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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Georgiaʼs frozen conflict takes psychological toll As Ilya Bervashvili walks out onto to his corn fields, the blue circle on the map moves beyond the dotted line with him. But an app clearly shouldnʼt be trusted when it comes to this border. Things are more complicated here than they appear on Google Maps. The farmer points to the green sign just beyond his land. It says it marks a "state border" between Georgian-controlled territory and the breakaway region of South Ossetia, which is onlyrecognized as a stateby five countries worldwide — including Russia, which backs and defends it.

Georgia sees this as an "occupation line." In many places, the boundary isnʼt marked at all — and it has been known to move. Here in the Georgian village of Ditsi, there is a small section of green border fencing. On either side of the fence, there is nothing.

Abortion bill galvanizes Argentinaʼs youth to fight Argentinaʼs Senate faces a historic vote to legalize abortion. Its youth have been especially vocal about it, with many young women and girls especially defying Catholic values in Pope Francisʼs home country. Julieta Poo, a 15-year-old secondary school student, is getting her face painted green outside of Argentinaʼs Congress while young women chant "legal abortion in the hospital." Poo wears a symbolic green bandana that reads: "Sexual education to decide, contraceptives to prevent abortion, legal abortion to prevent death." She has come to the march because she wants to make sure that her generationʼs voice is heard ahead of a historic vote on Wednesday in the Senate. "During the abortion debate people have been minimizing students, saying that 15-year-old girls donʼt understand anything about abortion," says Poo. "We actually have opinions, and they are just as important."

181/2018 • 09 AUGUST, 2018

Malaysian ex-PM Najib Razak charged with money-laundering If he is convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge

The former Malaysian Prime Minister has been hit with new charges related to a huge financial scandal.

Asia Malaysian ex-PM Najib Razak charged with money-laundering The former Malaysian Prime Minister has been hit with new charges related to a huge financial scandal. If he is convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razakon Wednesday pleaded not guilty to three new charges of money laundering. The charges are linked to a multi-billion-dollar corruption scandal that played a key role inRazakʼs shock defeat by 93year-old Mahathir Mohamad in the countryʼs general election in May. Details of the caseThe new charges relate to 42 million Malaysian ringgit (€8.8 million, $10 million dollars) that was reportedly transferred into Nazakʼs personal bank account.The suspected bribe came from SRC International, a former subsidiary of the 1MDB state fund.Assets purchased using 1MDB money include a $250-million superyacht, real estate, jewellery and a Pablo Picasso painting.The attorney general at the time Najib was

prime minister — who had ties to Najibʼs party — initially cleared the leader of wrongdoing, saying the money was a donation from the Saudi royal family. What is 1MDB: Officially named 1 Malaysia Development Berhad, 1MDB is a state-owned strategic development company founded in 2009 that aims to establish initiatives in industries such as energy, tourism and agriculture. Following Mahathir Mohamadʼs win in the 2018 general election, Asri Hamidon was appointed as 1MDBʼs new chairman. He is also the deputysecretary general responsible for government investment at the Treasury. Whatʼs next: In Wednesdayʼs proceedings, the court decided that it would wait until Friday to fix the dates for Najibʼs trial and hear his lawyerʼs application for a permanent gag order on his case to prevent public discussion about it. The case has sparked outrage in Malaysia and resulted inthousands of people protesting against Najib while he was in office.

Purged Turkish NATO officer risks Erdoganʼs retaliation Former Lieutenant Commander Cafer Topkaya (above) said that he is stepping out of the shadows to tell what he experienced "for those who canʼt meet the press, who canʼt meet the journalists, who canʼt even meet their lawyers now that they are in prison and they canʼt prove their innocence."

The lifelong naval officer said he is "not afraid of [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan or his partners...or Turkish intelligence" and wants the west to knowwhat is happening inside Turkey. Topkaya is one of thousands of Turkish military officers who were summarily condemned

by Erdogan as being supporters of US-based Islamist cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the president blames for instigating the failed 2016 coup from his exile in Pennsylvania.

Saudi Arabiaʼs row with Canada: Silencing Western criticism?

Saudi Arabia gave Canadaʼs ambassador in Riyadh, Dennis Horak, 24 hours on Monday to leave the country, declaring him persona non grata.

The country also announced all new economic trade with Canada would be suspended. The move came in reaction to a tweet last week from Ottawaʼs foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, who said that "Canada is gravely concerned about additional arrests of civil society and womenʼs activists in Saudi Arabia including Samar Badawi." Freeland urged the Saudi government to "immediately release them."

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181/2018 • 09 August, 2018

Italy populists score legislative win with labor reform Italyʼs parliament on Tuesday passed a labor reform law, marking the new left-right populist governmentʼs first major legislative victory. The package was pushed by Co-Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio, the leader of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement in a coalition with the right-wing League since June 1.

Read more: Flexible wage deals behind greater inequality? Its passage with 155-125 votes in the senate with one abstention fulfills a major campaign promise from Di Maio to reverse the use of short-term labor contracts and make laying off workers more expensive. The law had already passed the lower house, so it now becomes law. The reform reduces the maximum length of short-term labor contracts from three to a maximum of two years, and decreases the number of times employers can renew such contracts.

It also increases by 0.5 percent the social security payments that employers must pay each time they renew contracts.

Spanish NATO jet accidentally fires missile in Estonia A Spanish fighter jet accidentally fired an air-to-air missile overEstoniaon Tuesday during a routineNATO training mission, Spainʼs defense ministry said. The SpanishEurofighter jet, which is part of NATOʼs Baltic air-policing mission, fired the missile while carrying out an exercise with another Spanish Eurofighter and two French Mirage 2000 jets. The air-to-air missile was fired "without causing any harm" and did not hit any aircraft, the Spanish defense ministry said in a statement. Following the accidental fire, the jets returned to an air base in northern Lithuania where they are based. Searching for the missile Estoniaʼs military is now scouring the area around where it was fired, as it is potentially still armed. The AMRAAM-type missile is supposed to self-destruct during such accidents, but the device may have landed on the ground instead. The missile was carrying up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of explosives and was last located around 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of the Estonian city of Tartu. Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas wrote on Facebook that there were "thank God no human casualties" and called the incident "extremely regrettable."

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German Ryanair pilots to strike on Friday German pilots working for Irish no-frills carrier Ryanair are planning to strike on Friday, August 10

Colombia: Ivan Duque sworn in as new president Ivan Duque, who at 42 will be the youngest Colombian president ever elected in a popular vote, was sworn in on Tuesday. He describes himself as a centrist who will unite the nation at a time when many are still fiercely divided over the peace agreement that ended more than five decades of bloody conflict. Duque succeeds center-right liberal Juan Manuel Santos, who had been in power since 2010 for two terms. Duque took the oath of office for a four-year term during a public ceremony on Bolivar Square in the historic center of Bogota. His detractors, however, fear he will be little more than a puppet for Alvaro Uribe, the conservative expresident who led a referendum defeat of the initial version of peace accord in 2016. Uribe is still backed by millions of Colombians, though he is perhaps equally detested by legions who decry human rights abuses during his administration.

They are to join industrial action already announced by their colleagues in Ireland, Sweden and Belgium.

Ryanair pilots in Germany are planning a 24-hour strike action this week, their union announced Wednesday. The strike is to begin shortly after midnight on Friday andis expected to affect all flights of the Irish airline from and to Germany, the Vereiniging Cockpit (VC) union said in a statement.

The German pilotsʼ industrial action is adding to strikes already planned for the same day in Ireland, Sweden and Belgium. To-

Indonesian shaman who kept sex slave for 15 years arrested Indonesian police on Wednesday said they had arrested a shaman for abducting a 13-year-old girl and keeping her as a sex slave for 15 years. Police found the woman, now aged 28, naked in a jungle cave in the backyard of the shamanʼs home near the village of Bajungan in Central Sulawesi province following a tip from one of her relatives. Read more: Rape is ʼa crosscutting global issueʼ The 83-year-old shaman, identified as Jago, allegedly tricked the woman into believing the spirit of a young man named Amrin

gether, it would be the biggest pilotsʼ strike in the history of Ryanair. So far, the carrier has already canceled 146 flights of a total of 2,400 scheduled European flights for Friday. Not budging an inch VC union chief Martin Locher accused Ryanairʼs executives of blocking a mutually beneficial solution at the negotiating table, with the German pilots eager to see an improvement in their working conditions and wages. lived inside him, local police chief Iqbal Alqudusy told French news agency AFP. The victim was convinced Amrin was her boyfriend. "Every day, for many years, the shaman had sex with her under the pretense he was possessed by a male spirit," Alqudusy said. "She is very disoriented, sheʼs scared of people and keeps wanting to go back to the cave," Alqudusy said, adding that the woman would undergo therapy. The woman is now at a safe house. The shaman faces 15 years in prison if he is found guilty of having sex with a minor.

Germany: Fire breaks out near train tracks in Siegburg, injuring dozens

Hundreds of firefighters battled for hours on Tuesday to contain a fire that broke out in the western German town of Siegburg, located near the city of Bonn. The fire started in a grassy area near a key railway route, quickly spreading to nearby houses and shutting down rail traffic for several hours. Dozens injured in blaze: At least 28 people were injured in the fire, three of whom were in a serious condition, according to local officials.Among the injured were 20 local residents, three firefighters and five police officers.Over 520 firefighters took part in the operation, with emergency crews using a police water cannon vehicle and a helicopter to control the blaze.Nine houses were severely damaged, with pictures showing some attics caved in.

181/2018 • 09 August, 2018

Donald Trumpʼs environmental fallacies on Twitter The US presidentʼs attempt to blame the largest wildfire in California history on a failure to cut down trees — like his claim that climate change is a Chinese hoax — is falling flat as a heat wave grips the planet.

Long before hewithdrew the United States from the Paris climate agreement, US President Donald Trump had a long history of tweeting about weather extremes and denying there was any link to climate change. But as California suffers from the largest ever-recorded wildfire that has so far claimed seven lives — and Europe swelters amid record high temperatures while devastating fires also swept Greece — the president may have overstepped on his misstatements. Trumpʼs Monday morning tweet elicited a passionate response, including from California state con-

Germany probes huge Iran cash transfer request The €300 million ($350 million) in question is being held by the European-Iranian Trade Bank, which is majority owned by Iranian stateowned banks, but registered in Hamburg with the German central bank, the Bundesbank. According to a report by Germanyʼs Bild newspaper, Iran wants to fly the money out as soon as possibleto avoid the potential freezing of accounts as a result of reimposed US sanctions coming into effect in August. If the operation goes ahead, it is likely to trigger a strong response from Washington. The US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, already told the newspaper that the government of US President Donald Trump was "very concerned" and called on Berlin "to intervene and stop the plan." Bild reported that the money to be flown out would be passed on to Iranians lacking a valid credit card to use while traveling abroad and in need of cash. Under impending US sanctions, Iranian banks will be excluded from the main credit card networks, including VISA and Mastercard.

gressman Ted Lieu, who wasted no time in partly linking the increase in wildfires to climate change in his state. Democratic party Senator Edward J. Markey, who covers energy, the environment and climate policy, was quick to say that Trump was trying to divert attention from the key issue: "Donald Trump can try to change the topic, but he wonʼt be able to divert our attention away from the fact that the hotter, drier weather magnifying the California wildfires is linked to climate change. And it will keep getting worse as long as we fail to act."

Airbnb axes Great Wall of China stay competition after conservation concerns

Popular holiday rental website Airbnb has cancelled a competition offering a prize of a one-night-stay on the Great Wall of China following a social media upset. The competition generated hype among international social media users, promising four winners a stay on part of the ancient wall, before Airbnb announced on Tuesday that it would be scrapped. The

decision came after some Chinese social media users questioned the integrity of the competition, expressing concerns for conservation of the site.

"No matter how they dress it up, this doesnʼt hide the fact that this contest is by a private company that will undeniably cause damage to an ancient artifact," one user posted on Weibo, a Chinese platform similar to Twitter.

Swiss priest who lost more than €1 million gambling to enter rehab after World Cup Lawyers for a priest with a serious gambling habitconfirmed a figure first reported in the Swiss newspaper Bote der Urschweiz on Tuesday, saying that the casino addict had amassed debts totaling 1.4 million Swiss francs (€1.2 million / $1.1 million). The Diocese of Chur was aware of the manʼs problem, repeatedly offering him help. Church authorities, however, did not notify parishioners tothe problem.

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181/2018 • 09 August, 2018

Euroskeptic, far-right EU lawmakers reported to make most from secondary jobs A report by anti-corruption NGO Transparency International published on Tuesday revealed that Euroskeptic members of the European Parliament receive the highest earnings from secondary jobs and private activities. According to Transparencyʼs report based on publicly available disclosures, nearly one third of the European Parliamentʼs 751 members (MEPs) disclosed private income that surpassed their monthly €8,400 ($9,873) net salary and €4,000 allowances. The practice of legislators having a second job has been dubbed "moonlighting" which TI says has the potential for negative consequences, as it can create conflicts of interest and prevent lawmakers from dedicating themselves fully to their elected duties. Read more: More than 40 German lawmakers have second incomes, new figures reveal Additionally, the anti-corruption NGO says, outside income can be used as a potential channel for members to trade insider information or legislative action for money, and serve as a conduit for illicit campaign financing.

Switzerland defends top slot as worldʼs most innovative economy In its annual global ranking of countriesʼ innovation levels, the 2018 Global Innovation Index (GII) has once again given its top slot to Switzerland — a position it has held since 2011. The distinction was based on the Alpine nationʼs first-rate patent and intellectual property rules, its high-tech manufacturing, good universities and also because it is "among global leaders in R&D spending," according to the country auditors who released the report in New York City on Tuesday.

Not surprisingly, all of the top-20 most innovative countries are rich economic powerhouses.

Behind Switzerland in the ranking are the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, Singapore, the US, Finland, Denmark, Germany and Ireland. The distinction was based on the Alpine nationʼs first-rate patent and intellectual property rules, its high-tech manufacturing, good universities and also because it is "among global leaders in R&D spending," according to the country auditors who released the report in New York City on Tuesday. Not surprisingly, all of the top-20 most innovative countries are rich economic powerhouses.

Behind Switzerland in the ranking are the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, Singapore, the US, Finland, Denmark, Germany and Ireland.

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Samsung looking for fresh growth opportunities South Koreaʼs Samsung Group has announced its investment plans for the next three years. As the company has hit a wall in the market for its smartphones, itʼs focusing on areas more likely to create future growth.

South Koreaʼs Samsung Group said Wednesday it would invest $22 billion (€18.9 billion) over the next three years in cutting-edge technology including artificial intelligence, self-driving cars and biopharmaceuticals as it searches for ways to drive future growth. The conglomerate has faced a string of setbacks in recent years,including a fall in smartphone salesanda corruption scandal that saw its vice chairman, Lee Jae-yong,

No more BMWs or Mercs on Fifth Avenue?

Donald Trump doesnʼt want to see any more BMWs or Mercedes on Fifth Avenue in New York. To that end, he has made different, partly contradictory threats and offers in the trade conflict with the EU. Will it work for him?

New York Cityʼs Fifth Avenue is known the world over for luxury brands for the rich and the famous, among them the latest high-end vehicles of BMW and Mercedes.But if President Trump has his way, the popular German cars soon wonʼt be driving down the famous avenue anymore. It all started during Trumpʼs election campaign in 2015 and 2016. Back then, he promised to strengthen the domestic economy by creating jobs and boosting local production. Importing foreign goods, particularly German luxury cars, has been a thorn in his side ever since.Seeing those cars drive by Trump Tower, which is located on Fifth Avenue, was apparently the epitome of everything he does not want. Looking for evidence? In April, Trump reportedly told French President Emmanuel Macron that he will continue the trade war until the day comes when no more Mercedes Benz or BMWs drive by on Fifth Avenue. So how exactly does he intend to achieve his goal?

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

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

Germany, China seek closer alliance over trade spat with US German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang held talks on closer economic cooperation in Berlin on Mondayas the two countries seek a coordinated strategy in response to the US administrationʼs protectionist agenda.

As part of the talks, the two countries signed a raft of commercial agreements worth some €20 billion ($23.5 billion). The deals, involving German industrial giants like Siemens, Volkswagen and BASF, come as the two exporting powerhouses are being forced into an unlikely alliance in defense of the open global trade on which both of their economies depend. "We both want to sustain the system of World Trade Organization rules," Merkel said at a news conference she gave alongside Li.

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

jailed last year. The planned investments will be primarily led by Samsung Electronics, the biggest maker of memory chips. "Samsung expects innovations powered by AI technology will drive the industryʼs transformation, while the next-generation 5G telecommunications technology will create new opportunities in autonomous driving, the internet of things and robotics," the company said in a statement.

Germans ʼdonʼt trust the welfare state anymoreʼ

German welfare organization Paritätische Gesamtverband warned in a report released Tuesday that a large section of the population no longer had faith in the welfare state, posing "a threat to social cohesion in Germany." It said turning the situation around would require several key reforms and an investment of some €50 billion ($58 billion). Association chairman Rolf Rosenstock told reporters in Berlin that the government "lacked political measures aimed specifically at supporting groups of people most at risk," such as the unemployed, those in rural areas, and the increasing number ofelderly living in poverty."The social division that makes people insecure, and which is responsible for therise of far-right parties, must be combated," he said, adding that failure to do so would lead to widespread "separation between the elites and so-called social losers."

181/2018 • 09 August, 2018

Cat cults and cult cats Aloof, independent, hedonistic:

Nicaraguaʼs Gioconda Belli wins prize for free speech activism Nicaraguan author Gioconda Belliwas announced Tuesday as the winner of the Hermann Kesten Prize, a prestigious literary award bestowed every two years by the German chapter of PEN International, a writers association that defends freedom of expression worldwide. The German PEN Center described Belli as one of Latin Americaʼs most important contemporary authors and "a powerful voice for freedom of speech." The centerʼs announcement also praised Belli for her activism promoting womenʼs rights and social justice over decades. Her poems, semi-autobiographical works and novels celebrate womanhood, feminism, eroticism and political activism. Her debut novel, The Inhabited Woman (1988) is particularly wellknown. Her works have been translated into over 15 languages. Belli is also the president of Nicaraguaʼs PEN chapter.

Aloof, independent, hedonistic: The cat is a fascinating creature, from its purrs to its claws. On International Cat Day, DW looks at artists, filmmakers and fashion designers who think felines are the catʼs meow.

Fat, lazy and with a philosophical bent Garfieldʼs comic strip dates back to the late 1970s. A bored and cynical creature, he shares the house with Odie, an intellectually disadvantaged dog, and Jon, a human being with a lonely streak. Itʼs the perfect situation: Should Garfield disapprove of something, he can take it out on Jon and Odie. In 2004 the lasagna addict made the silver

screen; two films followed. Resistance is futile He performs the most difficult tasks and nabs the vilest culprits. Of noble Spanish lineage, heʼs swift, and his claws are as sharp as glass cutters. Heʼs the Puss In Boots, unstoppable — unless he has to stop to spit out a fur ball. After brilliant performances in the Shrek films, he was even given his own flick to star in.

ʼAnti-Semiticʼ BDS controversy overshadows German music festival Stefanie Carp, the Ruhrtriennaleʼs new director, is looking foward to the downbeat of the music and arts festival on August 9. Named successor to Johan Simons for the seasons 2018 to 2020, sheʼs developed a lineup of events focusing on the issues of flight, migration and the aftermath of colonialism. BDS debate Politicians and the media have been focusing on another issue, however: the canceled appearance of the Scottish band Young Fathers, which sup-

The Royal Moscow Ballet brings Swan Lake to Budapest

ports the controversial BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) that protests the state of Israelʼs occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. In a response to criticism of the bandʼs position, Carp canceled the groupʼs appearance and later, after talking with the band members, reinvited them — an invitation that the group turned down.

The director distanced herself from any anti-Israeli stance, but wasnʼt able to convince her critics.

Get your tickets now! The Royal Moscow Ballet is coming to Budapest this December to give a special one-off performance of ‘Swan Lake’ at the Erkel Theatre. Cochoreographed by company founder and artistic director Anatoly Emelianov, the Tchaikovsky classic from 1877 will be presented in all its finery for this event on December 3. Formed in 1997, the RMB has since given 1,000 shows around the world, from Austria to Zambia, touring with evergreen favourites such as ‘Swan Lake’ ‘The Nutcracker’, ‘Romeo & Juliet’ and ‘Cinderella’.

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Culture

From capers to yuzu – Budapest’s best gin and tonics A G&T is always a good idea. It’s a drink with a long and interesting history: alcohol flavoured with spices and juniper berries was first created in the Low Countries and conquered today’s Holland and Belgium. In the 1700s, the English took a shine to it and there were times when gin consumption in London was out of control. Prohibited in the past, gin is an indispensable part of modern bar culture today. Gin is best mingled with tonic, but more spices and a sprinkle of magic make it it the perfect summer drink. See where to find the best G&Ts in Budapest.

Barside BeefBar Budapest Bestia GoodSpirit Whisky & Cocktail Bar Impostor & Baotiful St. Andrea Wine & Skybar St. Andrea goes hand in hand with premium wines and top-notch gastronomy, but here we focus on its bar culture. In the repertoire of the Wine & Skybar on Vörösmarty tér, the cocktails, premium drinks and the best wines and champagnes share equally importance. You might be offered a mixed drink first blessed with a touch of Kaiken malbec wine before it is poured into a big glass, augmented with ice then drowned in BCN gin and Peter Spanton lemongrass tonic.

The whole concoction is made complete with some rosemary in the end. The colour is pretty pink and the flavour divine.

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181/2018 • 09 August, 2018

German cyclist Stefan Bötticher claims gold in dramatic finish

Bötticher finished the European Championships with a total of three medals to his name. After winning bronze in the menʼs team sprint and silver in the individual sprint, the 26year-old claimed his sweetest result in the Keirin menʼs final, adding a gold medal to his collection courtesy of a dramatic finish. "I was a bit torn up about the silver the other day, but what happened today is like something out of a bad movie," said Bötticher, before adding: "For me it was a good film!"

Transfer news: Dortmund confirm Axel Witsel signing

German central defender Jerome Boateng has not spoken on the matter, but the 29-year-oldʼs exit from Bayern is rumored to take place this week. This Thursday marks the Premier Leagueʼs transfer deadline, which its clubs imposed last year in order to have all transfers completed before play begins. A key piece in Bayern Munichʼs defense, but injuryprone in the recent years, Boateng has been with Bayern since he was transferred to Munich from Manchester City in 2011. A possible return to England was rumored and Manchester United reportedly made an offer of €25 million euros for the player.

But Boateng rejected the offer, German Sport Bild said. The central defenderʼs market valuation is estimated at €45 million.

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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.

Robert Lewandowski staying at Bayern Munich Says Niko Kovac

A chat with Niko Kovac has persuaded striker Robert Lewandowski that his future is with Bayern Munich. Kovac has also dismissed rumors of a move for Ante Rebic, while Jerome Boateng is unlikely to join Manchester United.

As the dust settled on the 2017-18 season, Robert Lewandowskiʼs prolific,trophy-ladenfour year spell with the German champions seemed to be coming to an end. "Robert feels that he needs a change and a new challenge in his career,"his agent, Pini Zahavi said at the end of May."Bayern management have been informed of this." But a conversation with new coach Niko Ko-

vac appears to have changed the Polish frontmanʼs mind, or perhaps reminded him that heʼs contracted to the club until 2021. "Itʼs true that Robert and I had a conversation last week," Kovac is reported as saying in the latest issue of German publication Sport Bild. "Robert knows how I think about him and what I think of him. The whole club knows the qualities he has."

Tiger Woods creates golf buzz as he plays himself into Open contention As The Open championship reaches its final day, Tiger Woods has remarkably played himself into contention for the title with a round of five under.

On Sunday, Tiger Woods will contend for his 15th major golf championship after a remarkable performance on day three at the British Open. With the rain and wind gone, day three turned into birdie bingo and Tiger Woods delivered quite the card. Woods hit six birdies, with only a bogey at the 16th dampening his charge. For the last

eight years personal issues and back problems have forced Woodsʼ golf career onto the back burner. His last tournament win came in 2013 and since then the battle to return to competitive golf again has one been lost more often than won. That is what makes Woodsʼ performance at The Open — after missing the last two — all the more remarkable. His round of 66 was his best weekend round at a major since the 2010 US Open. Briefly, Woods was even tied for the lead, which hadnʼt happened at a major since 2012.