Suffering Argentines explode with joy at 'epic' World Cup win

IN THIS AERIAL VIEW FANS OF ARGENTINA GATHER AT THE OBELISK TO CELEBRATE WINNING THE QATAR 2022 WORLD CUP AGAINST FRANCE IN BUENOS AIRES, ON DECEMBER 18, 2022. | EMILIANO LASALVIA/AFP

Watching football icon Lionel Messi inspire Argentina to World Cup glory on Sunday made the economic suffering engulfing the country "worth it," according to ecstatic fans.

Fireworks cracked, car horns sounded and fans draped in the national blue and white colours sang, danced and waved flags.

An estimated two million people converged around the iconic Obelisk in central Buenos Aires as the party raged long into the warm night on the shores of the River Plate.

The skipper scored two goals against France as the game ended 3-3 after extra-time, with Kylian Mbappé bagging a hat-trick for the reigning champions.

Messi also netted in the shoot-out with goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez saving one penalty before Gonzalo Montiel banged in the winning spot-kick to send Argentine players and fans into raptures.

"This is happiness for everyone, for all these people. Today it was our turn and the joy is ours," said hotel receptionist Julio Berdun, 50, from the capital's Plaza de Mayo square.

"I can't believe it, I can't believe it," repeated Joel Ciarallo, 31, over and again before the final had even finished.

The final was a torturous affair for many fans as Argentina lost a 2-0 half-time lead to be forced into extra-time.

France, just like the Netherlands did to Argentina in the quarter-finals, scored two late goals to prolong the match.

Having taken the lead again in extra-time, through Messi, Argentina were once more pegged back when Mbappé completed his hat-trick with another last gasp equalizer, condemning fans to the nail-biting drama of a penalty shoot-out.

"Epic, this is epic, all of Argentine history is suffering like this," said a fan watching the game on a giant screen in the Centenario park in the capital.

"We were born to suffer, that's how we Argentines are," agreed beer vendor Manuel Erazo. "But we keep going, that's the way the country is."

'Richly deserved distraction'

Watching the World Cup final and dreaming about winning has been a much needed exercise in escapism for citizens of a country that has suffered years of economic turmoil due to spiralling inflation.

Some 40 percent of the 45 million population lives in poverty while soaring inflation and currency devaluation has caused havoc with savings and disposable income.

Argentina "is going through an economic rollercoaster where it's always hard to make ends meet at the end of the month," said Agustín Acevedo, 25, a construction worker from Temperley, who came to Buenos Aires to watch the final.

But "it's perfect, everything we've suffered has been worth it for this."

"Let's be clear, Argentina is in trouble, economically, socially, it's bad. So this distraction is richly deserved," said Acevedo.

As night fell, the Obelisk – the traditional site for sporting celebrations – was lit up, highlighting the swarms of people thronging not just the square itself but every street off it as far as the eye could see.

Ska band La Mosca played a concert in Buenos Aires with an updated version of the team's official World Cup song 'Muchachos,' with the lyrics tweaked to acknowledge Argentina's third title.

The joy was tangible but there was also palpable relief after ending a 36-year gap since their last world title.

"I'm 35, I've been waiting 35 years for this moment in my life, I can't believe it, 35 years waiting for this dream," said Soledad Palacios. "I've been waiting my whole life to enjoy the World Cup."

In Rosario, the home town of Messi and Ángel Di María, Argentina's other final goalscorer on Sunday, fans of rival teams Newell's Old Boys and Rosario Central buried their differences and cheered shoulder to shoulder.

"This national team brings everyone together. You see fans of Central and Newell's hugging, singing. That's the most beautiful thing there is," said Nahuel Cantero, 21.

"This team deserves everything. This is crazy, more than anyone Messi [deserves it] because he never gave up and tried so hard," said 23-year-old Martín Reina.

With the team due to arrive back in Argentina on Monday night ahead of an expected open-top bus parade on Tuesday, the locals in Rosario had just one wish.

"If Messi and Di María come to Rosario to celebrate, we will be delighted," said Micaela Lourdes, 20, who watched the final with her mother.

Kereta Teknis Proyek KCJB Anjlok, Polisi Sebut Ada Korban Tewas

Proses evakuasi kereta teknis proyek Kereta Cepat Jakarta Bandung (KCJB) di Cikalong Wetan, Kabupaten Bandung Barat (Foto: Whisnu Pradana/detikJabar)

Kecelakaan terjadi di proyek Kereta Cepat Jakarta-Bandung (KCJB) di Kampung Campaka, Desa Campakamekar, Kecamatan Padalarang, Kabupaten Bandung Barat (KBB).

Insiden yang melibatkan kereta teknis proyek kereta cepat itu terjadi pada hari Minggu, 18/12/2022, sekitar pukul 16.00 WIB. Berbagai rekaman video warga kecelakaan itu viral di media sosial dan disebutkan hingga menelan korban jiwa.

Berdasarkan pantauan pada hari Senin pago, 19/12/2022, crane berwarna kuning dengan ukuran panjang dan cukup besar sedang dievakuasi pekerja.

Sedangkan sebuah lokomotif berwarna hijau bertuliskan Power China yang sebelumnya keluar jalur lintasan sudah ditutupi sebuah terpal.

Direskrimum Polda Jawa Barat Kombes Pol K Yani Sudarto mengatakan, pihaknya juga masih mendalami kronologis kecelakaan rangkaian kereta teknis tersebut.

"Untuk kronologis masih lidik semua. Dugaan penyebab kecelakaan belum tahu juga masih lidik karena di sini sekarang gelap," kata Yani.

Kepolisian Jabar memastikan ada korban meninggal dunia dan luka. Namun belum bisa dipastikan berapa jumlahnya karena masih dalam proses identifikasi.

"Ada korban (meninggal), tapi masih diidentifikasi tepatnya berapa. Korban luka ada juga. Saat ini sudah dibawa ke RS Santosa," ujar Yani.

Pihak kepolisian bakal bakal menerjunkan tim khusus untuk menyelidiki insiden kecelakaan yang terjadi di proyek PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC) itu.

PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) telah melakukan investigasi menyusul anjloknya kereta teknis yang keluar jalur dari Proyek Kereta Cepat Jakarta – Bandung (KCJB) pada hari Minggu, 18/12/2022. Corporate Secretary KCIC Rahadian Ratry mengatakan, pihaknya akan bekerja sama dengan pihak berwenang untuk menginvestigasi insiden tersebut.

"PT KCIC menyampaikan bahwa kejadian tersebut saat ini masih dalam investigasi pihak terkait," ungkap Rahadian saat dikonfirmasi wartawan.

Dari kabar yang beredar, lanjut Rahadian, Insiden tersebut membuat tenaga kerja PKCB yang terluka. Kejadian ini diperkirakan terjadi di area Cipada - Cikalongwetan Kabupaten Bandung Barat.

"Saat ini petugas kepolisian sudah tiba di lokasi dan melakukan pengamanan. KCIC akan bekerja sama dengan pihak berwenang untuk menginvestigasi insiden ini," ucapnya.

KCIC memastikan pekerjaan yang dilakukan kontraktor KCJB sudah mengimplementasikan aspek safety, security, health and environment (SSHE) pada setiap aktivitas kerja. Menurutnya, para kontraktor akan berkomitmen terhadap aspek keselamatan diri seluruh pekerja sehingga risiko kecelakaan kerja dapat dihindari.

Sebelumnya, salah satu akun Facebook @sekitarbandungcom mengunggah video pendek yang memperlihatkan lokomotif kereta berwarna hijau dan kuning anjlok. Dari keterangan akun tersebut kereta tersebut merupakan rangkaian kereta project yang bertugas untuk membangun infrastruktur pendukung Kereta Cepat Jakarta Bandung.

"Breaking News!! Rangkaian Kereta Project yang bertugas untuk membangun infrastruktur pendukung Kereta Api Cepat Bandung Jakarta dikabarkan anjlok/lepas dari jalur. Menurut informasi dari warga Cipada-Cikalong, Bandung Barat, kejadian tersebut terjadi pada Minggu (18/12/2022) sore sekitar pukul 17.05 WIB. Seperti yang nampak dari video warga Kereta Api yang anjlok dalam kondisi "terbaring" dan hampir "meledug"," tulis akun tersebut.

Berdasarkan pantauan detikJabar di lokasi, kereta teknis berwarna kuning itu didorong satu lokomotif berwarna hijau bertuliskan "Power China" di bagian depan.

Rangkaian kereta teknis itu terlempar dari ujung jalur trase kereta dengan jarak sekitar 200 meter. Saat ini, rangkaian kereta itu masih tergeletak di tepi jalur.

Meski demikian, rangkaian kereta itu sudah ditutupi terpal dan dibatasi dengan garis polisi.

Messi says will continue playing for Argentina after World Cup win

"I want to keep experiencing a few more matches as world champion," says skipper after epic World Cup final victory.

Argentina star Lionel Messi on Sunday vowed to continue playing for his country despite finally realising his lifetime ambition of winning the World Cup.

"I want to keep experiencing a few more matches as world champion," Messi, 35, told local television following the country's epic penalty shoot-out victory over France in the World Cup final in Doha.

But Messi admitted his career was almost finished after the Argentina captain landed the one major international trophy missing from his collection.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward scored two goals in the stunning and chaotic final that ended 3-3 after 120 absorbing minutes, before the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner netted his spot-kick in the shoot-out that Argentina won 4-2.

"Obviously I would like to end my career with this, I cannot ask for more," said Messi. "My career is nearly over because these are my last years."

And after so many disappointments on the biggest stage in football, including losing the 2014 World Cup final to Germany in Brazil, Messi said he always felt his time would come.

"It's crazy that it happened at the time it happened, but it's amazing," he said. "It's amazing that it could end this way. I said previously that God was going to grant me this and I don't know why but I felt it was going to be this time."

Turning his attentions to the match itself, Messi said it was hard to explain after Argentina let slip a two-goal lead late in the game for the second time, following their quarter-final victory over the Netherlands a week earlier.

"It was a very strange match, the same as the other one against the Netherlands, and then when we went ahead in extra-time it happened again," said Messi.

But, he added, the World Cup trophy "is beautiful."

Messi hugged his family and team-mates after the match while coach Lionel Scaloni, winger Ángel Di María, who scored Argentina's second goal, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez could not contain their tears after the final whistle.

Messi has played 172 times for Argentina, scoring 98 goals since making his debut in 2005.

Gunung Semeru Kembali Erupsi

Erupsi Gunung Semeru di Kabupaten Lumajang, Jawa Timur kembali terjadi, pada hari Minggu, 18/12/2022, pukul 18.20 WIB. Erupsi itu berdurasi 200 detik dengan ketinggian 700 m dengan jarak luncur 1.000 meter mengarah ke tenggara atau Besuk Kobokan.

Kepala BPBD Kabupaten Lumajang Patria Dwi Hastiadi memastikan, erupsi disertai guguran seperti yang terlihat pada kamera CCTV Semeru bukan Awan Panas Guguran (APG).

"Sekitar jam setengah 7 malam ada aktivitas kegempaan berupa erupsi guguran, tapi bukan APG," kata Patria di kantornya, hari Minggu, 18/12/2022.

Beberapa titik terdampak dikabarkan terjadi hujan abu dengan intensitas rendah seperti Desa Sumbermujur, Desa Ranupani, dan Pasrujambe.

Hal ini karena saat erupsi terjadi, angin mengarah ke utara sehingga menyebabkan kepulan asap yang membawa material abu tertiup ke utara.

"Karena arah angin mengarah ke utara, disinyalir ada beberapa titik yang terdampak hujan abu," tambahnya.

Pada pagi hari terjadi tiga kali erupsi. Erupsi pertama kali terjadi pukul 05.00 WIB setinggi 300 meter di atas puncak atau 3.976 m di atas permukaan laut. Kemudian Erupsi kedua terjadi pukul 06.23 WIB. Tinggi letusan teramati 800 meter dari puncak atau 4.476 meter di atas permukaan laut. Ketiga terjadi pukul 07.55 WIB setinggi 700 meter dari puncak mahameru. Kolom abu teramati berwarna putih hingga kelabu dengan intensitas tebal ke arah utara.

Sementara, laporan Pos Pantau Gunung Api Semeru di Gunung Sawur periode pengamatan 00.00-18.00 WIB mencatat ada 11 erupsi berupa letusan asap yang teramati secara langsung.

Letusan asap berwarna putih kelabu itu teramati membumbung di atas puncak kawah Jonggring Saloko dengan ketinggian antara 300-800 meter mengarah ke utara.

Selain itu, guguran lava pijar juga terpantau terjadi empat kali dalam periode pengamatan tersebut. Jarak luncurnya antara 300 - 800 meter dari ujung lidah lava mengarah ke Besuk Kobokan.

Secara kegempaan, seismograf milik pos pantau merekam ada 53 kali gempa letusan dengan amplitudo maksimal 13-22 mm dengan durasi 50-165 detik.

Patria mengimbau masyarakat untuk tetap waspada dan tidak panik sambil menunggu informasi resmi dari petugas BPBD maupun PVMBG.

"Kita tetap waspada, saling memberikan informasi, masyarakat diminta untuk seleksi berita, seleksi data terutama menunggu informasi resmi dari PVMBG maupun BPBD," pungkas Patria.

US Teacher Allegedly Forced to Resign After Rejecting Students 'Preferred Pronouns'

Vivian Geraghty filed a lawsuit against Jackson Memorial Middle School in federal court this week

The teacher had to resign despite attempting to find “a solution that would allow her to continue teaching without violating her religious beliefs and constitutional rights,” according to her lawsuit.

A former Ohio school teacher has filed a lawsuit over the circumstances of her resignation.

According to media reports, Vivian Geraghty (24) is suing the school she used to work at, the Jackson Memorial Middle School in Massillon, as well as the Board of Education and two school district employees.

Geraghty, who resigned in August, claims that she quit her job after two students asked her to use names aligned “with their new gender identities rather than their legal names.”

As the students’ request was apparently in line with the school’s policy that stipulates teachers use students’ preferred pronouns, Geraghty, who describes herself as Christian, reached out to the principal in a bid to reach “a solution that would allow her to continue teaching without violating her religious beliefs and constitutional rights.”

However, as she insisted that she would not use the students’ preferred pronouns, Geraghty later had another meeting with the principal and another school district employee, and was told that “she would be required to put her beliefs aside as a public servant,” the lawsuit alleges.

The district employee then reportedly told Geraghty that, if she did not participate in the students’ “social transition”, she would have to quit, and the latter ended up resigning over what she described as “irreconcilable” differences between herself and the school district.

“While some may say this is forcing my beliefs on others, I say this is standing up for the mission that every teacher should fight for,” Geraghty reportedly stated.

The lawsuit claims the request signified the students' decisions to transition to genders inconsistent with their sex assigned at birth.

Feeling that doing so would violate both her Christian faith and "scientific understanding," Geraghty approached principal Kacy Carter to discuss "a way to move forward consistent with her conscience and her professional obligation."

"But as soon as Defendants found out that Ms. Geraghty had a religious basis for resisting their attempt to implement an orthodoxy, they forced her to resign," the lawsuit reads. 

Carter allegedly told Geraghty that as a public employee, she must be willing to put her religious beliefs aside. With Geraghty unwilling to do so, she was allegedly handed a laptop by another employee and instructed to draft a resignation letter immediately.

"Within two hours of being notified that Ms. Geraghty had reservations about their approach to the issue, without there ever being any complaint from a student or disruption of any school services, Defendants ejected her from the school," the lawsuit reads.

Geraghty ultimately submitted a letter of resignation in which she said she was "standing up for the mission that every teacher should fight for." She feels that fighting for what she believes in aligns with what she and others strive to teach students to do every day.

Geraghty calls JLS's actions a violation of both freedom of speech and religion, as well as an attempt by Ohio to enforce a set of beliefs on its employees. Her argument is supported by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the conservative Christian legal advocacy group which filed the suit on her behalf.

“No school official can force a teacher to set her religious beliefs aside in order to keep her job. The school tried to force Vivian to recite as true the school’s viewpoint on issues that go to the foundation of morality and human identity, like what makes us male or female, by ordering her to personally participate in the social transition of her students," ADF Legal Counsel Logan Spena said. "The First Amendment prohibits that abuse of power."

JLS indicated to The National Desk (TND) that its goal is to "provide a safe, comfortable environment" for all of its nearly 6,000 students. While it is aware of the lawsuit and has engaged legal counsel, it says it has no further comment on pending litigations.

Teacher Who Refused to Use a Student’s Chosen Pronouns Jailed in Ireland

In September 2022 Enoch Burke, a teacher at the Church of Ireland’s diocesan school for Meath and Kildare, was arrested because he entered school grounds after being suspended and put on administrative leave. In doing so, he breached a court order and was subsequently arrested and sent to Mountjoy prison.

Burke teaches German, history and politics at Wilson’s Hospital School in Westmeath, Ireland, which is a Church of Ireland boarding school first founded in 1761 and was an all-boys school until 1969. Burke was given a court order at the start of fall term not to teach or be physically present at the school following his refusal to address one of his student’s with their chosen pronouns.

©Burke Broadcast

Burke refused to comply with the order and apparently showed up to the empty classroom and declared he was there to work. It was then that he was arrested after breaching the court order.

“I am a teacher and I don't want to go to prison. I want to be in my classroom today, that's where I was this morning when I was arrested,” Burke told Judge Michael Quinn in court. “I love my school, with its motto Res Non Verba, actions not words, but I am here today because I said I would not call a boy a girl.”

“Transgenderism is against my Christian belief. It is contrary to the scriptures, contrary to the ethos of the Church of Ireland and of my school,” he added.

“My religious beliefs are not misconduct. They are not gross misconduct. They never will be. They are dear to me. I will never deny them and never betray them, and I will never bow to an order that would require me to do so. It is just not possible for me to do that.”

Judge Quinn found Burke guilty of violating a High Court order to keep him off the school’s premises. Judge Quinn said he was not ruling on Burke’s principles or religious beliefs but on the question of whether or not he would try and return to the school despite being prohibited from doing so.

“It is insanity that I will be led from this courtroom to a place of incarceration, but I will not give up my Christian beliefs,” said Burke after the judge made his ruling.

Rosemary Mallon, who is a barrister-at-law for the board of management, told Judge Quinn that the school, in an effort to get Burke to comply with the order, saw that they had no choice but to send him to prison despite having a “heavy heart” in doing so.

“Mr. Burke is knowingly in breach of this order, he is therefore in contempt and he has made it clear that if he is not committed to prison he will attend at the school (today), and the concerns of the school regarding the ongoing disruption to the students remain,” said Mallon before the ruling.

Harimau Ragunan Kurus, Begini Penjelasan Pengelola

Harimau benggala bernama Juve saat berada di kandang Taman Margasatwa Ragunan. Foto: Instagram/@ragunanzoo

Harimau Benggala bernama Juve di Taman Margasatwa Ragunan, viral karena kondisi badannya yang terlihat kurus. Pengelola kebun binatang meminta maaf dan menyebut harimau bernama Juve itu tengah menjalani penyembuhan.

Berawal dari beredarnya sebuah video yang memperlihatkan seekor harimau bertubuh kurus di Taman Margasatwa Ragunan, Jakarta Selatan. Unggahan video oleh akun Instagram Ketua Animal Defender Doni Herdaru.

Tampak dalam video tersebut, harimau berjalan dengan kaki belakang dan pinggul kurus. Cara menapak kaki kanan belakang hewan loreng tersebut juga terlihat tidak lurus seperti kaki kirinya.

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Humas Taman Margasatwa Ragunan Wahyudi Bambang membenarkan bahwa harimau dalam video viral tersebut adalah satwa koleksi kebun binatang itu.

Melalui Instagram @ragunanzoo, pengelola Ragunan merespons unggahan Doni. Video itu juga diunggah oleh Doni.

"Kami ingin menanggapi video yang tengah viral mengenai salah satu harimau Benggala di Taman Margasatwa Ragunan," kata petugas Taman Margasatwa Ragunan dalam video tersebut.

Dia memberi penjelasan itu di depan kandang si harimau. Video juga merekam cara gerak harimau ini.

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Menurut video klarifikasi yang diunggah di Instagram resmi Ragunan, Juve juga tampak tak sekurus dalam video yang diunggah Doni. Juve disebut terlihat kurus karena dilihat dari jauh dan ada kelainan kaki belakang dengan sendi menonjol dan kurus.

Namun, bagian perut hingga kepala Juve berukuran sedang dan tak sekurus bagian kaki belakangnya.

Kepala Humas Taman Satwa Ragunan Wahyudi Bambang mengatakan, Juve kurus bukan karena tak terawat. Harimau itu sempat sakit, berusia tua, dan memiliki kelainan di kaki belakang sehingga nampak kurus saat dilihat dari jauh.

Dalam keterangan tertulis Taman Margasatwa Ragunan yang diterima media Tempo, disebutkan bahwa binatang tersebut merupakan harimau bengal atau benggala jantan berusia 16 tahun bernama Juve.

Pengelola Ragunan menyatakan Juve sempat menderita penyakit saluran kencing. Namun kini kondisinya sudah membaik setelah diberikan pengobatan dan perawatan oleh tim dokter hewan UP Taman Margasatwa Ragunan (UP TMR).

Dijelaskan bahwa masa hidup harimau benggala di alam bebas adalah 15 tahun, sedangkan jika dirawat dalam penangkaran atau lembaga konservasi masa hidupnya meningkat menjadi 20 tahun.

Saat ini Juve berada di kandangnya, namun tidak dikeluarkan ke pekarangan. Sehingga pemandangan di pekarangan kandang Juve terlihat kosong.

“Sehingga, bisa dikatakan bahwa saat ini Juve sudah tergolong berusia tua untuk ukuran seekor harimau benggala,” kata pengelola Ragunan dalam keterangannya.

"Ada di kandangnya, tapi memang tidak dikeluarkan, dienklosur," kata Bambang.

Juve Miliki Berat Badan Ideal

Ragunan membantah tubuh harimau itu kurus. Dijelaskan bahwa Juve memiliki berat badan yang sudah ideal.

“Tim dokter hewan UP TMR menyatakan bahwa harimau benggala Juve memiliki berat badan yang ideal sesuai dengan penilaian menggunakan Body Condition Scoring (BCS) harimau benggala.”

Juve disebut memiliki skor 3 dari 5. Hal itu dilihat dari kondisi coste atau tulang dada yang tidak terlihat menonjol.

Selain itu, harimau benggala tersebut juga memang memiliki kelainan pada tulang kaki belakangnya yang merupakan kondisi bawaan sejak lahir. Kondisi tersebut membuat Juve tidak terlihat seperti harimau benggala pada umumnya saat berjalan.

“Unit Pengelola Taman Margasatwa Ragunan selaku Lembaga Konservasi selalu berusaha semaksimal mungkin untuk memenuhi kewajiban pengelolaan satwa dengan selalu mengutamakan dan memperhatikan kesejahteraan satwa,” katanya.