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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Donald Trumpʼs former lawyer Michael Cohen gets 3-year prison sentence A court in New York handed Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer of US President Donald Trump, a threeyear prison sentence for his role in making illegal hush payments to two women and lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. Cohen said on Wednesday that he was taking responsibility for his crimes, "including those implicating the president of the United States of America." He had told prosecutors during his guilty plea that Trump had directed him to make the hush money payments. "It was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds," he told the court as he argued for leniency. He added that "blind loyalty" to Trump "led me to take a path of darkness instead of light." Cohen pleaded guilty in August to charges that, just before the 2016 presidential election, hepaid adult film actress Stormy Danielsand former Playboy model Karen McDougal to keep them from speaking about past affairs with Trump.

Australia to get anti-corruption commission Australia is to have a national anticorruption commission aimed at stamping out corrupt and criminal behavior in police and politicians, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Thursday. The move comes after pressure from the Labor opposition party, Greens, independent MPs and even from within the government to have a national integrity commission that can investigate corruption by federal employees and politicians. "This is a real proposal, with real resources and real teeth," Morrison told reporters at a press conference in Sydney. Morrison said the Commonwealth Integrity Commission (CIC) will have two divisions: one will focus on the public sector, including politicians and their staff, and the other will focus on law enforcement agencies.

283/2018 • 14 DECEMBER, 2018

Hungary to set up new government-controlled courts ʼThreat to rule of lawʼ

The administrative courts will take over cases about government business such as taxation and elections. The government says the courts will be able to handle cases efficiently, but critics question their partiality.

Hungaryʼs parliament passed a bill on Wednesday to establish a new administrative court system to deal with matters related to public administration. The courts could hear cases on a wide range of matters, including those involving police, tax authorities, public procurement procedures, local governments and elected officials. The government said independent judges will preside over the courts, however, the justice minister will oversee the courts, having the final say over the appointment, promotion and salary of judges in the new system. The new administrative courts, including a new separate supreme court, will start operating in 2020. The government said the courts will be able to handle cases more efficiently, but critics said the move would allow political interference in judicial matters. "[This law] is a serious threat to the rule of law in Hungary and runs counter to values Hungary signed up to when it joined the Eu-

ropean Union," the Hungarian Helsinki Committee rights group said in a statement, arguing that the new court system allows the government "to ʼlegallyʼ fill the judicial body with people loyal to it." "As the bill undermines the separation of powers, the boundaries between the executive and judicial power in Hungary will be blurred, and it could pave the way for the government’s political interference." EU parliamentarianshave warned Budapestover the countryʼs antidemocratic direction. In September, European lawmakersvoted to impose sanctionson Hungary for disregarding EU rules on democracy, civil rights and corruption. The Hungarian government said it has already asked for the opinion of the Venice Commission, an arm of the Council of Europe, a human rights body, comprised of law experts. The government said it would assess the commissionʼs views and may make changes to the legislation.

US warns Turkey against Syria operation targeting Kurds The US on Wednesday warned Turkey over launching an operation againstKurdish militias in northern Syria, saying such action would be "unacceptable." "Unilateral military action into northeast Syria by any party, particularly as US personnel may be present or in the vicinity, is of grave concern," said Commander Sean Robertson, a spokesman for the Pentagon. Robertson said Washington was committed to Turkish border security, but noted thatthe US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces(SDF) led by the Kurdish Peopleʼs Protection Units (YPG) remained a "committed partner" in the fight against the "Islamic State" (IS) militant group. "We should not and cannot allow ISIS to breathe at this critical point or we will jeopardize the significant gains we have made alongside our coalition partners and risk allowing ISIS to resurge," Robertson said, referring to the militant group by an alternative acronym.

Turkey: Injuries reported after high speed train crash Turkish media reported that the accident, which happened as the train was setting off from Ankara to the central province of Konya, had resulted in multiple casualties and at least four fatalities. Images showed at least two carriages had been derailed, at least one of which appeared severely mangled. The accident happened in the western city district of Yenimahalle at 6:30 a.m. local time (0330 UTC). Official sources were reported as saying that, in addition to the fatalities, at least 43 people had been injured.

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283/2018 • 14 December, 2018

European Court of Justice rules Polish arrest warrants can be halted The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled against extraditing suspects to Poland on Wednesday if there are "serious and fact-based grounds" to believe the suspect would not receive a fair trial. The ruling concernsa Polish man in Irelandwho claims recent justice reforms in Poland harmed his chances of being treated fairly.

The man is suspected of drug trade. In recent years, Polandʼs ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has been working to place courts under a tighter control of the executive branch. Among other steps, the parliament now has power to choose members of the National Council of the Judiciary whose job is to oversee judicial impartiality.

More recently, the lawmakers changed retirement age for the Supreme Court judges, which critics believe was aimed at ousting the most experienced judges and stacking the body with government supporters. The Supreme Court and its chief Malgorzata Gersdorf are opposing the move.

Geely the car industryʼs rising ʼprofitability starʼ Ferdinand Dudenhöffer from the CAR Center Automotive Research at Germanyʼs Duisburg-Essen University called Chinese auto manufacturer Geely "the profitability star of the worldʼs car industry." A fresh study by the center points out that on average, a Geely car costs just €9,529 ($10,942), but the companysecures a 14.4 percent profit from revenues before tax and interest.

Dudenhöffer says thatʼs a lot more than, say, the profit margins of foreign rivals BMW, Toyota or PSAOpel. The worldʼs largest carmaker, Wolfsburg-based Volkswagen, logs a profit margin of only 8.2 percent, the survey says. Geely is part of the Zhejiang Geely Holding,which also owns Volvo Cars, London EVTaxi and Lotus.The holding has also acquired a 10 percent stake in Daimler. According to the CAR researchers, Geelyʼs rapid rise is based on its successful compact car platform, which it developed together with Sweden-based Volvo. "What Ferdinand Piëch managed to implement at VW from 1993 with the help of his platform strategyis in a way being copied now by Geelyʼs main shareholder and founder, Li Shufu," said Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, adding that the Chinese were becoming major players in the global auto market.

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German opposition to probe defense minister over spending scandal A parliamentary committee is set to investigate

Mexican journalist shot dead at restaurant Sergio Martinez Gonzalez, the editor of a local news outlet in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, was shot dead Wednesday morning, the latest victim in Mexicoʼs wave of journalist murders. Martinez, who owned and ran the publication Enfoque, had just dropped off his daughters at school and was breakfasting with his wife at a local restaurant when two people on a motorcycle stopped in front of the couple and opened fire, local media reported. Martinezʼs wife survived the attack, and was receiving medical attention, Mexican newspaper El Uni‐ versal said. The Chiapas attorney generalʼs office announced on Twitter that it was investigating the murder.

Ursula von der Leyen is suspected of poor management and nepotism over her departmentʼs allocation of contracts and its decision to hire a consultant as her deputy.

Opposition parties in the German Bundestag have agreed to launch a parliamentary investigation intoDefense Minister Ursula von der Leyenʼs role in a spending scandal involving her ministryʼs allocation of lucrative contracts. Lawmakers from the Greens, Left Party and business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) approved the move after von der Leyen gave an "inadequate"

Confusion over missing Saudi journalist in Turkey who ʼvanishedʼ from consulate Turkish and Saudi officials have given conflicting reports on the whereabouts of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday. Khashoggi, a regular contributor to The Washington Post, has been a fierce critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and has criticized Saudi Arabiaʼs policies toward Qatar and Canada,the war in Yemen and a

testimony on the affair at a Defense Committee hearing Wednesday, Left lawmaker Alexander Neu said. Von der Leyen, a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), admitted in November that her ministry had made mistakes in allocating contracts to external consultants worth hundreds of millions of euros. crackdown on dissent, the media and activists. Khashoggiʼs personal website bore a banner saying, "Jamal has been arrested at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul!" without elaborating. A Saudi official denied that Khashoggi had been detained inside the consulate. "Mr. Khashoggi visited the consulate to request paperwork related to his marital status and exited shortly thereafter," the official said.

"He is neither in the consulate nor in Saudi custody."

Afghan leader rejects resignation of spy chief, top ministers President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday

urged Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak, Defense Minister Tareq Shah Bahrami, and intelligence chief Masoum Stanekzai to stay in their posts, the Afghan government said.

The three officials submitted resignation letters on Saturday, citing policy differences and a spate of deadly attacks. "President Ghani did not approve their resignations... and gave them the necessary instructions to improve the security situation," a statement from the presidential palace said. The offers to step down followed the resignation of Ghaniʼs national security adviser and close ally, Hanif Atmar, on Friday. Atmar, one of the countryʼs most powerful politicians, has been replaced by former ambassador to the US Hamdullah Mohib.

283/2018 • 14 December, 2018

Germany: Santa Clauses in short supply amid dearth of skilled labor Recruiters looking for people to play Santa Claus this Christmas have said there is a lack of people ready to take on the job. The task is more demanding than it would seem at first sight, a Santa agency head told DW. People who are ready to play Santa Claus in stores or at Christmas markets, even as a paid job, are becoming few and far between in Germany, according to recruitment agencies. Willi Dahmen, who runs one such agency in the northern German city of Celle, told DW on Wednesday that he and other recruiters across Germany were facing a dearth of willing Santas this year.

Dahmen said one reason was that many young people were not willing to sacrifice their weekends or holidays to do

Police identify source of deadly Novichok nerve agent in UK deaths British police announced Friday that they found a bottle containing the Novichok nerve agent in the home of one of the victims of a nerve agent poisoning in Wiltshire last month. "On Wednesday, 11 July, a small bottle was recovered during searches of Charlie Rowleyʼs house in Amesbury," police said in a statement. The statement said scientists from Porton Down defense laboratory confirmed the bottle contained the Novichok nerve agent, the same poison used against Sergei Skripal and his daughter earlier this year.

"Further scientific tests will be carried out to try and establish whether it is from the same batch that contaminated Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March," the force said, adding that a link to the Skripals remained "a main line of enquiry for police." Dawn Sturgess died in a hospitalon Sunday after exposure to the nerve agent. Her partner, Rowley, isstill in critical condition, but has regained consciousness. The Foreign Office said on Friday it had invited independent technical experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons early next week "to independently confirm the identity of the nerve agent."

the work. He also lamented the fact that many Santa Clauses who did take on the job were poorly trained and had cheap costumes that were not up to the role. "What are the children to think?" he said. In his agency, aspiring Santa Clauses received 4-5 hours of training, in which they learn, among other things, the importance of not smoking or using their smartphones while in costume, Dahmen said. They are also encouraged to learn Christmas songs and poems in case they are requested.

A reality check for Indian PM Narendra Modi

Democracy is a humbling experience. While the outcome of five state elections is shocking for Indiaʼs ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it is at the same time humbling for all political groups, including the countryʼs main opposition, the Congress party. The Congress party has definitely received a big boost in the recent state elections.

Although it lost in Telangana and

Mizoram states to regional parties, the victory in three crucial states has somewhat revived Indiaʼs founding party, now headed by Rahul Gandhi.

Since the BJPʼs comfortable victory in the 2014 parliamentary elections,Prime Minister Narendra Modihas presented himself as an "invincible leader" of the country. But the myth of invincibility is starting to wear off.

Opel reported to have manipulated diesel car exhaust emissions According to a media report, automaker Opel is being investigated for manipulating vehicle emissions on about 60,000 cars worldwide. It is the first time the company has been named since Dieselgate broke in 2015.

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283/2018 • 14 December, 2018

Germany attempts ʼfacesavingʼ resolution to Saudi drugs boycott The human rightsrow between Saudi Arabia and Canada made international headlinesin recent weeks, when the Riyadh government suddenly suspended new trade and investment to the Great White North. The punitive measures were in response to a simple tweet by Canadaʼs foreign minster, calling for the release of two jailed Saudi activists. Receiving less attention has been the diplomatic spat between Europeʼs No. 1 economy and the oil-rich kingdom — also sparked by a ministerʼs comments; this time Sigmar Gabriel, Germanyʼs thenforeign minister. During the political crisis in Lebanon last November that saw Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri resign and later rescind his decision, Riyadh was widely accused of forcing his departure, which Gabriel alluded to as "adventurism." ʼShamefulʼ remarks hurt tiesRiyadh immediately recalled its ambassador to Berlin, telling the German government the comments were "shameful."

In May, it went further and froze all new business with Germany. Over the subsequent months, several German pharmaceutical and medical technology firms, including Siemens Healthineers, Bayer and Boerhringer Ingelheim, have been excluded from public healthcare tenders in the kingdom. A pharmaceutical industry source told DW, on condition of anonymity, that Saudi authorities had not given any written explanation about the exclusion, and that there was no clear path for Germany to resolve the issue. Efforts by German diplomats to mediate with Saudi authorities were delayed, initially, by the Holy Month of Ramadan, and the summer break, as Gulf countries stop work in July and August due to the extreme heat.

T-Mobile reports cybersecurity incident T-Mobile US and its unit Metro PCS told customers that cybersecurity staff found and shut down unauthorized access to certain information on August 20 and immediately reported the matter to authorities.

The company added that no financial data, social security numbers or passwords were compromised during the attackon its networks, admitting, though, that other personal information like names, email IDs, phone numbers as well as account numbers or account types (postpaid or prepaid) may have been exposed. T-Mobile said that about 3 percent of its 77 million customers could have been affected (roughly 2 million people potentially affected).

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EU parliament approves ʼworldʼs largestʼ free trade deal with Japan The worldʼs largest free trade agreement — one between the EU and Japan — is expected to go into force in February. Nearly all duties will be removed.

The European Parliament on Wednesday approved a free trade agreement between Japan and the EU, covering 635 million people and almost onethird of the worldʼs economy. Dubbed the worldʼs largest free trade agreement, the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement will remove duties on almost all agricultural and industrial products as well as open up the service sector and procurement. It also moves to eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. "Almost five centuries after Europeans established the first trade ties with Japan, the entry into force of the EU-Japan Economic

No breakthrough in China-US trade talks Chinaʼs Ministry of Commerce said on Friday that it had held "constructive meetings" with US officialsafter talks resumed between the countries over their ongoing trade spat. Nonetheless, with no major breakthrough yet in sight, the resumption of talks did not prevent an additional $16 billion (€13.83 billion) of tariffs being levied by the US and China on each otherʼs goods, starting from Thursday. Read more: US-China trade spat: Clash of the titans, part 2 Talks took place on Wednesday and Thursday aimed at defusing the escalating conflict, which has now seen both countries slap $50 billion in tariffs on the otherʼs products, with more expected to follow. The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that the officials on both sides have vowed to "keep in contact" in the future. High-tech will suffer, says ChinaMeanwhile, a prominent Chinese state planner said on Friday that US tariffs onhigh-tech Chinese technology would have an impact on the tech sectors in both countries.

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Kalashnikov unveils new electric car Kalashnikov,a company moreknown for its AK-47 machine gunsthan its electric vehicles, unveiled its new electric car on Thursday.

The powder-blue prototype, dubbed the CV-1, was unveiled by the Russian arms maker at a defense expo outside of Moscow. Kalashnikov Concern told Russian media that the technology within its "electric supercar" will rival that of Elon Muskʼs Tesla. "This technology will allow us to stand in line with the worldʼs electric car manufacturers, like Tesla, and compete with them," a spokesperson told Sputnik. According to the company, the vehicle can travel 350 kilometers (217 miles) on a single charge. The carʼs retro look was inspired by a Soviet hatchback model developed in the 1970s, the "Izh-Kombi," Kalashnikov said in a statement on its website. The CV-1ʼs light blue color, large grill, retro door handles and boxy frame have received mixed reviews from Russians. On social media, some described the car as "cyberpunk" while others referred to it as the "Izh-Zombie."

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Partnership Agreement will bring our trade, political and strategic relationship to a whole new level," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said. "Our economic partnership with Japan — the biggest trade zone ever negotiated — is now very close to becoming a reality. This will bring clear benefits to our companies, farmers, service providers and others," said Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Trade. European lawmakers voted 474 in favor and 152 against with 40 abstentions.

Japanʼs parliament have already approved the agreement.

Indiaʼs rupee dips after central bank chief resigns

The rupee took a hit after the shock resignation of central bank governor Urjit Patel. He has reportedly been battling against interference from Prime Minister Narendra Modiʼs government for months.

Indiaʼs central bank chief Urjit Patelʼs shock resignation caused the rupee to shed value on Tuesday. Patel stepped down on Monday amid a huge spat between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Prime Minister Narendra Modiʼs government over perceived interference in the bankʼs policy. He cited "personal reasons" for his decision but experts and Indian media reports have pointed instead to his apparent frustration with attempts from the government, led by Modiʼs Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to assert influence over the central bank. The currency dropped more than one per cent to 72.19 to the dollar, while the benchmark Sensex in Mumbai slid 1.47 per cent almost immediately after the opening bell rang, before paring its losses later in the day.

Central bank ʼunder attackʼ? Analysts say Patelʼs uncommon resignation is a sign the autonomy of the RBI is under threat.

283/2018 • 14 December, 2018

Arcticʼs record warming propelling ʼbroad changeʼ in climate: study 2018 was the second-warmest year on record

German band Kraftwerk gets boost on ʼsamplingʼ copyright case In 1997, German rapper and hip-hop music producer Moses Pelham copied a two-second sequence from the pioneering electronic band Kraftwerkʼs 1977 track "Metall auf Metall" (Metal on Metal) without permission and placed it in an endless loop in the song "Nur mir" by rapper Sabrina Setlur. Ralf Huetter and Florian Schneider-Esleben, founding members of Kraftwerk, sued Pelman, citing infringement. "Sampling" is a technique that extracts bits of another work, such as a rhythmic sequence, and incorporates them into a new composition. Copying and applying such excerpts interferes with the rights of the producer and, without permission, constitutes infringement, said Maciej Szpunar, an advocate general of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), on Wednesday.

Visit Budapest’s most charming Basilica Advent Fair US scientists have warned that higher temperatures in the Arctic could be fueling extreme weather in the US and Europe. The NOAA report said 2018 was the second-warmest year on record in the Arctic since 1900.

The warming of the Arctic is occurring at a record pace and having a significant impact across the planet, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has revealed in its 2018 Arctic Report Card. The report was released on Tuesday at the American Geophysical Unionʼs annual conference in Washington, just weeks after another damning climate assessment

by US scientists was published. The NOAA report said Arctic surface air temperatures are increasing at twice the rate as the rest of the world; in the past five years, they have broken all records since 1900. Emily Osborne, program manager of NOAAʼs Arctic Research Program, told reporters the Arctic "is experiencing the most unprecedented transition in human history."

Why it took 54 years for Mary Poppins to return The magical nanny, portrayed by Julie Andrews, first floated over London in 1964. Disney actually wanted to produce a sequel to its hit musical a year later. Now, over half a century later, Mary Poppins finally returns. Back in 1964, millions poured in from all over the world: "Mary Poppins" was a box office sensation. It turned Julie Andrews into a star, and people cheerfully sang the filmʼs catchy tunes all the way home, and shared the experience with their children for the decades that followed. To this day, Mary Poppins remains one of the most successful musi-

cal films ever made. While it was directed by a seasoned filmmaker, Robert Stevenson, it remains above all a Disney production. At the time, Walt Disney was best known as an animation specialist. With movies including Bambi, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, the US production company had already enchanted millions of people — and not only children. But Disney had to come up with something new to keep building on its success. That happened with Mary Poppins, a musical that innovatively combined live action and animation.

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Culture

Renovated Museum of Fine Arts to Open on 31 October AFTER MORE THAN THREE YEARS OF RENOVATION, THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BUDAPEST WILL OPEN ON 31 OCTOBER. NOW OPEN TO PUBLIC

The Advent Fair by St Stephen’s Basilica is one of the most atmospheric in Budapest.

Centrepieced by a towering Christmas tree and a free ice-rink for kids, stalls offer delicious dishes and all things jolly, while special light shows projected onto the façade of the Basilica make every night special. See below for tips on what to eat, drink and buy – and find out what film star Antonio Banderas was up to here last year! Right in the city centre, this Christmas fair has been improving year upon year, offering an enchanted experience for all ages.

The main attraction is a recent one, illuminated visuals projected onto the façade of the historic Basilica.

Thanks to the largest-scale and most comprehensive reconstruction project in the museum’s history, the museum building has been renewed, and, returning to the collection’s first concept, the museum’s permanent exhibitions will also be rearranged. Besides the new permanent exhibitions, the revamped museum will welcome visitors with a chamber exhibition titled Leonardo & the Budapest Horse and Rider. The museum reconstruction, implemented within the framework of the Liget Budapest Project, included the restoration of the Romanesque Hall, which sustained severe damage in World War II and since then had been only partially renovated and used as a storage area, along with the modernisation of the building’s obsolete heating system, the installation of air conditioning in some of the exhibition halls, the renewal of a large part of the roof structure, as well as the addition of new exhibition spaces, visitor areas and modern storage facilities.

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283/2018 • 14 December, 2018

Team Sky: Chris Froome hopes team can survive owner withdrawal

Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome says Team Sky will "be doing everything we can" to survive once their owner and main sponsor pulls out at the end of 2019. Broadcaster Sky announced earlier on Wednesday that it would end its decade-long commitment after next season. "I canʼt predict the future, but this is a really special team," said Froome, who won the Giro dʼItalia in May. "We plan to be together in 2020 if at all possible." The British rider added: "We will all be doing everything we can to help make that happen - in different colours with a new partner, but with the same values, focus and desire to win."

Federer powers past Thiem to keep title hopes alive

Roger Federer made short work of Dominic Thiem to recover from his opening match loss and keep his hopes of another title alive. Earlier, Kevin Anderson moved to the brink of the last four by hammering Kei Nishikori.

Federer, who has won this event six times, looked uncharacterisically poor in his opening match loss to Kei Nishikori, but - after skipping practice on Monday - outclassed Dominic Thiem from the off on Tuesday night to win 6-2, 6-3. "It feels good, I’m very happy that I showed a reaction," Federer told Sky after the win. "I’m not used to losing and then coming back to play, it was a good test." The Austrian is a notoriously slow starter and lived down to his reputation by losing his second service game, netting a series of straightforward strokes.

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Aleksandar Kolarovʼs free kick stunner secures Serbia win over Costa Rica

Robert Lewandowski still the talisman as Bayern paper over cracks

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.

Champions League:

Basic errors, bad defending and a brace from Robert Lewandowski, so far, so familiar. The cracks in Bayern Munich were evident in a wild 3-3 draw that ensures top spot but itʼs clear the Pole still carries their hopes.

The3-3 draw in Amsterdamthat keeps Bayern top of group E was not short of a talking point. Thomas Müller planting his studs in Nicolas Tagliaficoʼs head, Jerome Boateng lunging in unneccesarily to concede a penalty again, Andre Onanaʼs wonder save, Kingsley Comanʼs brilliant comeback strike, or any of the four goals scored after the 81st minute. A fair way down that list comes another Robert Lewandowski brace, his sixth of a campaign where he has scored more goals in all competitions than any other player in Europeʼs big five

leagues (21) and more goals than anyone in the Champions League (8). That scoring a double away from home feels so routine is testament to the levels of consistency and efficiency the Polish striker displays. In an open first 13 minutes, heʼd barely touched the ball. Then, all of a sudden, the former Borussia Dortmund man spotted a defender deeper than his teammates, curved his run, controlled a perceptiveSerge Gnabrypass and hammered home with minimal fuss. Those two touches were just his third and fourth of the game.

Liverpool 1-0 Napoli: Liverpool’s squad strength shows Jurgen Klopp progress There are many different ways to judge Liverpoolʼs development under Jurgen Klopp but I see their squad strength as the best way to gauge their progress, and it will also play a big part in any future success.

Look at the players who did not start their win over Napoli on Tuesday night and you can see the Reds now have true depth as well as a quality first XI. That is significant because Kloppʼs style of football is ex-

tremely taxing, but it becomes particularly important now they are contenders in the two biggest competitions going into the second half of the season. It has been a long time since you could say that about Liverpool the last time they seriously challenged for the league title, in 2014, they were not in Europe at all, and during last seasonʼs Champions League run they were nowhere near Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, finishing fourth, 25 points back.