DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
German watchdog files market manipulation charges Germanyʼs financial market regulator filed charges against multiple people for allegedly trying to manipulate the share price of payment services provider Wirecard AG. The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) opened a probe into the matter after the German companyʼs stock fell 40 percent in late January in response to several Financial Times articles that accused Wirecard of fraud. BaFin confirmed to DW that it had filed the charges with prosecutors in the southern city of Munich. Der Spiegel magazine first reported on the filing.A spokeswoman at the watchdog said the suspects were accused of trying to manipulate Wirecardʼs share price as part of a "short attack." She did not provide any details on their identity.Der Spiegel reported that BaFin had targeted a dozen people, including journalists at the Financial Times.The regulatorʼs probes into "other potential attempts to manipulate Wirecard AG shares are continuing," the spokeswoman said.
Germanyʼs AfD party fined over €400,000 for illegal campaign financing The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was fined €402,900 ($455,548) by German parliamentʼs administrative authority on Tuesday. The fine is related toillegal campaign fundsfor two of the partyʼs officials. The campaign funds originated from Swiss public relations agency Goal AG.German parties and candidates are not permitted to receive donations from non-EU entities.The funds were used to finance state election campaigns in 2016 and 2017 for national chairman Jörg Meuthen and national board member Guido Reil.AfD co-leader Alice Weidel could also be fined for receiving illegal funds, again from Switzerland, where she lived for years.The court set the fines to total three times the amount of the illegal donations.Both Meuthen and Reil are running for German seats in the European parliamentary elections slated for May.
89/2019 • 17 APRIL, 2019
Franceʼs Macron vows to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral within 5 years Two French billionaires and oil giant Total have already pledged huge donations
The French president has announced a funding campaign to rebuild Notre Dame after it was partially gutted in a fire. Two French billionaires and oil giant Total have already pledged huge donations towards the effort. French President Emmanuel Macron committed on Monday to rebuilding Notre Dame Cathedral within five years after the Paris landmark was partially gutted in a devastating fire. "We will rebuild Notre Dame even more beautifully and I want it to be completed in five years, we can do it," Macron said in a television address to the nation. Describing Notre Dame as "the epicenter of our life," Macron had earlier announced that a fundraising campaignwould begin Tuesday and called on the worldʼs "greatest talents" to help rebuild the cathedral. French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault, who is married to actress Salma Hayek,immediately pledged €100 million ($113 million)towards "the effort necessary to completely rebuild Notre Dame." The CEO of the Kering group, which owns the Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent fashion houses, said the money would be paid by the Pinault familyʼs investment firm, Artemis. Later on Tuesday, a second French billionaire, Bernard Arnault of Christian Dior SE and the sprawling luxury goods empire LVMH, promised €200 million ($226 million) to the reconstruction efforts. That was followed by a €100-million
pledge from French oil company Total. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas offered Berlinʼs support, saying the fire "struck at the heart of all of Europe." "We offer France the assistance it desires," said Maas. "Specialists in Germany and France are already working together. All of Europe is with France today." Peter Füssenich, the architect who led restoration work at Cologneʼs Dom Cathedral, said that "just by seeing the images on TV, you know that it will not just take years to deal with the damage, but that itʼs going to take decades." Speaking outside the cathedral, Macron said the "the worst had been avoided" after firefighters managed to contain the fire following a collapse of the spire and the wooden roof structure went up in flames. Miraculously, only a small part of the vault appeared to have collapsed into the interior and firefighters were able to save valuable relics and pieces of art. Paris fire brigade chief Jean-Claude Gallet said the main structure of Notre Dame had been saved and preserved, as well as the two rectangular towers at its facade. The fire service said the blaze had been fully extinguished on Tuesday morning.
Bahrain strips 138 people of citizenship for links to elite Iran force A court in Bahrain sentenced 138 people to jail and stripped them of their citizenship for conspiring to create a "terror" cell linked to Iranʼs elite Revolutionary Guards force, the countryʼs public prosecutor said. The mass sentencing was "the largest" revocation of nationality since the country started using the punishment in 2012, the Europe-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) said. The 138 people received sentences ranging from three years to life imprisonment. One man was jailed, but did not have his citizenship revoked.The group was accused of forming a "Bahraini Hezbollah" — a reference to the Shiite militant faction in Lebanon — with Iranian help, to carry out terrorist attacks in Sunni-ruled Bahrain.Some of them were alleged to have received military training in Lebanon, Iran and Iraq.Nearly 100 defendants were fined some $265,000 (€235,000) each.Thirty people were acquitted.
Widow of prominent IS terrorist reportedly living quiet life in Germany When Jenan Moussa, an acclaimed war reporter for the Arab TV channel Al Aan, received the contents of a smart phone from a "trusted source," she immediately knew she had been handed a treasure trove. The phone, she says, belonged to an Omaima A. — a German citizen of Tunisian descent.
weather today BUDAPEST
8 / 17 °C Precipitation: 0 mm
89/2019 • 17 April, 2019
European Court of Justice rules Polish arrest warrants can be halted The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled against extraditing suspects to Poland on Wednesday if there are "serious and fact-based grounds" to believe the suspect would not receive a fair trial. The ruling concernsa Polish man in Irelandwho claims recent justice reforms in Poland harmed his chances of being treated fairly. The man is suspected of drug trade. In recent years, Polandʼs ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has been working to place courts under a tighter control of the executive branch. Among other steps, the parliament now has power to choose members of the National Council of the Judiciary whose job is to oversee judicial impartiality. More recently, the lawmakers changed retirement age for the Supreme Court judges, which critics believe was aimed at ousting the most experienced judges and stacking the body with government supporters. The Supreme Court and its chief Malgorzata Gersdorf are opposing the move.
Geely the car industryʼs rising ʼprofitability starʼ Ferdinand Dudenhöffer from the CAR Center Automotive Research at Germanyʼs Duisburg-Essen University called Chinese auto manufacturer Geely "the profitability star of the worldʼs car industry." A fresh study by the center points out that on average, a Geely car costs just €9,529 ($10,942), but the companysecures a 14.4 percent profit from revenues before tax and interest. Dudenhöffer says thatʼs a lot more than, say, the profit margins of foreign rivals BMW, Toyota or PSAOpel. The worldʼs largest carmaker, Wolfsburg-based Volkswagen, logs a profit margin of only 8.2 percent, the survey says. Geely is part of the Zhejiang Geely Holding,which also owns Volvo Cars, London EVTaxi and Lotus.The holding has also acquired a 10 percent stake in Daimler. According to the CAR researchers, Geelyʼs rapid rise is based on its successful compact car platform, which it developed together with Sweden-based Volvo. "What Ferdinand Piëch managed to implement at VW from 1993 with the help of his platform strategyis in a way being copied now by Geelyʼs main shareholder and founder, Li Shufu," said Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, adding that the Chinese were becoming major players in the global auto market. 2
German court dismisses comedianʼs case against Merkel The text, which he read on German TV, sparked a diplomatic row with Turkey
A court in Berlin has rejected a bid by Jan Böhmermann to sue Angela Merkel over her response to a poem he wrote about Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Judges in Berlinʼs administrative court on Monday dismissedan attempt by comedian Jan Böhmermannto ban Chancellor Angela Merkel from repeating her criticism of his 2016 poem. The controversial text lambasted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, fueling diplomatic tensions with Turkey and triggering a debate about free speech in Germany. Merkel at the time called the crude poem "deliberately offensive," but later said her choice of words had been a "mistake."
Confusion over missing Saudi journalist in Turkey who ʼvanishedʼ from consulate Turkish and Saudi officials have given conflicting reports on the whereabouts of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday. Khashoggi, a regular contributor to The Washington Post, has been a fierce critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and has criticized Saudi Arabiaʼs policies toward Qatar and Canada,the war in Yemen and a
Rappler CEO Maria Ressa says arrests intended to shut up news site Maria Ressa, founder of the Philippinesʼ online news site Rappler, said the multiple legal proceedings and arrests were all part of the official attempt to shut Rappler up. The former CNN correspondent is facing charges ranging from tax evasion to libel. "I spent most of yesterday running in and out of four different courts," Ressa told DW on Tuesday. "I mean itʼs gone from the ridiculous to the absurd." The latest chargesagainst Ressa and six other directors are for alleged violation of the Securities Regulation Code of the Philippines. Rappler has been charged with violating constitutional limitations on ownership and control of mass media entities by accepting funds from foreign investor Omidyar Network. Only Filipino citizens can own media entities in the South East Asian nation. "Arrested on Friday. A new arrest warrant on Monday. 8th time to post bail. And the weekʼs just starting!" Ressa said.
Merkel made the comments while Erdogan was seeking to sue the German satirist using an old law that was removed altogether in response to the case; her description may have helped the Turkish leader. The court said it was rejecting Böhmermannʼs complaint because Merkel had already distanced herself from the remark, and the Chancellery had insisted there was no danger of it being repeated. Neither Böhmermann nor Merkel appeared in court; both were represented by their lawyers. crackdown on dissent, the media and activists. Khashoggiʼs personal website bore a banner saying, "Jamal has been arrested at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul!" without elaborating. A Saudi official denied that Khashoggi had been detained inside the consulate. "Mr. Khashoggi visited the consulate to request paperwork related to his marital status and exited shortly thereafter," the official said. "He is neither in the consulate nor in Saudi custody."
Afghan leader rejects resignation of spy chief, top ministers President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday
urged Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak, Defense Minister Tareq Shah Bahrami, and intelligence chief Masoum Stanekzai to stay in their posts, the Afghan government said. The three officials submitted resignation letters on Saturday, citing policy differences and a spate of deadly attacks. "President Ghani did not approve their resignations... and gave them the necessary instructions to improve the security situation," a statement from the presidential palace said. The offers to step down followed the resignation of Ghaniʼs national security adviser and close ally, Hanif Atmar, on Friday. Atmar, one of the countryʼs most powerful politicians, has been replaced by former ambassador to the US Hamdullah Mohib.
89/2019 • 17 April, 2019
Notre Dame fire was likely accident, not arson — prosecutor The Paris prosecutor has said thereʼs no evidence to suggest arson was behind the blaze at Notre Dame. Authorities have assembled a team to probe the cause and interview workers involved in the siteʼs renovations. The cause of the massive fire that engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral was probably accidental, Paris Prosecutor Remy Heitz said Tuesday. The blaze burned through the night andcaused extensive damageto the 8-century-old Gothic structure, prompting its spire to collapse.
German satirist Jan Böhmermann sues Angela Merkel over Erdogan poem remark German comedian Jan Böhmermannis seeking an injunction against German Chancellor Angela Merkelover her comments about his controversial poem about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a Berlin court confirmed on Tuesday. Böhmermannʼs "Schmähgedicht" — or "defamatory poem" — sparked a diplomatic crisis between Germany and Turkey in 2016 and led to an investigation against the German comedian. Details of the case: A spokesperson with Berlinʼs Administrative Court told news agency DPA that Böhmermannʼs suit against Merkel includes two parts: First, he wants the court to bar her from publically repeating that his poem was "purposefully offensive."If the court rejects that motion, Böhmermann has asked the court to formally state that Merkelʼs assessment of his poem was unlawful.The Berlin court will hear the case on April 16 and is also due to deliver a verdict then as well.Merkel will not personally appear in court, but will be represented by her lawyer.
"Nothing suggests that it was a voluntary act ... We are favoring the theory of an accident," Heitz told reporters, adding that a team of 50 people were working on a probe into how the fire started. He said the investigation would likely be "long and complex."
Paris court hands down convictions over 2013 horsemeat scandal
A Paris criminal court on Tuesday found four men guilty offalsely labeling horsemeatas beef, handing down fines and jail time for the role they played in a Europe-wide food-fraud scandal. The scandal resulted in millions of industrialized beef dishes beingpulled from supermarket shelvesafter it was discovered that they containedhorsemeat despite being labeled as beef. The scam involved importing cheap horsemeat from Belgium, Romania and Canada. The men then pocketed the profits
they made after selling the meat as beef. The court found Jacques Poujol, the former director of the meat processing company Spanghero in southwestern France, to two years in jail and confiscated €100,000 ($113,000) seized at Poujolʼs home. Poujol will serve six months in jail and be on probation for a further 18 months. Moreover, he is prohibited from working in the meat industry for two years. Spanghero manager Patrice Monguillon was given a one-year suspended sentence.
Italy blocks NGO ship carrying rescued migrants from docking Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has refused to allow an Italian-flagged ship carrying 49 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya to dock in Italy. Salvini told Italian radio that migrants aboard the Mare Jonio "can be treated, dressed and fed. We can give them every manner of comfort, but they will not set foot in Italy." The group, including 12 minors, were rescued by humanitarian group Mediterranea Saving Humans and sailed to "the closest safe port" of Lampedusa in Italyʼs south, flanked by Italian coast guard boats. "Those on board had been at sea for almost two days …
3
89/2019 • 17 April, 2019 Germany attempts ʼface-savingʼ resolution to Saudi drugs boycott
The human rightsrow between Saudi Arabia and Canada made international headlinesin recent weeks, when the Riyadh government suddenly suspended new trade and investment to the Great White North. The punitive measures were in response to a simple tweet by Canadaʼs foreign minster, calling for the release of two jailed Saudi activists. Receiving less attention has been the diplomatic spat between Europeʼs No. 1 economy and the oil-rich kingdom — also sparked by a ministerʼs comments; this time Sigmar Gabriel, Germanyʼs thenforeign minister. During the political crisis in Lebanon last November that saw Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri resign and later rescind his decision, Riyadh was widely accused of forcing his departure, which Gabriel alluded to as "adventurism." ʼShamefulʼ remarks hurt tiesRiyadh immediately recalled its ambassador to Berlin, telling the German government the comments were "shameful." In May, it went further and froze all new business with Germany. Over the subsequent months, several German pharmaceutical and medical technology firms, including Siemens Healthineers, Bayer and Boerhringer Ingelheim, have been excluded from public healthcare tenders in the kingdom. A pharmaceutical industry source told DW, on condition of anonymity, that Saudi authorities had not given any written explanation about the exclusion, and that there was no clear path for Germany to resolve the issue. Efforts by German diplomats to mediate with Saudi authorities were delayed, initially, by the Holy Month of Ramadan, and the summer break, as Gulf countries stop work in July and August due to the extreme heat.
Global property markets on the turn Boom times in many global real estate markets are turning to bust. Australia, several Asian countries and North America are starting to see large price corrections that are leaving speculators racing for cover. Australiaʼs housing market is witnessing its steepest annual fall in 15 years. In Sydney, prices are down 10 percent in a year. House prices in Sydney doubled in a decade on the back of Australiaʼs booming economy, with the median price still being an eyewatering 1,062,619 Australian dollars (€668,391, $762,391). But tighter lending criteria for mortgages have helped fuel the drop. Bangkokʼs condo market cools Bangkok condominiums have been popular with Chinese investors over the past five years, with prices rising at 5-10 percent per annum. 4
Paris joins Hong Kong and Singapore as worldʼs most expensive city The French capital shares the title of the worldʼs most expensive place to live with Hong Kong and Singapore. Economic woes have made Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo and Istanbul much cheaper. Singapore is one of the worldʼs three most expensive cities for the sixth year running, according to The Economist Intelligence Unitʼs 2019 Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, released on Tuesday. The southeast Asian citystate shares the tag of the most costly place to live with Hong Kong and Paris. When the prices of more than 150 items were compared in 133 cities around the world, the French capital moved up one place in the rankings compared to last year. Parisʼ ad-
No breakthrough in China-US trade talks Chinaʼs Ministry of Commerce said on Friday that it had held "constructive meetings" with US officialsafter talks resumed between the countries over their ongoing trade spat. Nonetheless, with no major breakthrough yet in sight, the resumption of talks did not prevent an additional $16 billion (€13.83 billion) of tariffs being levied by the US and China on each otherʼs goods, starting from Thursday. Read more: US-China trade spat: Clash of the titans, part 2 Talks took place on Wednesday and Thursday aimed at defusing the escalating conflict, which has now seen both countries slap $50 billion in tariffs on the otherʼs products, with more expected to follow. The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that the officials on both sides have vowed to "keep in contact" in the future. High-tech will suffer, says China Meanwhile, a prominent Chinese state planner said on Friday that US tariffs onhigh-tech Chinese technology would have an impact on the tech sectors in both countries.
D8 Hotel 1051 Budapest Dorottya utca 8. Phone: +36 1 614 0000 hotel@d8hotel.hu www.d8hotel.hu
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagherʼs fashion brand hits financial wonderwall The former Oasis starʼs business is reportedly looking for a buyer after incurring losses in 2018 on the back of 2017 losses. Pretty Green — inspired by the name of song from the British 1980s pop band The Jam — reported revenues of 22 million pounds (€26 million, $28 million) in 2018 but failed to turn a profit, even with sales up 32 percent. Its pre-tax loss of 1.5 million pounds followed a 5.6-million-pound loss the year before. Gallagher, the largest shareholder, earned 120,000 pounds from the firm last year, records show. The brand incurred costs of 333,000 pounds relating to an abandoned stock market flotation, while a cash injection of 11 million pounds from the hedge fund Rockpool Investments in 2017 to help expand the business failed. Gallagher set up Pretty Green 11 years ago and its range includes coats that cost up to 425 pounds and jeans for up to 150 pounds.
Published by: Mega Media Kft. 1075 Budapest, Madách I. út 13-14. +36 1 398 0344 www.hotelujsag.hu
vance perhapsbolsters the central case of Franceʼs yellow vest protesters, who have blockaded major roads and cities during the past four months over the rising cost of living. The Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva were ranked fourth and joint fifth respectively, followed by Japanʼs Osaka and Seoul in South Korea. Israelʼs secondmost populous city, Tel Aviv, entered the Top 10 for the first time — the only Middle Eastern high-ranked representative in the survey.
No-deal Brexit ʼalmost inevitableʼ — the view from Europe
The deadline for the UK to present the European Union with a new proposal for its exit from the bloc or crash out without a deal is fast approaching. A top EU official has warned that Britain is "facing the abyss." After the UK Parliament once again rejected alternative options to Prime Minister Theresa Mayʼs Brexit deal, European politicians were quick to react. The European Parliamentʼs Brexit coordinator said the UK has a "last chance" to break the deadlock on leaving the European Union when Parliament meets again on Wednesday or "face the abyss." Guy Verhofstadt said: "The House of Commons again votes against all options. A hard #Brexit becomes nearly inevitable. Jens Geier, a German member of the European Parliament, said that there was a "ridiculous self-blockade in the British parliament" and that the EU could only agree to an extension of the Brexit deadline beyond April 12 if there was a second referendum.
89/2019 • 17 April, 2019
After Chinaʼs import ban, where to with the worldʼs waste? The search for new refuse dumps is ongoing
When China announced it would no longer recycle the worldʼs old plastic bottles, cardboard boxes and tattered newspapers, it triggered a global trash crisis. The toxic fumes wafting across the small village of Jenjarom, just outside the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, are especially bad at night, when the nearby recycling plants begin to meltplastic waste. "It stinks, and the fumes hurts our lungs," says Lay Peng, a 47-year-old who lives in a nearby housing estate. "No one can run away from the toxic fumes, thatʼs the worst part." Lay Peng says hundreds of tons of plastic waste are reg-
ularly incinerated in an illegal operation just a kilometer (around half a mile) from her home. Her three children, she says, have all developed asthma, and her husband has been hospitalized with lung cancer. For the last year and a half, Jenjarom has been importing increasing amounts of plastic waste to be recycled and incinerated, putting the village in the middle of a worldwide garbage crisis.
Erwin Blumenfeld: Fashion photographyʼs surrealist innovator An imaginative visionary who claimed to have "smuggled art" into his body of work, photographer Erwin Blumenfeld often embraced mischief when he produced his images. His friendship with Dadaists impacted how he experimented with photography and his life experiences, which took the GermanJewish photographer from his Berlin birthplace to a failed business in Amsterdam to internment camps in France and eventually to the United States, also fed into the dark visual subtitles of his images. While in Europe, Blumenfeld shot in black and white, but itʼs his kaleidoscopic photography that forms the subject of a new exhibition at Foam in Amsterdam: "Erwin Blumenfeld in Color — His New York Years."
This bag should never miss a single holiday! A perfect travel companion from Högl
ʼBorn in Evinʼ: Processing the trauma of the Iranian Revolution One day, the story just slips out of her auntʼs mouth: Maryam Zaree did not come into this world in a normal hospital; instead, she was born in captivity in 1983. The aunt said she was horrified when she realized that the girl wasnʼt aware of that. She thought Zareeʼs parents had long explained to the 12-year-old that she was born in Evin, one of Iranʼs most notorious prisons for political prisoners. But this was not the case. And even after the revelation, there were no further conversations to discuss
and process this part of the family history. Baby behind bars The story begins when Zareeʼs parents meet in Iran. They listen to John Lennon, read Karl Marx and are against the ruling shah and Iranʼs monarchy. But with the Iranian Revolution of 1979, one strong man is replaced by another and they are declared enemies of the new religious regime under Ayatollah Khomeini. In 1983, Zareeʼs parents are arrested and Maryam Zaree along with them — as a baby in her motherʼs belly.
Whether youʼre sightseeing, shopping, exploring or relaxing on the beach, this "Belly" bag can attach around your waist practically or be worn across your shoulder. www.hoegl.com
Weather
Thu
7 / 16
Fri
Sat
7 / 16
9 / 18
Hungary Budapest: Debrecen: Eger: Hévíz:
6/17 5/16 4/16 5/15
Athens: Berlin: Bratislava: Bucharest: London: Madrid:
4/8 0/13 5/7 6/15 3/17 10/13
Kecskemét: Keszthely: Siófok:
5/15 4/16 6/13
Europe Moscow: Paris: Prague: Rome: Varsaw: Vienna:
0/14 5/10 5/8 10/13 5/16 5/15
Culture
Renovated Museum of Fine Arts to Open on 31 October AFTER MORE THAN THREE YEARS OF RENOVATION, THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BUDAPEST WILL OPEN ON 31 OCTOBER. NOW OPEN TO PUBLIC Thanks to the largest-scale and most comprehensive reconstruction project in the museum’s history, the museum building has been renewed, and, returning to the collection’s first concept, the museum’s permanent exhibitions will also be rearranged. Besides the new permanent exhibitions, the revamped museum will welcome visitors with a chamber exhibition titled Leonardo & the Budapest Horse and Rider. The museum reconstruction, implemented within the framework of the Liget Budapest Project, included the restoration of the Romanesque Hall, which sustained severe damage in World War II and since then had been only partially renovated and used as a storage area, along with the modernisation of the building’s obsolete heating system, the installation of air conditioning in some of the exhibition halls, the renewal of a large part of the roof structure, as well as the addition of new exhibition spaces, visitor areas and modern storage facilities.
5
89/2019 • 17 April, 2019
DFB President Reinhard Grindel steps down
The German FA (DFB) announced on Tuesday that the organizationʼs president, Reinhard Grindel, had resigned with immediate effect. The two DFB first vice presidents, Rainer Koch and Reinhard Rauball, are to lead the DFB on an interim basis until a new president is elected at a congress in September. "Through his high level of personal commitment Reinhard Grindel has achieved a lot for the DFB, not only regarding the application for EURO 2024," Koch said in a statement posted on the DFBʼs website. "We are very grateful to him and greatly respect his decision." According to the statement, Grindel is to continue to serve as a member of the FIFA Council and on the UEFA Executive Committee.
Danny Cipriani: Gloucester fly-half signs new contract
Gloucester fly-half Danny Cipriani has signed a new contract with the Premiership club. The 31-year-old is believed to have agreed a three-year deal, which could see the England international end his career at Kingsholm. The former Sale Sharks back joined the Cherry and Whites from top-flight rivals Wasps last summer. Cipriani, who has 16 caps, has been in fine form this season, helping Gloucester to third in the table. After a three-year absence from the national side, he was recalled to Englandʼs squad last summer but has not featured for Eddie Jonesʼ team since Juneʼsthird Test against South Africa. 6
Aleksandar Kolarovʼs free kick stunner secures Serbia win over Costa Rica A brilliant second half free kick from captain Aleksandar Kolarov led Serbia to a deserved win over Costa Rica. Serbia were wasteful in front of goal but did enough to secure three vital points in Group E. Another World Cup day, another sublime freekick. If Cristiano Ronaldo’s ice-cold effort tosnatch a point against arch-rivals Spain on day two was the current goal of the tournament front-runner, the Portuguese may have just met his match. Aleksandar Kolarov, take a bow. A combination of poor finishing and sublime goalkeeping had kept the scores level until Serbia’s no.11 produced his moment of magic. Kolarov’s powerful left foot is no secret, but few inside the stadium would have expected such a thunderous strike when the Roma defender stood over a free kick midway through the second half. His shot was unstoppable; a side-footed missile which screamed into the top corner of the Costa Rica net. Kaylor Navas, who kept his team in the game with several crucial saves either side of half time, was nowhere near it.
Novak Djokovic through in Australian Open after beating Daniil Medvedev Novak Djokovic is bidding to win the Australian Open for a seventh time
World number one Novak Djokovic reached the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time since 2016 with a hard-fought win over Daniil Medvedev. The 31-year-old Serb earned a 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-3 victory over the 15th seed in Melbourne. Djokovic was not at his fluent best, but outlasted Medvedev to win in three hours and 15 minutes. Russiaʼs Medvedev, 22, grew frustrated as he paid the price for only taking two of nine break points. Medvedevʼs resistance continued until the end, saving two match points before Djokovic took the third with a wonderful cross-court winner. Six-time
champion Djokovic will play Kei Nishikori in the last eight after theJapanese eighth seed beat Spainʼs Pablo Carreno Bustain controversial circumstances in a five-hour match decided by a super tie-break. Another triumph for the top seed at Melbourne Park will see him move ahead of Australian great Roy Emerson and Roger Federer, who was knocked out by Greek youngster Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday, in terms of all-time victories.
Andy Murray: Two-time Wimbledon champion returns to tennis court after hip surgery Andy Murray has returned to a tennis court just two months after hip surgery - albeit somewhat tentatively. The two-time Wimbledon champion hasposted a video on Instagramof him hitting against a wall alongside the caption: "Itʼs a start." Murray, 31, underwent a hip resurfacing procedure in January, which he said meant it was possible he would not be able to play professionally again.
But it was his only option if he wanted to return to competitive action. In March, the three-time Grand Slam champion saidhe is "painfree"following the surgery, but his chances of playing singles at Wimbledon this year are "less than 50%". He added he was under "no pressure" to resume a career which has also seen him win two Olympic gold medals among 45 singles titles.