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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Chinese investments in Europe take a dive

32/2019 • 7 FEBRUARY, 2019

Pope Francisʼ UAE trip a historic milestone

A study published Tuesday by consultancy EY shows that Chinaʼs mergers and acquisitions in Europe dipped by 21 percent last yearwith a total of 196 M&A deals registered in 2018. In Germany alone, the number of investment deals sank from 54 to 35 last year. The decline in Chinese investment activities on the Continent was particularly dramatic in the second half of 2018 when the number of acquisitions decreased by 26 percent, and the number of investments in Germany plunged by a staggering 60 percent. There were only 10 Chinese transactions in Germany in the final six months of last year, with the number of takeovers hitting low levels last seen in the first half of 2013.

Francisʼ trip to the United Arab Emirates has given new hope to interfaith dialogue

Russia to build midrange nuclear missiles after INF treaty withdrawal

It is the first time the pope has ever visited the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam.

The defense secretaryʼs statement follows a decision by the United States last weekto suspend obligationsto theINF Treaty, a bilateral arms agreement banned ground-launched missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,410 miles). The US has claimed Russia had violated the treaty, which former Soviet and US Presidents Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan agreed to in 1987. Russia, who denied the US allegations, responded to the US pullout by withdrawing from the treatyas well. Shoigu said Tuesday that such mid-range missiles must now be designed, insisting that Russia take "tit-for-tat measures."

He also accused the US of seeking to make "ground-based missiles with a range capability of over 500 kilometers."

A trip like this is almost provocative in an era of flourishing populism, building walls, hatred of the oppressed and religious persecution.

Pope Francisʼ historic decisionto travel to the Arabian Peninsulais the antithesis of all that. A papal journey always comes with fanfare.

Francisʼ trip to the United Arab Emirates was no different. There were plenty of colorful moments, but perhaps the most inspirational of them all was the image of the grand imam, the sheikh and the pope hand-in-hand. Read more:Human Rights Watch: ʼThe UAE is not a tolerant stateʼ Francis and the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed elTayeb, signed a joint declaration — a strict rejection of violence and terrorism, an appeal for development and justice, and an affirmation of womenʼs and childrenʼs rights.

Some aspects of the declaration can be interpreted as an admonition to the UAE — a countrywith a poor human rights record. The "Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together" is a message to the global community. That is why this trip, the popeʼs 27th thus far, is his perhaps Francisʼ most important. Previous travels have taken him to the Holy

Land, Turkey, the Central African Republic and Azerbaijan, to Egypt, Myanmar and Bangladesh. It was Francisʼ fifth meeting with Grand Imam el-Tayeb. It would be interesting to know whether el-Tayeb, who is an influential authority in Egypt, will read the document out loud back in his home country, which has also has a poor record on human rights. Francisʼ trip to the UAE evoked recollections of a similar journey exactly 800 years ago, when Francis of Assisi, determined to forge peace, traveled to the Nile during the Fifth Crusade and preached to the Muslim armyʼs Sultan Al Kamil. Today, politicians might call him crazy. The current pope, a Jesuit from Argentina, is the first head of the Catholic Church to choose the name of that religious orderʼs founder — Francis. During the interreligious conference and even the large mass in Abu Dhabi, the pope spoke of Saint Francis and his instructions on how his brethren were to approach Saracens and nonChristians: "At that time, as many people were setting out, heavily armed, Saint Francis pointed out that Christians set out armed only with their humble faith and concrete love."

Greece: Turkish coup suspects ʼnot welcome,ʼ but Athens must respect judiciary Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Tuesday that coup suspects are "not welcome" in Greece, but the case regarding eight Turkish servicemen who fled the country after a failed 2016 coup attempt on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a judiciary matter. "On the thorny issue of the eight soldiers, Greece respects the decisions delivered by the judiciary," Tsipras said in Ankara after meeting with Erdogan. "Coup plotters are not welcome in Greece, however what is more important is to strengthen our cooperation on the sector of security."

The soldiers,who fled to Greece seeking asylum, have been a source of tension between the two Aegean Sea neighbors in recent years. But Tsipras said Greece and Turkey have agreed to deescalate tensions and initiate confidence building measures.

Germany reveals plan to stop foreign takeovers Germanyʼs economy minister, Peter Altmaier, on Tuesday officially launched a controversial plan aimed at developing the countryʼs industrial sector and increasing its international competitiveness in technology and innovation. Though it was the first time Altmaier fully detailed the "National Industry Strategy 2030," some key points had previously been revealed the German media the previous week, prompting the minister to take the defensive against claims of protectionism and intrusive state intervention.

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32/2019 • 7 February, 2019

New hope for the Central African Republic

Peace treaty No. eight in almost six years has now been initialed by the government of the Central African Republic (CAR) and 14 rebel groups.

All previous agreements signed since 2012 failed.

This time the hope is that the treaty really will bring peace to the conflict-stricken country and end more than five years of conflict.

The agreement was negotiated in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, with the mediation of the African Union and the United Nations. On Tuesday it was initialed by President Faustin Archange Touadera for the CAR government and militia representatives in the CAR capital, Bangui. It will be formally signed "in the coming days," Touaderaʼs office said, without announcing a date.

According to information from DW sources, the parties involved agreed on five main points intended to set the course for a stable and peaceful CAR.

Russia: Fake bomb threats prompt mass evacuations in Moscow

A series of fake bomb threats forced tens of thousands of people on Tuesday to evacuate buildings in Russiaʼs capital of Moscow. School children, office workers and shoppers were among those who had to briefly empty 100 buildings in and around the city, reports said.

In total, some 20,000 people were affected, while authorities swept the areas and ruled out any danger.Some institutions, such as the Russian State University of the Humanities, cancelled activities for the day due to the disruption caused by the mass evacuation.

Tuesdayʼs incident was the latest in wave of false bomb alarms to hit Russia.

Last week, some 55 buildings in Russiaʼs second city Saint Petersburg had to be evacuated.

Similar threats were reported and let to evacuations in several other cities like Krasnoyarsk in Siberia and Volgograd in the south. Read more: High-rise mania overshadows Moscowʼs suburban dream In November 2018, a train station and 12 shopping malls had to be evacuated in Moscow due to anonymous calls warning of bomb threats that turned out to be fake.

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In Japan, Angela Merkel warns against treating North Korea naively Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with Emperor Akihito

Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with Emperor Akihito on the second and final day of her visit to Japan. Later events with students and scientists covered topics from North Korean disarmament through to cowsʼ digestion.

Angela Merkel had a third and probably final audience withoutgoing Emperor Akihito of Japanin Tokyo on Tuesday, ahead of a planned meeting with Akihitoʼs successor, Crown Prince Naruhito, later in the day. The details of their discussions during the audience, considered a rare honor for politicians visiting the country, were not made public. Merkel left Tokyoʼs Imperial Palace bound for an event with students at the cityʼs Keio University. As inher meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday, the German chancellor paid particular attention to global free trade. On

Will Mindanao referendum bring peace to Philippinesʼ restive region?

Meccah Samanodi, 24, cast her vote at Vilo elementary school, a short walk from Notre Dame University in Cotabato city, where she is a faculty member. "I voted in favor of Cotabato city becoming part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) because I believe in my heart having this new region will finally resolve the injustices inflicted upon the Bangsamoro people over a long period of time," Samanodi told DW. She

Former far-right Dutch politician converts to Islam A former Dutch far-right MP and right-hand man to anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders revealed he has converted to Islam. He was known for saying that Islam is "a lie" and the Quran is "poison." For years, as a lawmaker for Wildersʼ Freedom Party (PVV), Joram van Klaveren fought a relentless campaign in the Lower House against Islam in the Netherlands. Back then, according to the daily tabloid Algemeen Dagblad (AD), the "hardliner pleaded for banning the burqa and minarets, saying ʼwe donʼt want any Islam, or at least as little as possible in the Netherlands.ʼ" However, the 40-year-old Van Klaveren said he had changed his mind halfway through writing an anti-Islam book, which, on Tuesday, he told the respected NRC Handelsblad "became a refutation of objections non-Muslims have" against the religion.

WTO reforms and free trade Merkel told students that Japan planned to focus heavily on reforms of the World Trade Organization during its time as the holder of the G20 presidency. "And in this, there is a lot of common ground between Germany and Japan," she said. The government in Berlin was closely following the current trade disputes between the US and China, two "very big players" in world trade, Merkel said, adding that Germany and Japan would swiftly feel the fallout of a collapse in consumption in China as a result of the trade tensions. voted "yes" in the January 21 referendum, but said she fully understood those who made a different choice. "Many people in my city worry we are risking our economic prosperity, security and progressive spirit. It will take time for everyone to feel good about the outcome. Nevertheless, we need to give peace a chance.

Hopefully, the new Bangsamoro will live up to its potential."

Swedish royal heist jewelry found, reports say The trial of a young man accused of stealing royal jewelry from a Swedish cathedral was halted on Tuesday

when officials announced that the jewelry had been found in a rubbish bin in a Stockholm suburb. Thieves made off with an orb and two crownsworth approximately 65 million Swedish crowns ($7.1 million) from a hilltop cathedral west of Stockholm in July, before fleeing via a nearby lake system. Police said they had recovered what they believed to be King Karl IXʼs funeral regalia in an area around Stockholm and that they were working "intensely" to confirm the items were the royal jewelry.

A 22-year-old Swedish man is standing trialaccused of stealing the objects from an alarmed display after the glass was smashed. The defendant, who was arrested Sept. 12, has not been publicly identified. A second man has been detained but not charged.

32/2019 • 7 February, 2019

Love Parade stampede tragedy trial set to close without guilty verdicts?

German prosecutors have called for an early end to the negligence trial investigating the Love Parade techno music festival stampede that resulted in 21 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The accused would have to agree.

German prosecutors have called for an early end to the negligence trial investigating the Love Parade techno music festival stampede that resulted in 21 deaths and hundreds of injuries.

The accused would have to agree. In Duisburg, Germany, the District Attorneyʼs office has called for the suspension of charges against all individuals in theLove Parade trial. Ten people were accused of being responsible for the July 24, 2010 tragedy in which 21 people were killed in a stampede

Invisible and dangerous: The Salafist scene in North RhineWestphalia There are more Salafists in North Rhine-Westphalia than in any other German state. The scene has all but vanished from the public eye in its stronghold. But it is still very active, as DW is told by numerous sources.

"Speak after me," the red-bearded German convert and Salafist preacher Pierre Vogel says as he publicly summons the young woman. Cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd in the pedestrian zone of the western city of Offenbach, she does exactly that, and repeats the words of the Islamic profession of faith. That was in 2010. The conversion was filmed and uploaded to YouTube — just one example of the many videos shared online from the heydays ofSalafist missionary work in Germany. Until 2016, the scene had a self-confident and sometimes aggressive public appearance. Bearded men in baggy pants and flowing white robes such as Pierre Vogel regularly distributed free German-language editions of the Koran in market squares and pedestrian zones.

at the Love Parade techno-music concert. Another 650 people were injured. Four of the accused are the organizers of the then Berlin-based firm Lopavent andsix others are Duisburg city officials. Prior to the meeting of the Duisburg Regional Court — sitting in Düsseldorf in this case to allow for a larger chamber — Senior Prosecutor Uwe Mühlhoff said that three of the individuals would have to donate 10,000 euros ($11,441) to a charitable organization.

Jose Mourinho avoids jail after pleading guilty to tax evasion

Football coach Jose Mourinho pleaded guilty to tax fraud at a Madrid court on Tuesday, accepting a one-year suspended prison sentence for defrauding the Spanish state of €3.3 million ($3.8 million). Mourinho, 56, will not serve any time behind bars, agreeing to exchange the prison sentence with a daily fine of €250 for 24 months — equivalent to €182,000. He will also have to pay a fine of €1.9 million, or 60 percent of the defrauded sum, as

well as €12,764 in interest as part of the plea deal. Under Spanish law, jail terms under two years can be served under probation. The Portuguese coach, who spent three seasons with Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, was accused of failing to declare incomeof €1.6 million in 2011 and €1.7 million in 2012. The income is related to his image rights, which he leased to companies based in the British Virgin Islands and Ireland in 2004.

Pakistan honor killings haunting young women Khanzadi Mehboob lives in constant fear for her life after she married against the wishes of her family. Although honor killings are illegal, tribal customs in Pakistan often trump the rule of law. In 2008, when she was only 15 years old, Khanzadi Mehboob started teaching children in her village located near Jacobabad in Pakistanʼs southern province of Sindh. Her dedication impressed an NGO, which provided her "school" with a building in 2011.

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32/2019 • 7 February, 2019

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.

Berlinʼs classic ad columns to disappear Berlinʼs cityscape wonʼt be quite the same without them. While they may seem trivial in our digital world, advertising columns are seen as an immutable part of many urban environments, and of Berlin in particular. But now the city has decided that the legendary posts were to be removed — 20 of them a day, until they all disappear by June 30. Absurdly, according to the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, while the traditional ad columns will be removed, ILG, the new company from Stuttgart that has acquired the advertisement rights for the next 15 years, will build 1,500 new columns — 1,000 less than before — of a new type to replace the Berliner original ones. They will be larger and have lighting. It was in the German capital that the poster-plastered pillars were invented in 1854. In German, the advertising columns — known in the plural as Litfasssäulen — are named for their inventor, Ernst Litfass, who was born in Berlin over 200 years ago, on February 11, 1816.

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Draghi: Eurozone faces economic downturn, more stimulus needed European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi has warned that weaker growth in the global economy will continue to be felt in Europe. The ECB, which kept key interest rates on hold, is unlikely to raise them until the summer.

The head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, on Thursday said the bank was ready to "adjust all of its instruments" if the economy runs into serious trouble and warned that risks "have moved to the downside." Draghi blamed "the persistence of uncertainties related to geopolitical factors and the threat of protectionism, vulnerabil-

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.

Hotel Moments Budapest H-1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 8.

T.: +36 1 611 7000 reservation@hotelmoments.hu www.hotelmomentsbudapest.hu

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.

Published by: Mega Media Kft. 1075 Budapest, Madách I. út 13-14. +36 1 398 0344 www.hotelujsag.hu

ities in emerging markets and financial market volatility," hinting atcontinuing worries of the US-China trade conflictand Brexit, among other issues.

"The near-term growth momentum is likely to be weaker than previously expected," he said, before insisting that the ECB was "not out of instruments" to face any economic headwinds.

The plastics issue we seem to ignore

Giant petrochemical companies have announced a wealthy alliance to tackle plastic pollution. But thereʼs little talk of scaling back production to help the environment.

The day my close childhood friend turned 2 years old, The New York Times published an in-depth article entitled "The Promise and Perils of Petrochemicals." It offered an insight into the complexities and "alchemy" of synthetics manufacture, and claimed that products such as plastics are often created more to meet the needs of industry than those of the consumer.

In the same breath, it warned that large-scale production could, in years to come, become anenvironmental hazard. That was in 1977. Fast forward to the here and now, and that prophecy is graphically borne out in abundant images from across the world of clogged waterways, dead wildlifeand trash heaped as far, high and wide as the eye can see. Even the author of the decades-old caution might have struggled to imagine how, in the intervening 40 plus years, global and globalized society would go from an annual production of some 50 million tons — equivalent in weight to around 150 Empire State Buildings — to 335 million tons in 2016, as figures from Statista show.

32/2019 • 7 February, 2019

A safer internet and the stupid things we do online Avoid doing these 5 things, ranked by their increasing stupidity

You donʼt have to be savvy to be safe online. Just sensible.

Be sensible online, avoid a few stupid pitfalls, and asafer internetwill be within everyoneʼs grasp. 5) The abandoned-phone toilet-dash Ever felt that bursting urge for the loo on a plane? But you canʼt go because all the toilets are occupied? So you fiddle with your phone for distraction. And then as soon as a toilet becomes free, you swiftly throw your phone into the netting on the back of the seat in front, or into that charging cradle on longhaul flights, and make a glorious dash

for liberty. But you forget to lock the screen. Big no-no. Any nefarious fingers nearby could easily scan your phone for personal data, such as who you are, where you live, your contacts, or anyprivate detailsyouʼve saved in a notes app, photos, or even worse. Unless youʼve got a twofactor authentication set up, one that requires a fingerprint or facial recognition, they may even be able to access your banking apps. Or credit card in your digital wallet.

Collective push against climate change more powerful than youʼd think Peter Kalmus sits outside Californiaʼs Pasadena City Hall in his electric car.

His sons, aged 10 and 12, are on steps of the grand building, waving signs with the slogans: "School strike for climate" and "Adults, act like it!"

Kalmusʼ Tesla is just the kind of luxury youʼd expect a climate scientist at NASAʼs jet propulsion laboratory to have. But he doesnʼt exactly live a lavish lifestyle. Actually, he says, he usually cycles. He hasnʼt been on a plane since 2012, and he eats a vegetarian diet. As someone who works in climate science, Kalmus feels thereʼs no excuse not to reduce his carbon footprint. "This is an urgent crisis," he says. "Those of us who understand that should act like itʼs an urgent crisis."

Múzeum+ February at Museum of Fine Arts

to the folly of the big money global art world, he ironically only added to its renown, and no doubt its value. Read more: Banksy video says ʼBalloon Girlʼ shredding went wrong A malfunctioning shredder located inside the frame of the artwork preserved the actual image, and also allowed the anonymous buyer tocontinue with the purchaseof what was essentially a new work created live during the auction. "Banksy didnʼt destroy an artwork in the auction, he created one," said Sothebyʼs in a statement.

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Culture

Right here, right now!

Fatboy Slim comes to Budapest Akvárium Club BRIGHTON BEATMASTER FATBOY SLIM IS COMING TO BUDAPEST FOR HIS LOCAL CLUB DEBUT AT THE FOCAL AKVÁRIUM ON 25 MAY.

Banksyʼs shredded ʼGirl with Balloonʼ now on display in Germany First created by Banksy as a stencil street art piece in 2002, the world renowned image of a young girl with her hand extended toward a heart-shaped red balloon has most famously been a symbol of political protests — including during the building of the Israel-Palestine segregation barrier in 2005 and the Syrian civil war in 2014.

But when the street artist recently attempted to shred his work after it was sold for auction at Sothebyʼs — which he renamed "Love is in the Bin" — in order to draw attention

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The February edition of monthly event series Múzeum+ is being held on the 14th at the Museum of Fine Arts. For each of these events, besides interactive workshops and concerts, an Englishlanguage guided tour also features. This time the theme is German Renaissance Art, starting at 7pm. For the complete schedule, check the museum website.

Brighton beatmaster Fatboy Slim is coming to Budapest for his local club debut at the focal Akvárium on 25 May. The veteran of many a festival – Glasto, Exit, Coachella – has played Hungary before but never in the intimate surroundings of a sweaty club.

The booking represents a major coup for the Akvárium, whose line-up for 2019 also includes John Digweed and Kruder & Dorfmeister. Tickets have not yet gone on sale for Fatboy Slim in the Main Hall of the Akvárium – but keep an eye on theclub’s websiteas they’re bound to sell out in no time. Slim, who successfully shifted from indie to electronica in the 1990s, reignited his career with the hit Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat, in 2013. The DJ star is currently playing a series of huge arenas in the UK, from London to Glasgow. Akvárium Klub District V. Erzsébet tér 12

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32/2019 • 7 February, 2019

Serena Williams knocks out Simona Halep in epic Australian Open clash

Serena Williams underlined why she is the favourite to win the Australian Open with a 6-1 4-6 6-4 win over top seed Simona Halep in a high-quality last-16 match. The 37-year-old American dismantled Halepʼs game to race through the opening set in 20 minutes. Romaniaʼs Halep, 27, recovered in the second, breaking in what proved to be the final game.

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 archrivals 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 sidefooted 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.

FA seeks observations from Liverpool manager after comments about referee Jurgen Klopp:

The FA has sought written observations from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after his comments concerning the referee in his sideʼsdraw at West Ham on Monday.

Klopp admitted James Milner was offside in the build-up to Sadio Maneʼs goal and felt that mistake influenced later decisions made by referee Kevin Friend. "I heard our goal was offside, Iʼm pretty sure the ref knew that," the German manager told BBC Sport. "In 50-50 situations it was always a free-kick for the

other team." Speaking to Sky Sports, Klopp added: "As a human being, if I know I have made a big mistake in the first half, I donʼt want to open the gap any more. "Referees are obviously human beings, and I understand that, but I didnʼt during the game because I had no clue that our goal was offside."

Rafael Nadal beats Frances Tiafoe in Australian Open quarter-finals

Mohamed Salah nets second African Footballer of the Year title

Second seed Rafael Nadal eased past unseeded American Frances Tiafoe to reach the Australian Open semi-finals and continue his bid to win all four Grand Slams for a second time. The 32-year-old Spaniard cracked 29 winners in a 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory. Nadal broke 21-year-old Tiafoe in each of his first service games of the set. The 17-time Grand Slam champion will play Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last four after the 20-year-old Greek beat Spainʼs Roberto Bautista Agut.

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Egypt and Liverpool soccer star Mohamed Salah has picked up the Confederation of African Footballʼs top player award for a second successive year. The Bundesligaʼs Achraf Hakimi was honored in the youth player category.

Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah bagged the African Footballer of the Year title for the second year running on Tuesday, at the Confederation of African Footballʼs awards ceremony in Dakar. "This award is very big for me, I love it because I saw it when I was young and I always had a dream to win it one day," Salah said as he collected his trophy at the ceremony

in the Senegalese capital. "Iʼm proud to win it twice, I must thank my family and my teammates, and I dedicate this award to my country, Egypt."

Free-scoring Salah helped Jürgen Kloppʼs Liverpool reach the 2018 Champions League final, but he suffered a shoulder injury early on in the 3-1 defeat by Real Madridin Kyiv.

He scored twice for Egypt in the World Cup in Russia, though the sideexited in the first round. The 26-yearold is the fourth player to win the award twice consecutively, after Senegalʼs El Hadji Diouf, Cameroonian Samuel Etoʼo, and Ivory Coastʼs Yaya Toure.