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5/2018 • 6, JANUARY 2018 WEEKEND ISSUE

DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Hungaryʼs Viktor Orban pays controversial visit to CSU party conference His planned visit has raised some eyebrows in other quarters

The arch-conservative Hungarian prime minister has made an appearance at the conference of Bavariaʼs CSU party in southern Germany.

A scheduled visit byHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbanto the party conference of the conservative Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) on Friday highlighted policy differences between members of a potential "grand coalition" in Germany, notably with regard to refugees. Speaking at the conference, Orban said thatthe arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrantsin Europe has created a "democracy problem." He said that Europeans do not want to live under the "threat of terrorism," adding that "they want the borders to be protected." The populist leader added that he believes the year 2018 will be "the year of restoring the will of the people in Europe." His controversial trip to the Bavarian town of Seeon-Seebruck comes two days before Angela Merkelʼs Christian Democratic Union (CDU), its sister party the CSU and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) aredue to commence "exploratory talks"on forming a governing coalition. Orban has been criticized by most member states of the European Union forhis refusal to take in refugeesunder a quota scheme. The European Commission has also accused him oferoding democracy and the rule of law in Hungarythrough a number of controversial legislative moves. The CSU hascome into

conflict with its potential coalition partners,particularly the SPD, over its own hardline refugee policy, which envisages a limit to the number of asylum seekers that Germany takes in. The party also wants to see thecurrent moratorium on family reunification extended. Presently, family members of asylum seekers whose application has been only conditionally granted are not allowed to follow them to Germany. In addition, some CSU members envisage sending certain Syrian refugees back to "safe regions" in their conflict-ridden home country, an idea opposed as premature even by most other conservative politicians. At the CSU conference, which is to run until Saturday, the party is also to decide on a controversial demand to make asylum seekers undergo procedures to determine their age. The demand came after a murder case in the town of Kandel in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, in which anrefugee minor allegedly killed his 15year-old ex-girlfriend. In an interview with the Bild daily published Friday, SPD chairman Martin Schulz called on CSU leader Horst Seehofer to remind Orban of his obligations under EU laws on refugees, telling the Bild newspaper in an interview published on Friday that the Hungarian prime minister was following a "dangerous logic."

Car drives into pedestrians in Melbourne

Philippine ferry capsizes with 251 people aboard

UNICEF: 220,000 children threatened by mines in Ukraineʼs east

Senior UK minister Damian Green resigns

At least 19 people have been injured after a man intentionally drove into pedestrians. Police have said there is no connection with terrorism "at this time." A car intentionally plowed into pedestrians at one of Melbourneʼs busiest intersections on Thursday, injuring at least 19 people. The white four-wheel drive hit the pedestrians at the intersection of Flinders and Elizabeth Street around 4:45 p.m. local time (0645 UTC/GMT), Victoria Police said in a statement. The intersection is next to Flinders Street Station.

A Philippine ferry carrying over 250 passengers has capsized off an island south of Manila. Reports suggest at least four people have died as rescue efforts remain ongoing. The Philippine ferry sank off the countryʼs eastern coast on Thursday after being caught in a heavy storm and choppy waters, coast guards said. Officials said that at least four passengers had died in the accident, while between 40 and 88 remained unaccounted for, according to varying media reports. The remaining passengers had been rescued.

In Ukraineʼs war-torn east, 220,000 children are at risk of injury or death by explosives littering the territory. They have caused scores of deaths, and left many children with "lifelong disabilities," says UNICEF. According to areport by the UN childrenʼs agency, UNICEF, published on Thursday, 220,000 children living ineastern Ukraineare at severe risk of serious injury by landmines and other deadly explosives littering the territory. These landmines and other explosives have caused scores of deaths and have left many children with "lifelong disabilities."

UK Prime Minister Theresa Mayʼs most senior minister has resigned after an inquiry found he had made misleading comments about pornography found on his computer. It is a serious blow for an already isolated premier. First Secretary of State Damian Green has resigned amid allegations pornographic material was found on his computer in the House of Commons in 2008. "I regret that Iʼve been asked to resign from the government following breaches of the Ministerial Code, for which I apologize," Green said in a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday.

5/2018 • 6, January 2018 Weekend issue

Russia vetoes last-ditch bid to save probe into gas attacks in Syria Russia used its veto twice in 24 hours to deny a new mandate to the UN team looking into chemical weapon attacks in Syria. Moscow said it would not extend the mandate of the probe without fixing its "fundamental flaws." Tensions were running high in the UN Security Council on Friday after Russia vetoed a last-ditch motion by Japan to continue the UN-led investigation into chemical weapons use in Syria. The move comes only a day after Russiavetoed a separate US draft resolutionto extend the probe, and its own draft was in turn rejected by the US, UK, and France. Moscow has repeatedly criticized the findings of the UN-backed investigative body, dubbed Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) as biased and inaccurate. Last week, JIM released a report blaming the Syrian regime for the chemical attack which killed around 100 people in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in April. Russia rejected it as "invented" and insisted that the body needed to reform.

Ousted Venezuelan opposition leader escapes house arrest, flees to Spain Ousted Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma has likened his escape to a film. He plans to take the fight against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro abroad. The ousted opposition mayor of Caracas arrived in Spain on Saturday after orchestrating a daring escape from house arrest in Venezuela. Antonio Ledezma landed in Madrid from Bogota, Colombia, where he arrived a day earlier after slipping across the border. He was greeted by his wife and two daughters who live in Spain. Ledezma said he planned to organize resistance from abroad to President Nicolas Maduro, under whose rule millions of Venezuelans have suffered from shortages of food and other basic supplies. "I am going to travel the world to spread the hope of all Venezuelans to escape this regime, this dictatorship," Ledezma said. The 62-year-old opposition figure was removed as mayor of Caracas and arrested in 2015 on allegations he sought to topple Maduro. He was later put under house arrest due to health issues. Ledezma was one of the opposition leaders who led protests against the government in 2014, which also resulted in the arrest of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. He remains under house arrest. 2

Meryl Streep wants to hear Melania and Ivanka Trump on #MeToo From Weinstein to Trump

The Oscar-winning actress, criticized for repeatedly claiming that she didnʼt know anything about Weinsteinʼs offenses, deflected the blame in a New York Times interview by asking to hear from other powerful women. Meryl Streep repeated that she "really didnʼt know" about Hollywood producer Harvey Weinsteinʼs sexual offenses in a New York Timesinterview alongside Tom Hanks, her co-star in the newly released film "The Post." "I did think he was having girlfriends. But when I heard rumors about actresses, I thought that that was a way of denigrating the actress and her ability to get the job," Streep said in the interview published on Wednesday. "I didnʼt know that he was in any way abusing people. He never asked me to a hotel room." Streep has insisted several times that she had no clue of Weinsteinʼs mis-

conduct, even though she has worked with Weinstein on different films, and once jokingly referred to him as "god" during a Golden Globe acceptance speech. Actress Rose McGowan was one of the public figures to slam Meryl Streep on Twitter for her hypocrisy over the Weinstein case. Posters showing a smiling Streep standing alongside the disgraced producer also popped up in LA in December, her eyes covered with the words "She Knew." The street artist behind the posters later revealed himself as a right-wing activist who aimed to retaliate against Streep for her anti-Trump politics. Valdez peninsula, bore no results, Argentina said it was stepping up its search efforts and calling on allies for help. "We have not been able to find, or have visual or radar communication with the submarine," navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters at a news conference. "I donʼt want to dramatize the issue. Weʼre lacking communication and donʼt know what happened." The incident has formally been upgraded to a "search and rescue" operation, Balbi added.

Cambodia charges 2 journalists with espionage The arrests are the latest in a widening crackdown on media and the opposition in Cambodia ahead of elections next year. The move further

Australia shutters Papua New Guinea detention center Around 600 asylum seekers have refused to leave the facility, citing fears of attacks from locals. Australian lawmakers have warned of a "humanitarian emergency" when authorities in Papua New Guinea shut off the water. Private security staff at a controversial Australian detention center in Papua New Guinea left the facility for the first time in years on Tuesday ahead of its expected closure. The facility formed an integral part ofAustraliaʼs expensive offshore detention programknown as "Sovereign Borders." However, Papua New Guineaʼs Supreme Court ruled that the facility is unconstitutional and needed to be closed. Some 600 asylum seekers residing at the facility have refused to leave, saying the alternatives provided are less secure. Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the campʼs closure would proceed, and that the asylum seekers have access to temporary residences nearby. "All have been informed for a considerable period of time that there is safe and secure alternate accommodation where health and other services will be maintained," Dutton told Reuters news agency in an emailed statement.

strains ties between the United States and Cambodia. Two Cambodian journalists who worked for a US-funded radio station were charged with espionage on Saturday, the latest move in a widening crackdown on critics of authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Uon Chhin and Yeang Socheameta, former journalists of the Washington-based Radio Free Asia, were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly providing information to a foreign power. The offense carries up to 15-years in prison. Radio Free Asiaʼs Phnom Penh bureau closed its office in September, citing "intimidation" and threats that it was violating tax and registration regulations. The Cambodia Daily newspaper reported the two journalists were accused of setting up broadcasting equipment in the capital and sending news reports to Radio Free Asiaʼs Washington bureau.

5/2018 • 6, January 2018 Weekend issue

YOUR JOURNEY TO TOTAL RELAXATION AND WELLBEING BEGINS AT HARMONY SPA BUDAPEST The Harmony Spa welcomes local guests as well as hotel guests for treatments, relaxation and wellness usage as a DaySpa. Aria Hotel Budapest’s spa offers 35 Feet Indoor Heated Pool and Jacuzzi, Finnish and Infrared Sauna, Aromatic Steam Bath, Gym and private rooftop yoga sessions, all in the heart of Budapest, just a few steps away from St. Stephen’s Basilica. 35 Feet Indoor Heated Pool, lounge space with Private Cabanas, and indulging Jacuzzi – Harmony Spa is truly a place for total relaxation in the heart of Budapest, which was also honored as the Europeʼs Best Wellness Spa 2015 at the World Boutique Hotel Awards. There is so much to love about Harmony Spa at Aria Hotel Budapest, but what the judges said put the Aria on top was the unique experience of musically inspired spa treatments and the option to book a private Harmony Rooftop Yoga to take in the morning glow of the beautiful and majestic city around you while taking time to reset, relax and restore. The Harmony Spa welcomes local guests as well as hotel guests for treatments, relaxation and wellness usage as a DaySpa. Harmony Spa offers lounge space with Private Cabanas, 35 Feet Indoor Heated Pool and Jacuzzi, Finnish and Infrared Sauna, Aromatic Steam Bath, Hydro Rider Aqua Bicycles and a wellequipped Gym. Private rooftop yoga and aquafitness sessions can be booked on request, as well as the Harmony Rooftop Yoga classes organized on every second Sunday with

breathtaking views to the St. Stephen’s Basilica. Discover the haven of wellness and beauty, with an orchestra of sensory experiences to indulge in. Harmony Spa at the Aria Hotel Budapest provides a unique fusion of spa and state of the art wellness for an integrated experience to help you relax, revitalize, re-energize and rejuvenate. From innovative antiageing and lifting facials to tranquilizing beauty and spa treatments, massages, manicure and pedicure are all available to our guests. Local guests who book a treatment also enjoy a complimentary half day pass to the Wellness and Gym. More on treatments: Enjoy our all natural approach to beauty and well-being with exclusive body treatments and rituals, benefit from high performance ingredients, Hungarian thermal water, natural herbs and vitamin extracts for exceptional results, leaving your skin healthy and glowing. Throughout the treatments you will have our therapists’ undivided attention as they ensure your comfort with warmed beds and heated towels, and anything you need to feel completely at peace. Guests may choose from one of

Aria’s most simple treatments or one of the intensive treatments such as structured detox or anti-aging nourishment. One can also enhance their experience with a wide range of spa, well-being, and anti-aging services. More on the Gym: Treat yourself to some "me" time that will benefit your life long after your holiday ends. The guests of the Aria Hotel Budapest and local visitors are welcome to arrange for personal training sessions or physical therapy sessions to help them start on a path to wellness and recovery. Guests enjoy access to an array of high performance equipment to enhance their strength and stamina, including Cardio Machines with treadmill, elliptical, bicycle from Technogym, Kinesis Wellness Ball and free weights. Two Aqua bicycles are available to enjoy in the heated indoor swimming pool. Enjoy swimming, private or group aqua fitness classes, as well as our unique Harmony Rooftop Yoga sessions. Every treatment at the Aria comes with a complimentary pass to the Harmony Spa Fitness and Wellness. We wish you a great relaxation! See you there!

Argentina navy loses contact with submarine with 44 crew on board No one has heard from an Argentinian submarine for at least two days. While authorities initially insisted it wasnʼt missing, Argentinaʼs navy has stepped up its search efforts. Argentinaʼs navy lost contact with one of its submarines and its 44 crew members, it announced on Friday. Although the German-built ARA San Juan has been out of contact for two days, the navy initially did not consider it lost. "Itʼs not that itʼs lost, because to be lost, you have to look for it and not find it," the navy told a local broadcaster. However, after an initial search operation in the submarineʼs last known position, around 430 kilometers (267miles) off the southeastern Valdez peninsula, bore no results, Argentina said it was stepping up its search efforts and calling on allies for help. "We have not been able to find, or have visual or radar communication with the submarine," navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters at a news conference. "I donʼt want to dramatize the issue. Weʼre lacking communication and donʼt know what happened." The incident has formally been upgraded to a "search and rescue" operation, Balbi added.

35th Hungarian Press Photo Exhibition at Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center The previous year’s best Hungarian press photos were chosen for the thirty-fifth time - a celebration of photo reporters and photography across the country. Capa Center exhibits camera-captured fates, relationships and humanity for two months.

5/2018 • 6, January 2018 Weekend issue

No, we wonʼt run out of chocolate by 2050 News of a global chocolate doomsday has gone viral

Mourning geckos donʼt need males Some animal species can do very well without male partners. Mourning geckos are just one of many examples. Their reproduction method — known as parthenogenesis — is our natural phenomenon of the week. More or less once every two to four weeks over her five-year lifespan, the female mourning gecko goes through the same ritual: The reptile begins the search for a well-protected place to hide one or two of her eggs. Fifty to 75 days later, new geckos hatch from these eggs. Not very spectacular, right? But the nocturnal climbers look

exactly like their mother. And if they lay egg, once they reach maturity after eight months, their offspring will look exactly like them. Thatʼs because mourning geckos clone themselves — and all of them are female. No males are required to reproduce. That reptiles do not need males is not totally unusual in nature and various other species do the same. Some crabs, snails, and plants as well as komodo dragons and single-celled organisms — all of them come into the world alive and well without a male. The process behind this is called parthenogenesis which means something like "virgin birth."

News of a global chocolate doomsday has gone viral, with chocoholics fearing an end to their fix. But donʼt panic: Chocolate is not on the brink of extinction — yet. The new year has just begun, and chocolate lovers have already been hit with scary news: We could run out of chocolate in 40 years, as climate change makes it too hot for cacao plants to survive. The news spread quickly on social media, with chocoholics fearing for their future fix. T-shirts and mugs with the slogan, "Save our planet. Itʼs the only one with chocolate," took on new poignancy. But are we really facing a future without it? No, say scientists. The story originated with an arti-

cle on Business Insider, warning that cacao plants — the source of chocolate — "are slated to disappear as early as 2050 thanks to warmer temperatures and dryer weather conditions." It went on to explain that scientists at the University of California, UC Berkley, are teaming up with candy producer Mars to "try to save the crop before itʼs too late." DW talked to the researchers at UC Berkley who, to our great relief, said cacao plants are not on their way out.

ESA launches new Sentinel-2B satellite to monitor Earth

White rhino killed by suspected poachers at French zoo

The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched the newest addition to its multi-billion-euro Copernicus program. The monitoring network aims to track pollution, deforestation, weather, and other changes on Earthʼs surface. The Sentinel-2B satellite entered orbit on Tuesday afterblasting off from ESAʼs launch site Kourouin French Guiana. Its twin, Sentinel-2A, was launched in 2015. Both of the satellites are a part of a fleet set up for ESAʼs Copernicus Earth Monitoring program, which is the worldʼs largest environmental monitoring project, according to the agency. The two orbiters are set to monitor the globe from the opposite sides of the planet and send outhigh-resolution color and infrared imagesof the surface. By doing so, the satellites will help scientists track changes in forest cover and water pollution. 4

The break-in at the Thoiry wildlife park near Paris is suspected as poaching. Rhino horns fetch thousands on the black market. Zookeepers at the Thoiry zoo and wildlife park made the grisly discovery on Tuesday after an overnight attack. "Staff left the rhino enclosure on Monday. When they returned on Tuesday, an animal had been killed and its two horns had been sawn off," a police spokeswoman told news agency AFP.

Smartphones - not so smart for the planet

Since then, nearly 7 billion smartphones have been sold around the globe - not without an impact on the planet. Itʼs eight in the morning, the train is crowded with people heading to work - and it is hard to find anybody who is

not staring at their smartphone. Then, a Twitter message pops up. It comes from Greenpeace. "Think twice about the impact your beloved gadget is having", is the reminder. Since the first Apple iPhone appeared on the market in 2007, more than seven billion smartphones have been produced around the world - that more or less equals the number of people on the planet. Now it might sound very romantic if everyone kept one phone for life. But that is far from being the case. Greenpeace says an average phone in the United States is only used over two years. Most of the time, phones are not replaced because of some irreparable technical problem. It is rather just the desire to have the latest model, with some new innovative features - or because it is easier and less expensive to buy a new one.

5/2018 • 6, January 2018 Weekend issue

Diphtheria - a nearly eradicated disease returns among Rohingya refugees Most patients are children

The WHO has diagnosed more than 3,000 cases of the lifethreatening disease in refugee camps in Bangladesh. The NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reporteda dramatic outbreak of diphtheria in Rohingya refugee campsin Bangladesh. Thus far, the humanitarian organization has treated 2,000 patients showing symptoms of the bacterial infection. The World Health Organization, meanwhile, has registered more than 3,000 recent cases, with more coming in. "This outbreak of diphtheria hits the people in the camps at a time where theyʼre al-

ready struggling with a measles epidemic and an overall emergency situation, which puts enormous strain on the health system," said Pavlos Kolovos, the country coordinator for MSF. Bad hygenic and healthcare circumstances are aggravating the epidemic: Many people - particularly children - are not vaccinated. Refugees live in primitive shelters with little space and no safe water supply.

in registry of births, court rules An intersex person has won a court case to allow them to enter a third gender into the registry of births. The case was appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court after failing at lower levels. Germanyʼs Federal Constitutional Court on Wednesday called for a third gender option in the registry of births. Intersex people, who are neither male nor female, should be able to register their sexual identity as such, the Karlsruhe court ruled. The court found that the general right to the protection of personality in Germanyʼs Basic Law meant the register had to be altered to allow a third gender. The court ruled seven to one that lawmakers must create new legislation by the end of 2018 to allow for a third sex, providing the examples of "intersex," "diverse" or another "positive designation of sex." Another possibility raised was to scrap gender entries altogether. "Assignment to a gender is of paramount importance for individual identity; it typically plays a key role both in the self-image of a person and in the way in which the person concerned is perceived by others. The gender identity of those persons who are neither male nor female is protected,"the court ruled.

The Sound of Dignity - Boban Markovic Orkestar Müpa

Teachers for AI — can robots create more jobs than they retire? While headway in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry has many worried about potential jobs losses, others see this as a perfect opportunity to nurture an economy that is completely human-based. Workers can spend anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 hours a week going through simple tasks on a smartphone, making AI all over the world more intelligent and efficient. By building platforms and crowd sourcing a large supply of workers, the companies that train AI were smart to realize the data needed could be processed by anyone with steady access to the internet. From this developed companies like Clickwork, Neurala,

and Alegion Inc., which utilize "human taggers" to push AI education. With over a million "clickworkers" signed up, thereʼs an estimated 100,000 people logged on at this very moment, sifting through droves of information and lending a human touch to robot training. "Staring at security cameras or an airport scanner, remote-controlling a robot, driving trucks up and down a mine did not exist as jobs until recently," says Massimiliano Versace, CEO of Neurala, "and will probably not exist as jobs occupying a full-time human as they are today. Humans were created to do much more complicated and elevated tasks than watching videos 24/7."

Weather

Germany must allow third gender

Boban Markovic, one of the best known artists of Balkan worldmusic, who collaborated on many of Emil Kusturica’s films, will visit Budapest once again with his orchestra within the frameworks of a charity gala for the benefit of the Hungarian Hospice Foundation at Müpa. This night is for greeting the foundation’s supporters and, of course, the New Year.

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Culture

New Hungarian film Aurora Borealis now screens in Budapest Becoming a mother is a miraculous time in a woman’s life. However, there are certain scenarios when the arrival of a newcomer is not entirely wonderful news. The new motion picture by eminent Hungarian director Márta Mészáros, Aurora Borealis, tells a touching tale, taking viewers back in time in Hungary and leaving them reaching for the Kleenex. The story has two timelines. One transports viewers back to a western Hungarian village in 1953, where a descendant of an aristocratic family, Ákos, falls for a village girl, Mari. They try to escape to Austria together, but unfortunately with no success, and after being harassed by soldiers, Mari has to start a new life alone and pregnant in occupied Vienna. The other storyline is in the present, unfolding the events through the recollections of old Mari, now a pensioner living in her old village. One day she gets a letter from Russia and falls into a coma. Her daughter Olga, a lawyer living alone in Vienna, comes back to care for her. Suspecting something about her mother’s past isn’t quite right, she starts investigating. This is only a fraction of the story, as anything else would be a major spoiler. However, even the trailer foretells that Olga’s dad might not be who she thinks after all.

5/2018 • 6, January 2018 Weekend issue

Serena Williams to return to tennis in Abu Dhabi

The former world number one will make her comeback this month after birth of her first child. The 36-year-old will take on the reigning French Open champion. American tennis star and former world number one Serena Williams is set to make her comeback on December 30 after birth of her first child. The 36-year-old will play her first competitive match in 11 months in the United Arab Emirates. Serena Williams will play an exhibition match on the final day of the Mubadala event on December 30, tournament organizers announced Sunday. The former world number one will take on reigning French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi. Williams has not played since hervictory in the Australian Open11 months ago. She gave birth to her first child, Alexis Olympia, in September.

North Korea could take part in Winter Olympics, says Kim

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has given a first indication that Pyongyang could send a delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics, which will take place in the South. Kim said authorities "should meet in the near future." Despitemounting tensions in the Korean peninsulaover the Northʼs nuclear weapons program, the North Korean leader conveyed a rather peaceful message in his New Yearʼs speech to the nation. "I sincerely hope the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics will be staged successfully,” said Kim, adding that his country was "willing to take necessary measures, including to dispatch our delegation.” Kim also suggested that both countries should set up a meeting to discuss the prospect of the North Korean teamʼs participation in the Games. 6

Athletics doping: IOC confident over Russia doping reform plans International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach believes Russia will resolve its doping issues and field athletes at next yearʼs Rio Games. Russia was provisionally suspendedfrom world athletics after an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report alleged "state-sponsored doping". Bach met with his Russian Olympic Committee counterpart Alexander Zhukov to discuss the report. He said he was "confident" in the measures put forward by the ROC. Council members of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Friday voted 22-1 in favour of Russia being banned. As it stands, Russian athletes may not enter international competitions, including the World Athletic Series and Rio Olympics, which begin on 5 August next year. Russia will also not be entitled to host the 2016 World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary and the 2016 World Junior Championships in Kazan. "We are confident that the initiatives being proposed by the ROC, with the responsible international organisations - Wada and the IAAF - will ensure compliance as soon as possible in order to provide participation of the clean Russian athletes at the Olympic Games," said IOC president Bach.

Sandro Wagner joins Bayern Munich The Hoffenheim striker returns to his boyhood club for a reported fee of 12 million euros

Wagner, whose form under Julian Nagelsmann has put him in with a shot of a World Cup spot, said: "Iʼm coming back home." After weeks of rumors, Bayern Munich have finally confirmed the signing of Hoffenheim striker Sandro Wagner for a reported fee of €12 million ($14.25 million). The Germany international joins the Bundesliga champions after two successful years at Hoffenheim, in which he scored 18 goals, and played a key part in the team qualifying for Europe last season. Wagner started his professional career at Bayern in the 2007/8 season. He made his Bundesliga debut with the club, before moving elsewhere in

order to secure more game time. The Munich-born striker then went on to play for Duisburg, Werder Bremen, Hertha Berlin and Darmstadt, before joining Hoffenheim. "A long journey has come to an end for me, Iʼm coming back home to my club," said Wagner after the deal was confirmed. "Bayern is one of the worldʼs biggest clubs." Wagner is expected to join the clubas a backup for prolific Polish striker Robert Lewandowski; unusually for a front man, he will play with the number 2 on the back of his jersey.

Angelique Kerber inspires Germany in Hopman Cup Angelique Kerber showed glimpses of her best form in the mixed doubles as Germany beat hosts Australia to reach Saturday’s final. Kerber and Alexander Zverev will face Swiss pair Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic. Angelique Kerberʼs early season renaissance continued on Friday as she led Germany into their first Hopman Cup final since 1995 at the mixed teams tournament in Perth. The left-hander wound the clock back to 2016 with her menacing forehand as she thrashed Australiaʼs Daria Gavrilova in straight sets in the singles and then lifted the Germans to victory in the deciding

mixed doubles as they notched a dramatic 2-1 win in their final Group A tie. Kerber and Alexander Zverev only had to beat the Australians to reach Saturdayʼs final against Switzerlandʼs Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic. But it came down to a tense mixed doubles clash after world number four Zverev suffered a shock loss to Thanasi Kokkinakis in the menʼs singles. With Zverevʼs form faltering noticeably, the Germans dropped the first set in the Fast4 doubles. Although they levelled the match, their fate looked grim when Australia led 3-1 in the first-to-five third set tie-breaker, with the in-form Kokkinakis having two serves to come.