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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

German police launch raids on Iraqi organized crime gang German police carried out earlymorning raids at apartments in 11 cities on Wednesday as part of an operation targeting organized crime.

Hundreds of officers were involved in the raids in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, focusing on the Cologne area and the Ruhr Valley.

A spokeswoman for police in the city of Essen, Sylvia Czapiewski, said authorities targeted the homes of 34 suspects. "We have been carrying out an investigation into a large group of people for some considerable time," she said. Those targeted were suspected of involvement in people smuggling, as well as trading in weapons, narcotics and false IDs. One person was arrested. North RhineWestphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul told journalists that the seized evidence must be examined to determine whether more arrests would be made.

Germanyʼs CDU slams YouTuber Rezo over political viral video Christian Democratic Union(CDU) politicians went on the defensive Wednesday after a popular YouTuber published a 55-minute video criticizing the party. In what he called a "destruction video," German YouTuber "Rezo" slammed the CDU for failing to tackle critical issues, saying they have shown "gross incompetence" on climate change, security, intellectual property rights and narcotics policy, among other areas. He said the government, which includes the Social Democrats, was "destroying our lives and our future." Rezo said he spent weeks researching the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU).

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Austriaʼs caretaker government assumes power after video scandal The government is already facing a no-confidence vote

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has vowed that his new Cabinet will probe the contents of the controversial video. But the government is already facing a no-confidence vote and may not survive next week.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Wednesday swore in a new government led by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz after the former government collapsed in response to a controversial video.

Last week,two German news publications published a videoshowing former-Vice Chancellor HeinzChristian Strache offering government contracts in exchange for media support from a woman posing as a Russian oligarchʼs niece. Strache, who led the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), stepped down from his position as vice chancellor and as leader of the party, triggeringthe coalition governmentʼs collapse. Authorities are investigating revelations that emerged in the video. Kurz will now lead the minority government.

It includes Interior Minister Eckart Ratz, a former Supreme Court president; Defense Minister Johann Luif, army a deputy chief of staff; and Infrastructure Minister Valerie Hackl, who led Austriaʼs air traffic control agency. Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, appointed by the FPÖ but not a party member, remained in her position. Ratz is expected "to do everything to ensure full clarification, as far as the contents of the video rare concerned but also regarding

the source of the video," Kurz said.

"With the swearing-in of an interim government, there is the possibility of conducting the affairs of state calmly and in an orderly way untilelection day," said Kurz. News Austriaʼs caretaker government assumes power after video scandal Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has vowed that his new Cabinet will probe the contents of the controversial video. But the government is already facing a no-confidence vote and may not survive next week.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Wednesday swore in a new government led by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz after the former government collapsed in response to a controversial video.

Last week,two German news publications published a videoshowing former-Vice Chancellor HeinzChristian Strache offering government contracts in exchange for media support from a woman posing as a Russian oligarchʼs niece. Strache, who led the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), stepped down from his position as vice chancellor and as leader of the party, triggeringthe coalition governmentʼs collapse. Authorities are investigating revelations that emerged in the video.

ʼVastʼ far-right disinformation networks discovered in EU Millions of Europeans are being exposed to far-right propaganda on Facebook ahead of the EU elections, a report by the Avaaz NGO shows.

The activists say their research prompted an "unprecedented" cleanup

by Facebook. Fake news, fake quotes, and movie clips presented as proof of migrant misdeeds are only some of the tactics used byfar-right Facebook pages, activists from the US-based Avaaz movement said when presenting anew reporton Wednesday. The malicious content was seen 533 million times in the last three months alone, or six million times per day, according to the Avaaz estimate.

While European voters prepare for this weekʼs EU parliamentary polls, the EU is "drowning in disinformation," Avaazʼs campaign director Christoph Schott said.

Ai Weiwei sues Volkswagen for copyright infringement Artist Ai Weiweiis taking Volkswagen / Skandinavisk Motor Co. to court for copyright infringement, as the company published a magazine advertisement for the car VW Polo in 2017 that featured one of his art installations as a backdrop. The trial started in Copenhagen on Wednesday. According to Ai, the image was used without the artistʼs or the museumʼs knowledge or permission. "These actions are clear violations of my intellectual property and moral rights, but more importantly they raise larger questions of corporate power and responsibility in our era of global capitalism," Ai wrote in an opinion piece published by The Guardian and on his Instagram account.

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Germany returns papers of Franz Kafkaʼs friend Max Brod to Israel They were stored in an Israeli refrigerator, stolen and later uncovered in an art forgery warehouse in Germany, and then the subject of a criminal investigation and a court case. Now, thousands of personal papers belonging to Max Brod, one of Czech writer Franz Kafkaʼs most intimate friends and his literary executor, are heading to the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem after ayears-long struggle to complete the archive of Brodʼs estate. During a Tuesday ceremony at the Berlin residence of the Israeli ambassador to Germany, Germanyʼs Federal Criminal Police handed over some 5,000 documents in three suitcases to Israelʼs ambassador, Jeremy Issacharoff, and representatives of the National Library, including Stefan Litt, an archivist and humanities curator. Issacharoff described the return of the documents as an act of "historical justice": The vice president of the Federal Criminal Police, Peter Henzler, said in a press release, "I am very happy that we were able to secure the documents and that they will now have a worthy place in the National Library of Israel."

Germany grants asylum to two Hong Kong pro-democracy activists Germany has granted asylum to two Hong Kong activists who were facing rioting charges at home. Ray Wong, 25, and Alan Li, 27, were granted refugee status in May 2018, making it the first apparent case of a foreign country acknowledging refugee status for democracy campaigners from the Chinese-ruled city.

"Now Hong Kong also has political refugees," Wong said. Germanyʼs Interior Ministry would not confirm the identities of the people due to privacy regulations, but it did say it had granted asylum to two people from Hong Kong asylum in 2018.

Wong and Li fled as they were set to stand trial on rioting charges linked todemonstrations that turned violent during the 2016 Lunar New Year, known as the "Fishball Revolution" clashes. The high-profile trial went on without them and eventually led to theimprisonment of Hong Kongʼs most well-known independence activist, Edward Leung, in 2018.

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Think twice about outrageous CEO retirement pay Dieter Zetsche is just the latest to have his retirement pay package highlighted

Man arrested over suspicious parcels sent to embassies The 48-year-old suspect was arrested at his home in Shepparton, in the southern state of Victoria, federal and state police said in a joint statement on Thursday. Numerous diplomatic missions in the Australian cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Canberrareceived suspicious packages this week, with several consulates and embassies temporarily evacuated or put on lock-down on Wednesday.

Some consulate workers reported seeing packages labeled "asbestos." Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral commonly used in building materials in Australia and elsewhere until the mid-1980s, but it was banned after it was found that exposure to its fibers could cause deadly illnesses.

Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche is just the latest to have his retirement pay package highlighted. Though modest by international standards, these payoffs reward mediocrity and must come to an end says DWʼs Timothy Rooks.

When CEO pay packages are announced it always causes a stir.

There are op-eds, shareholder protests and angry rants on social media. But less attention is paid to these same CEOs once they retire — but still dent the companyʼs ledgers. Retired CEOs are no longer in the spotlight and managers, shareholders and journalists are looking forward. It is also often hard to pinpoint the value of the

Washington state legalizes human composting Washington became the first US state on Tuesday to legalize human composting after Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill aimed at cutting carbon emissions from burials and cremations. The new law, which will go into effect in May 2020, will give people who die in the state the option to have their bodies transformed into soil suitable for use in gardening in a process called recomposition. "Recomposition offers an alternative to embalming and burial or cremation that is natural, safe, sustainable, and will result in significant savings in carbon emissions and land usage," said Katrina Spade, who lobbied for

payoffs such as stock options, prorated bonus pay, complicated health and other benefits like use of company cars, security and jets — especially since they depend on how long said CEO lives. Now Daimlerʼs Dieter Zetsche is set to retire.

After 13 mediocre years aschairman of the German engineering and manufacturing giant, he is stepping down at the annual meeting on May 22 in Berlin. the law and is the founder of Recompose, a Seattle-based company set to be the first to offer the service. "The idea of returning to nature so directly and being folded back into the cycle of life and death is actually pretty beautiful," Spade added in a statement sent to the AFP news agency.

She said she became interested in the process about 10 years ago after turning 30 and thinking more about her own mortality.

China unveils plans to launch man-made moon into space China is set to launch into orbit a huge space mirror,which has been specifically designed to reflect sun-

light back to Earth, the stateowned China Daily online portal reported. In Chengdu, a city in southwestern Sichuan province, the "illumination satellites" are being rigously tested. If all goes to plan, the construction will shine simultaneously with the real moon, but will be almost eight times brighter, the online portal wrote. The mirrors will launch from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province before the end of the year. "By then, the three huge mirrors will divide the 360-degree orbital plane, continuously illuminating an area for 24 hours," Wu Chunfeng, head of Tian Fu New Area Science Society and the company responsible for the project, told newspaper in an interview. Three more moons will launch in 2022 if the initial test goes off without a hitch, he added.

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Ultra-processed foods are addictive — but not due to taste Your inability to put down that bag of chips until itʼs finished isnʼt abnormal, new research shows An entire bag ofpotato chipsis around 1,200 calories — or 30 peaches. Why do we sometimes "slip up" and eat an entire bag of chips while binge-watching Netflix, but never "slip up" and eat 1,200 calories worth of peaches? People are more likely to overeatand consequently gain weight when consuming ultra-processed foods, or "formulations mostly of cheap industrial sources of dietary energy and nutrients plus additives, using a series of

Hedgehogs threatened by loss of habitat and food in Europe Hedgehogs, Europeʼs only spiny mammals, are under threat due to a loss of habitat and food.

The result has been declining reproduction, landing the creature on a range of endangered species lists.

The main drivers of the decline appear to be linked to the agricultural industry.

Large-scale farming has deprived hedgehogs of their natural habitat as farmers remove copses of hedges and trees in order to make way for ever-larger crops.

Another problem is that of increasingpesticideuse, which kills off the hedgehogʼs natural diet ofinsectsand invertebrates such as worms and slugs.

Other threats to hedgehogsinclude increases in road construction as well as walls and fences that limit their ability to migrate, harming their long-term survival by greatly hampering mating options.

processes", according to an experiment outlined in a recent study published in Cell Metabolism. "Ultraprocessed foods" is a fancy way of saying "junk food" — like chips, candy and soda. The answer to the potato chips vs. peaches question may be obvious — potato chips taste better! According to the study, however, this logic doesnʼt add up.

Scientists found that peopleʼs likelihood to overeat has little to do with taste.

German cabinet approves bill to shoot protected wolves

The German cabinet on Wednesday approved a controversial bill paving the way for farmers to shoot more protected wolves. The bill was passed following a year-long debate between Environment Minister Svenja Schulze and Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner over how to balance the interests of wolf protection and addressing farmersʼ complaints.

The compromise will "enable the coexistence of wolves and animal husbandry in Germany," Schulze said.

"Where there is a problem, we are addressing it. And where there is none, the protection of animals will continue." The Federal Association of Shepherds welcomed the move, but environmental organizations voiced criticism.

Italy launches €7 billion ʼcitizensʼ incomeʼ plan to combat poverty Italians on Wednesday started to apply for new government welfare subsidies designed to jump-start the countryʼs stagnant economy. The "citizensʼ income" programwas a key campaign promisefrom the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, whichentered into a governing coalitionwith the anti-immigrant League party last year. The program, essentially a new system of welfare and unemployment benefits, provides those eligible with €780 ($882) credited to monthly, prepaid debit cards to pay for groceries, pharmaceuticals, utility bills, rent and other essentials. In exchange, able-bodied participants enroll in a job-finding and job-training program.

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Aircraft makers are optimistic about Farnborough despite Brexit The Farnborough Airshow is a major trade venue for the aeronautical industry. As manufactures set up their displays their thoughts hover between anticipation of the next big order and fears of Brexit says Andreas Spaeth.

The global aviation industry will come together on Monday at the Farnborough airfield southwest of London for its biennial industry fair — the second largest in the world after the Paris Air Show. The UK has traditionally been one of the worldʼs leading aviation countries and the Farnborough trade fairʼs roots date all the way back to 1920. It moved to its current location in 1948. Read more: Air India sale grounded after privatization flops However, this year is likely to be full of uncertainty as to the future role of the British aviation industry is called into question due to the UKʼs impending departure from the EU in 2019. Airlines and manufacturers have both recently denounced the prevailing uncertainties and demanded clear post-Brexit rules.Read more: Air India sale grounded after privatization flops However, this year is likely to be full of uncertainty as to the future role of the British aviation industry is called into question due to the UKʼs impending departure from the EU in 2019. Airlines and manufacturers have both recently denounced the prevailing uncertainties and demanded clear post-Brexit rules.

ITB Berlin tourism partner Malaysia claims it has ʼno gaysʼ Malaysia faces a potential backlash from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights groups after claiming that the Muslim-majority country doesnʼt have gays. On Tuesday, Tourism Minister Datuk Mohammaddin bin Ketapi was asked by reporters ahead of the opening of the ITB Berlin tourism fair whether the country was safe for gay and Jewish visitors. After initially sidestepping the question, the minister was asked again whether gays were welcome and he replied: "I donʼt think we have anything like that in our country." Denial could hurt bookings Despite efforts by Malaysian officials to downplay the incident, Ketapiʼs comments could derail attempts to entice more tourists to visit Malaysia. The remarks came after he spoke for several minutes about the countryʼs natural beauty and welcoming culture. The country has set itself a target of receiving 30 million visitors in 2019.

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Tariffs prompt US firms to rethink China business: survey US businesses in China are increasingly worried about the trade conflict between the US and China. They are bearing the brunt of tariffs and non-tariff barriers adopted in recent months, a new survey said.

Three-quarters of US companies in China say they are being hit hard by the ongoing US-China trade dispute, according to a new survey released Wednesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in China and its sister organization in Shanghai. The poll was conducted between May 16 and 20, days after Washington more thandoubled duties on $200 billion (€179.3 billion) worth of Chinese goods. Beijing retaliated by charg-

Foreign investment in the United States of America down sharply Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States plunged by a staggering 32 percent in 2017 year on year, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis reported.

Investment totaled $259.6 billion (€221.2 billion),with the figure representing the second year of declineafter a peak in 2015 when foreign investorsʼ expenditure in the US hit $439.5 billion.

Last year, most foreign investments in the United States came from neighboring Canada which contributed $66.2 billion. European Union member states accounted for 40 percent of the 2017 FDI total.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the drop in foreign investment in the United States is part of a global trend.Not just a US problem OECD researchers noted that FDI levels were down 18 percent worldwide in 2017.

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China: Multiple deaths in chemical plant blast Authorities in southwestern Sichuan province have opened an investigation into a blast at an industrial complex that left 19 people dead, state news agency Xinhua reported Friday.

The explosion ripped through the Yibin Hengda Technology complex in the city of Yibin at 6:30 p.m.

(1030 UTC) Thursday, sparking a fire that burned late into the night, Xinhua said.

County officials said that 12 people wounded in the blast had been taken to hospital and were in a stable condition.Read more: China convicts dozens for last yearʼs giant explosions in Tianjin Reports in the Sichuan Dailysaid the force of the explosion reduced three buildings to their steel frames and shattered the windows of nearby properties. China, the worldʼs largest producer of chemicals, has sought to improve industrial safety standards following aseries of high-profile accidentsin recent years.

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inghigher tariffs on $60 billion of American products. Firms manufacturing in China were the hardest hit, with more than 80% reporting adverse affects from both US and Chinese tariffs. Nearly half of the 250 respondents said they have experienced nontariff retaliatory measures in China since last year. About one in five US companies experienced increased inspections, similar to the proportion reporting slower customs clearance.

British Steel collapses but will trade in administration

The UKʼs second-largest steel maker has been battling a financial crunch over the past year. A court has now ordered its liquidation, leaving thousands of workers staring at job losses.

Troubled steel producer British Steel has been placed into administration, UK officials said on Wednesday, putting some 25,000 jobs at risk. "The company in liquidation is continuing to trade and supply its customers while I consider options for the business. Staff have been paid and will continue to be employed," the official receiver said.

"The court also appointed Special Managers to assist me with my work and they are engaging with staff and their representatives to keep them informed, as well as contacting British Steelʼs customers." The company had earlier sought financial assistance to the tune of 30 million pounds ($38 million, €34 million) from the British government to remain afloat, but the request was rejected. The government quickly issued a statement saying it had done all it could for the company. "I have been advised that it would be unlawful to provide a guarantee or loan to British Steel on the terms of any proposals that the company or any other party has made," said Business Secretary Greg Clark.

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Asparagus: An ode to Germanyʼs favorite vegetable The Germans are never happier than when asparagus season rolls around

Tintin and Snowy turn 90 — havenʼt aged a day He has fought organized crime, solved mysteries and even helped to bring down despotic regimes. The famous Belgian cub-reporter Tintin, with his trademark shock of strawberry-blonde hair, blue sweater and plus-four trousers, has taken his fans with him on world adventures that have been translated into more than 100 languages and dialects.

Tintin made his first appearance 90 years ago, in the Catholic conservative Belgian newspaper Le Vingtième Siècleʼs youth supplement, Le Petit Vingtième. Tintin and Snowy headed deep into Soviet territory, with Stalinʼs secret police watching them from around every corner. The story first appeared on January 10, 1929, running as a serial until May 1930; it was essentially anti-communist propaganda, neatly packaged for children.

In 1930, the series was published in book form as Tintin in the Land of the So‐ viets.

Traditions and rituals of Ramadan The Germans are never happier than when asparagus season rolls around. Rachel Stewart heads out into the fields to find out what makes this "white gold" so beloved.

Rachel Stewart had never even heard ofwhite asparagus before she moved to Germany. But now she canʼt avoid it — at least for a few months a year.

This week onMeet the Germansshe tries to find out what all the fuss is about. Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a rel-

ative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares her experiences of settling into German life.

Every two weeks she explores a new topic — from beer to nudity to complicated grammar.

This week itʼs all about the "king of vegetables" — asparagus.

A little peace: ʼRussian Seasonsʼ festival kicks off in Berlin Alexandra Dovgan is just 11 years old and very sweet to watch. On January 7, Russiaʼs Christmas Day, the upand-coming pianist floated onto the stage of the Berlin Philharmonic. Like a Christmas angel all in white, she heralded in the "Russian Seasons" in Germany with Bachʼs heavenly sounds. Dovgan herself is a beneficiary of Russiaʼs still excellent early education for the musically gifted.

Then followed Iolanta — Pyotr Tchaikovskyʼs final opera, performed by the predominantly young soloists

of the orchestra of St. Petersburgʼs famous Mariinsky Theater under the baton of Valery Gergiev. In the enchanting fairy tale, the blind princess Iolanta is given the gift of sight through love... One could consider the eveningʼs program to be a symbolic attempt to banish the evil spirits of politics through the unifying and reconciling power of culture — music to forget about the annexation of Crimea, the war in Donbass or the propaganda trial against Russian theater director Kirill Serebrennikov.

Ramadan marks a special time of spiritual discipline and purification for millions of practicing Muslims across the globe. From local traditions to holy rituals, DW examines the religious month of fasting. Every year, millions of practicing Muslims across the world fast, pray and give alms in observance of Islamʼs holiest month, which begins in 2019 on May 5 and ends in the evening of June 4. From firing off cannon to lunar sightings, DW explores how Muslims mark the occasion and what it means to the faithful.

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Culture

New tourist info point pops up in central Budapest nearVárosháza park The main tourist information office Budapest Info Point in the city centre has temporarily relocated to a new site at nearby Városháza Park.

Housed in a neat kiosk of wood and glass, the new outlet will be serving tourists while the Sütő utca office is being renovated.

This pop-up shop is conveniently located, a few steps from the terminus of airport bus 100E. Until the end of February, visitors to Hungary’s capital can pick up maps, browse Budapest guides and book city tours at a new tourist info site, set up near the Deák tér transport hub.

Overseen by the Budapest Festival and Tourism Center, this temporary setting is stationed here while the main Budapest Info Pointon nearby Sütő utca is being revamped. The pop-up store serves as a sales outlet for the Budapest Card, offering free and discounted services for 24, 48 and 72 hours, as well as for four or five days. This new office also stocks copies of our free We Love Buda‐ pest pocket guides, seasonal booklets covering attractions aroundBudapest,Balaton andHungary in English and Hungarian.

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Cristiano Ronaldo will play in Nations League finals, says Portugal manager

Cristiano Ronaldo will play for hosts Portugal in Juneʼs Nations League finals, says manager Fernando Santos.

The Juventus forward, 34, missed six international games after the World Cup, including the Nations League qualifying campaign, before returning for Marchʼs Euro 2020 qualifiers.

Portugal play Switzerland in their semi-final on 5 June; the winners then face England or the Netherlands. "He has a constant appreciation and passion for his country," said Santos.

Niki Lauda: Much more than a Formula One champion

Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda was born in Vienna on February 22, 1949 as the son of wealthy industrialist Ernst-Peter Lauda and his wife Elsabeth. Lauda developed an interest in racing at an early age, something that didnʼt meet with his familyʼs approval. Without their support, he used the Lauda name, which was already famous in Austria, to convince a number of banks to give him enough funds in the form of loans to launch his racing career. His first race came as a 19-year-old in Austria, where he drove a Mini Cooper S 1300 to second place in a hill-climbing race.

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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.

Germany squad omits Mario Götze again Mario Götzeʼs improved form late in the season for Dortmund has not caught Joachim Löwʼs eye

Mario Götzeʼs improved form late in the season for Dortmund has not caught Joachim Löwʼs eye. The Germany coach is looking to other attacking options, including teenager Kai Havertz and new BVB signing Julian Brandt.

Joachim Löwʼs efforts to usher in the next generation of German internationals continues to make do without World Cup-winning goalscorer Mario Götze. Götzeʼs recent form for Borussia Dortmund wasnʼt enough to earn him an endof-season call-up for Juneʼs Euro 2020 qualifying games against Belarus and Estonia. Löw on Wednesday announced his latest squad, including pacy youngsters like Serge Gnabry, Timo Werner and Leroy Sane in attack, with options like Marco Reus, Julian Brandt and Kai

Havertz in line for the attacking midfield spots. Götze, still just 26, has played 63 games for Germany, but he hasnʼt featured since a 2-2 draw with Francein November 2017. Previously, Löw had said that a renewed call-up was contingent on him establishing himself in Dortmundʼs first team and performing well. His run of starts in the second half of the season, albeit overshadowed by teammates like Reus and Jadon Sancho, have not convinced Löw as he continues to usher in the new German guard.

Uli Hoeness takes center stage at football discussion lacking diversity Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness and Schalkeʼs Clemens Tönnies were part of a panel at Bonnʼs academy for research and teaching talking about the role of football in Germany.

Truly excellent discussion panels are few and far between. Listening to Uli Hoeness, President of Bayern Munich, Clemens Tönnies, chairman of the board at Schalke, and Bishop Dr. Franz-Josef Overbeck talk about the role of football in Germany and whether the sport could be considered a social glue sadly delivered far less

than its promising title. In the end, three white men over the age of 55 skirted over the topic at hand, which was perhaps inevitable given that Uli Hoeness made sure he took center stage. Hoeness dominates any room he enters. Regularly pleading the words of forgiveness and honesty for his near €30 million ($33.5 million) tax-evasion bill, Hoeness arrived with the confidence of a man who knows his power. He recalled times when he was a player and beers were drunk at Oktoberfest after a morning training session.