pitch,” Pycroft said.

Both Lord’s and Gaddafi Stadium pitches “received one demerit point each under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process”.

The match referees’ reports were forwarded to the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), respectively, and they have 14 days to appeal against the sanction.

“There are no previous demerit points for either venue,” the ICC noted.

The series was played on predominantly low, spin-friendly tracks in Rawalpindi and Lahore, where the tourists largely struggled with the bat.

During the third ODI, Australia were bowled out for 157. Pakistan successfully chased the modest target, although not without several anxious moments, as the pitch offered considerable assistance to the bowlers and made batting difficult throughout the contest.

Some former players and analysts had criticised the surfaces prepared for the series, saying they were tailor-made to favour the home team. However, skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed the criticism.

After the Green Shirts’ win over Australia, Shaheen defended the pitch strategy, saying: “When you have to play against such a team like Australia, you have to prepare such pitches because your objective is to win the series.”

“When we visited Australia, they prepared green pitches because they were playing against an Asian team and believed those conditions would favour them. Despite that, under Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy, we won the series there,” the skipper recalled.

The World Cup kicks off on Thursday with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, launching a sprawling tournament of 48 teams that will last nearly six weeks.

The extravaganza hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada is the biggest World Cup in history, stretching until the final in New Jersey on July 19.

It is projected to generate a record-breaking $13 billion in total revenue.

But football’s world governing body FIFA has faced stinging criticism over the eye-watering costs of tickets while US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has seen a top referee, Iranian team officials and fans refused entry to the US.

Speaking in Mexico City on Wednesday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino launched a spirited defence of the organisation of the tournament and brushed off criticism over visa issues.

Infantino insisted that tickets — which in some cases have topped $30,000 — had been priced appropriately, citing a small number of $60 tickets that were made available in response to criticism.

“Let me just say that our entry price, which is 60 dollars, is the lowest entry price of any of the American sports in the play-off phases,” Infantino said.

“Our average price which is below 500 dollars is again the lowest of the American sports on average.”

‘We don’t control everything’

Infantino also played down the controversy surrounding Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan, who was refused entry after arriving in Miami.

FIFA has since confirmed Artan, who the US State Department said had “associated with suspected members of terrorist organisations,” will play no part in the tournament.

“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino said.

“We don’t control everything… Sometimes it’s good to chill, relax, we work on everything, we try to solve everything.”

The FIFA leader also portrayed Iran’s participation at the World Cup in the midst of its military conflict with the US as a victory for his organisation.

“People were saying Iran couldn’t come to the World Cup,” Infantino said.

“There are challenges, it’s not easy, but I don’t know who else would have been able to ensure in these circumstances — which we could not influence — Iran could come and play.”

Infantino’s close relationship with Trump has come under scrutiny but the FIFA chief lavished praise on the US president.

“Without his engagement and involvement, I think it would have been, simple as that, impossible to organise a World Cup in the United States,” Infantino said of Trump.

Trump confirmed on Wednesday he plans to attend some World Cup matches, without providing details.

“I spoke to Gianni this morning… he said there’s never been anything close” to the success of the coming tournament, Trump said.

Wall of noise

South Africa coach Hugo Broos warned his players to block out a wall of sound during the opening match in the Estadio Azteca, a legendary venue that hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals.

“They will have 85,000 Mexicans shouting and singing. But we have to focus on our game. And if we can do that… then we can have a good game,” the Belgian said.

Mexico have not won any of their seven appearances in an opening game. “We have to break the statistic,” coach Javier Aguirre said.

“It will be another source of motivation.”

South Korea and the Czech Republic play the second game on the opening day, in Guadalajara.

Spain, France and England are the favourites, while reigning champions Argentina will look to their 38-year-old talisman Lionel Messi to drive them to the final.

England wrapped up their preparations on Wednesday with an impressive 3-0 win over a feisty Costa Rica in a match delayed by an hour because of thunderstorms in Orlando.

Coach Thomas Tuchel liked his side’s intensity as Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins got on the scoresheet.

“Until now, it was more a feeling of a pre-season, like an overseas pre-season,” the England boss said.

“I think we set the tone today.”

Images of Merlin, a two-year-old duck, parading on the streets of Mexico City celebrated by fans on social media

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez may have scored the goals, but a duck stole the show.

As Mexico celebrated its World Cup-opening victory over South Africa on Thursday, Merlin, a two-year-old duck dressed in the national team’s colors, became an unlikely internet sensation and the tournament’s first unofficial mascot.