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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Paris: 40,000 climate protesters dodge riotous ʼyellow vestsʼ Nationwide protests across France against government inaction on climate change drew more than 350,000 people across 220 towns and cities on Saturday, organizers said. The main rally through the center of Paris brought out some 45,000 campaigners, police said, while organizers put the figure at 107,000. The march coincided with the return of the ʼyellow vestʼ movement,whose so-called ultimatum rally saw violence break out and one of Franceʼs richest neighborhoods torched. Read more: France to introduce plastic packaging tax The environmental rally, however, was a peaceful affair and saw French movie stars, families, activists and politicians turn out. Gloomy warnings Many protesters sang songs and held hands, while others carried signs reading "There is no Planet B" and "Dinosaurs also thought they had time."

Slovakia: Government critic Zuzana Caputova wins first round in presidential vote Zuzana Caputova, a vocal government critic, has won the first round of Slovakiaʼs presidential election. With results from 99.4 percent of polling stations counted, the 45-year-old was in pole position with 40.5 percent of votes, far ahead of her strongest challenger, Maros Sefcovic. Sefcovic, a 52-year-old career diplomat and European Commission vice president backed by the ruling Smer-Social Democracy party, had just 18.7 percent of the vote. Read more: Slovakiaʼs presidential election focuses on corruption, democracy As no single candidate won a majority on Saturday, a runoff will be held between Caputova and Sefcovic on March 30.

63/2019 • 18 MARCH, 2019

Thousands march in support of Catalan politicians on trial Catalan independence is set to play a major role in Spainʼs upcoming national election

Supporters of Catalan politicians on trial over an attempted secession from Spain have taken to the streets in Madrid. Catalan independence is set to play a major role in Spainʼs upcoming national election on April 28.

Thousands of people marched through the streets of Madrid on Saturday in support of Catalan politicians and activists who are currently on trial for attempting to secede from Spainin October 2017.

Organizers said 120,000 people attended the march, but police estimated about 18,000 people attended the first major separatist march in the Spanish capital.

Read more: Catalan independence — What you need to know As the protesters marched through the city some waved the red-and-yellow striped Catalan flag and carried signs. A banner at the front of the march read: "Self-determination is not a crime." Speaking to reporters at the protest, Cataloniaʼs Regional President Quim Torra said the march in Madrid was needed in order to decry a trial that he described as a "farce." Nine of the 12 Catalan politicians and activists on trial at Madridʼs Supreme Court face up to 25 years in prison on re-

bellion and other charges for holding a banned independence referendum for the northeastern region and pushing ahead with an independence declaration that Madrid said was illegal. Read more: Who is former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont? The trial isabout to enter the fifth week of hearings, and sentencing is not expected until after Spainʼs April 28 general election. The Catalan crisis will play a major role in the upcoming vote, with three right-leaning parties, the conservative Popular Party (PP), center-right Ciudadanos and the relatively new far-right Vox party all calling for Spain to take a tougher position with separatists. Polls show the support of Catalan parties may prove decisive if Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is to form a government after the vote. Sanchezʼs Socialists are expected to win the most seats, but they will likely fall short of a parliamentary majority.

Deadly flash floods hit Indonesia Flash floods and mudslides in Indonesiaʼs Papua province have killed at least 50 people and injured 59 others, local officials said Sunday. The flooding was due to torrential rain, which hit the provincial capital of Jayapura beginning Saturday. Read more: Hundreds rescued in Australia after record flooding The water has submerged more than 150 houses in the Sentani area near Jayapura, said Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. He added that nine villages in Jayapura had been flooded and at least two bridges damaged. "Waters have now receded, leaving mud, logs and other materials carried by the flash floods," Nugroho said in a statement, adding that the death toll would likely rise as search and rescue teams reached other affected areas. More than 4,000 people were staying in temporary shelters, with authorities, the Red Cross and volunteers helping the displaced.

Death toll rises in New Zealand terror attack he number of dead and injured in Fridayʼsterror attack on two Christchurch mosqueshas risen, New Zealand police announced on Sunday morning, as mourning for the victims continued worldwide. "It is with sadness that I advise that the number of people who died in this event has now risen to 50," Police Commissioner Mike Bush said at a press conference in Wellington. The additional death was discovered as investigators removed bodies from the two mosques where the shootings took place. Bush added that the number of injured had also risen to 50, with 36 people remaining hospitalized.

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63/2019 • 18 March, 2019

German teachers fined for treating wasp sting with heated fork Two teachers at a school in the western German state of Hesse were fined for causing bodily harm with their questionable home remedy for a studentʼs wasp sting.

The incident occurred during a school trip to a youth hostel in the neighboring state of RhinelandPalatinate in May 2017, when a 14-year-old student was stung by a wasp. In response, a 39-year-old male teacher heated the handle of a fork with a lighter and pressed it on the boyʼs hand where heʼd been stung. After a blister formed, another 40-year-old female teacher cut it open and treated the wound with cream. The studentʼs lawyer said that as a result of the sting, the boy had to wear a protective glove for a considerable period of time. The German daily Bild newspaper reported that the boyʼs hand became infected and that he wasnʼt able to attend an internship as a result. A district court in Cochem fined the male teacher €2,700 ($3,160) for causing bodily harm.

The female teacher was also fined €2,500 ($2,900) for both assisting and causing bodily harm to the student.

Dutch shipbuilder in dock over North Koreanʼs Polish slave claims The first case in the Netherlands of worker exploitation involving a Dutch company for alleged crimes committed outside the country could be nearing an end in the coming weeks, lawyers said, and if successful may open the door to more such cases. Barbara van Straaten, the lawyer representing a North Korean worker, said Dutch law criminalizes the act of profiting from exploitation. The name of the Dutch shipping company sued by the worker couldnʼt be disclosed for safety reasons, she added. Under the countryʼs anti-trafficking law, offenders can be jailed for up to 18 years and face fines of €83,000 ($95,000). The plaintiff claims he was sent to Poland by the Pyongyang regime and forced to work12-hour days for low wages in awful conditions. The lawyer did not say when this happened. Van Straatenʼs Amsterdam-based law firm, Prakken dʼOliveira, said the North Korean worked for the Polish company Crist. Crist received financial assistance from the European Regional Development Fund, a loan of €37 million in 2009.

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Cyclone Idai leaves scores dead in Zimbabwe, Mozambique The regional death toll has already reached 174 and hundreds more remain missing

UN agencies are aiding the rescue effort after tens of thousands of people were hit by floods across southeast Africa.

Tropical Cyclone Idai has left at least 31 people dead in eastern Zimbabwe, the government said on Saturday, continuing a trail of destruction across southeast Africa. Since the start of the week, heavy rains andthe powerful storm already killed 87 people in neighboring Mozambique and Malawi. Zimbabweʼs information ministry said the worst of the storm hit the mountainous Chimanimani region, some 350

Syria blames Israel for ʼattack on Damascus airportʼ Israel launched missiles at a target near the Syrian capital of Damascus, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Sunday. "Our air defenses responded to an Israeli missile attack on Damascus international airport and shot down a number of hostile missiles," said a military source cited by Syriaʼs SANA news agency. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), an independent war monitor that relies on a network of on-the-ground sources, said the missiles had targeted an arms depot near the airport,likely used by Iranian forces or the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

History of attacks An Israeli Defense

kilometers (217 miles) southeast of the capital, Harare. A ministry tweet said at least 40 other people were still missing. The state television station, ZBC, reported that 150 people remain unaccounted for. ʼState intervention neededʼ Jacob Mafume, a spokesman of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), warned in a tweet that a "serious humanitarian crisis" is unfolding in the region.

Forces (IDF) spokeswoman said Israel does not comment on reports by foreign media. However,it would not be the first time Israel has targeted assets on Syrian soil. Earlier this month, an Israeli official said the IDF has hit more than 200 Iranian and Hezbollah targets in Syria.

World Bank offers financial assistance to disaster-hit Indonesia The World Bank announced Sunday it would provide up to $1 billion (€860 million) in loans to the Indonesian government to help relief and reconstruction efforts in areas hit

Germany ready to ʼhelp Iraq back on its feetʼ German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Iraq on Saturday to discuss her countryʼs intention to develop its military assistance program in the country. Von der Leyen said that followingthe "Islamic State" militant groupʼs military defeat in Iraq, it is time to move forward with other endeavors, includingstabilization and reconstruction. "Now it is important to shape and protect the reconstruction of the country under a new mandate," said von der Leyen.

"Germany is ready to continue helping Iraq get back on its feet. That is why I am here." ʼOther forms of engagementʼ In February, von der Leyen saidthe role of the Bundeswehr — Germanyʼs armed forces — needed to evolveto meet the "needs of Iraq." At the time, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Baghdad wanted a "commitment from Germany" for "other forms of engagement," including training and logistics. Since 2014, Germany has provided Iraq withmore than €1 billion ($1.16 billion) in humanitarian and development aid, making the Middle Eastern country one of the largest recipients of German foreign assistance.

by recent earthquakes and a tsunami.

Kristalina Georgieva, the bankʼs CEO, unveiled the funds in Bali during its annual meeting. "Disasters will continue to hit, and with climate change there will be more," said Georgieva, who earlier visited Palu City, which was hit by a 7.5magnitude quake and a resulting tsunami last month. "The best memorial we can build for the victims of disaster is to build better, so next time when a disaster hits, fewer people are affected, fewer lives are lost, and there is less damage," she added. Indonesia sits on one of the most tectonically active parts of the world, and is prone to earthquakes as well as occasional tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. On Saturday, torrential rains triggered flash floods and landslides on the island of Sumatra, killing 27 people, including a dozen school children.

63/2019 • 18 March, 2019

Venezuela: Juan Guaido launches ʼnew phaseʼ of anti-Maduro push The opposition leader has embarked on a national tour under the banner "Operation Liberty" to rally support for widespread protest against acting President Nicolas Maduro. But government supporters arenʼt staying silent.

Venezuelaʼs opposition leader, Juan Guaido, has kicked off a national tour, part of his ongoing attempt to oust acting President Nicolas Maduro from office and bolster support from a population struggling to secure basic necessities amid a political and economic crisis. Guaido described his tour as a "new phase" of his opposition campaign, which he dubbed "Operation Liberty" ("Operacion Liber-

Grief and shock, but ʼstill homeʼ in Christchurch the day after terror attacks Abbas Nazari first arrived in Christchurch as a child refugee from Afghanistan. He and his family were taken in after the international sea rescue standoff in 2001, known as the Tampa Affair. New Zealand gave them and fellow Afghans "a home, a place, a future, hope," he said. Now itʼs where they have also experienced terrorism. Read more: ʼStand together,ʼ urges New Zealandʼs human rights commissioner On Saturday, Nazari turned out to support the dozens of people at an emergency response center set up for friends and relatives of the victims of Fridayʼsdeadly terror attacks on two of the cityʼs mosques.

Guarded by armed police, the center, along with a nearby site where people gathered to lay flowers and tributes, were busy locations in a city that was otherwise subdued. Nazari told DW that everyone in Christchurchʼs small, tight-knit Afghan community knew someone who was in the hospital or had died.

He said he came out to help them coordinate relief efforts.

tad"). On the first stop of his tour on Saturday, he spoke to large crowds in the northern city of Valencia, saying he would deliver a better life for Venezuelans. "Weʼre stronger than ever," he said, speaking from a podium draped with a Venezuelan flag. He warned that difficult challenges lie ahead, but his denunciations of Maduro drew cheers from the crowd.

ʼIslamic Stateʼ may fall, but will not vanish

The so-called Islamic State (IS) is nearly defeated, militarily speaking, thanks to the determined efforts of the international community. However, one should not be fooled into thinking that everything will return to normal once the last IS stronghold is conquered and the last fighter has surrendered.

This is merely one step in a larger struggle against jihadi terrorism. One reason to be cautious is that jihadi Salafism has become the driving ideology behind Islamic terrorism.

Which, of course, does not mean every adherent of Salafism who wants to live as ancient Muslims did is automatically a terrorist. Indeed, there are plenty of apolitical Salafists. But there are also those who believe their Muslim utopia can and must be realized through violence. IS may be on its last legs, but its ideological underpinnings are not. Followers ofa militant Salafismcould rise up once again. Experts say some 30,000 IS fighters have already gone underground in the past two years.

Italy probes death of Silvio Berlusconi ʼbunga bungaʼ sex trial witness Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into the death of Imane Fadil, a Moroccan-born model who testified in one of the inquiries linked to former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconiʼs "bunga bunga" parties. Fadil, 34, died in Milanʼs Humanitas hospital on March 1. She had been undergoing treatment since January 29 for symptoms of poisoning, Milan prosecutor Francesco Greco said, according to the ANSA news agency.

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63/2019 • 18 March, 2019

Older German diesels face reckoning German government ministers met at Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs offices on Friday to discuss the vexatious diesel question. After years of wrangling, a solution is dearly sought, but what are the realistic options? Is Germanyʼs seemingly never-ending diesel debate edging towards its endgame? On Friday, German government ministers for transport, finance, the economy and the environment met at the offices of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to try and reach an agreement on the thorny subject of how to reduce pollution from diesel cars as quickly as possible. Read more: New analysis reveals deadly scale of diesel emissions Last weekend, German government figures and car manufacturers were in talks over potential hardware retrofits for older diesels, but no deal was reached. With diesel bans allowed in Germany since rulings earlier this year, the debate has entered a decisive phase.Hamburg began a partial ban in May, while Stuttgart,Frankfurtand Düsseldorf are among the other cities expected to follow. Car manufacturers are vehemently opposed to such bans, as they have added to uncertainty over dieselʼs future and hit sales. The debate in the Chancellery once more centered on a few key questions around whether older diesels should be banned outright, retrofitted with new hardware or gradually phased out through incentivized buyback schemes. On top of that is the fundamental issue of who pays to make things better.

Sri Lanka seeks investment, but China questions linger You donʼt need to be an expert on international trade routes to look at a map and understandthat Sri Lankaʼs location is one of potentially serious economic advantage. The island nation — population 22 million — sits at the southern tip of India, almost as close to the Middle East and the Horn of Africa as it is to South East Asia. The value of this location has not been lost on its northern neighbor China.Under Xi Jinpingʼs so-called ʼBelt and Road Initiative,ʼ the Chinese government has pumped billions into Sri Lanka in the form of both foreign investment and loans in recent years. This reliance on Chinese money is part of a longstanding Sri Lankan problem. With a major trade deficit, as well as crippling levels of debt, the country needs foreign money. China has rushed to fill the gap more enthusiastically than anyone else. The current Sri Lankan government came to power in 2015, when it replaced former President Mahinda Rajapaksaʼs administration.

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Can the new foreign investment law level the playing field in China?

Delegates to Chinaʼs ceremonial legislature have approved a new law to address Western grievances about unequal market access and IP theft in the Asian giant. But concerns remain among European and US businesses.

Chinaʼs National Peopleʼs Congress (NPC) on Friday rubber stamped a new foreign investment law in a bid to address long-standing problems faced by foreign firms and investors operating in China — such as unequal market access, forced technology transfers and unfair treatment when it comes to public procurement. While 2,929 delegates voted in favor of the law, eight voted against and eight abstained. Read more: Will Chinese investments in the EU keep plummeting? The legislation

Can the European Union control Chinaʼs connectivity in Europe?

Last week, the EU announced a proposal for a "new and comprehensive strategy to better connect Europe and Asia." As European countries and industry expand infrastructure and network connections with Asia, and China in particular, the EU is seeking to level the playing field and ensure that joint projects develop with Brussels setting the standard. DW spoke with Mathieu Duchâtel, senior policy fellow and deputy director of the Asia and China Program at the European Council on Foreign Relations, about the EUʼs strategy on connecting Europe and Asia. Mathieu Duchâtel: This proposal is the EUʼs response mainly to Chinaʼs Belt and Road initiative, with the aim of making European values on connectivity clear. I think itʼs the result of a feeling in the EU that it wasnʼt in the driverʼs seat on the connectivity discussion in Eurasia. This, of course, includes infrastructure because thereʼs no connectivity without infrastructure.

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Knorr-Bremse set to become German IPO of the year Knorr-Bremse said on Friday that strong investor demand for its 35 million shares to be publicly listed on October 12 could value the stake at up to €4.21 billion ($4.77 billion). The German braking and technology group now hopes to sell its newly-floated shares at a price of between €72 and €87. Earnings from the 30-percent stake in the company could make the flotation the biggest in Germany this year, overtaking that of Siemens Healthineers — the worldʼs largest maker of medical imaging equipment — which sold for €4.2 billion.

The companyʼs chief executive Klaus Deller, said Knorr-Bremse would welcome new investors as it was heading toward further growth. "We have received very positive feedback from investors and other stakeholders...confirming our strong belief that this IPO is the next logical step for us," he said in a statement.

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was approved just three months after a first draft was debated, an unusually quick turnaround for the legislature, which meets once a year. The speed at which this process was concluded is clearly a response to Beijingʼs ongoing trade dispute with Washington, Katja Drinhausen, a researcher at the Berlinbased Mercator Institute for China Studies, told DW. "Itʼs a clear signal from China to the US and Europe that Beijing is taking further steps toward market opening."

US SEC files suit against VW, Martin Winterkorn

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has filed suit against Volkswagen and its former chief executive, Martin Winterkorn, claiming "massive fraud." VW said the SEC is trying to "extract more from the company."

In a complaint filed in San Francisco, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday accused German automaker Volkswagen of perpetrating a "massive fraud" on US investors in the Dieselgate scandal.

From April 2014 to May 2015, VW issued more than $13 billion (€11.5 billion) in bonds and asset-backed securities in US markets at a time when senior executives knew that more than 500,000 diesel vehicles in the country exceeded legal vehicle emissions limits. Volkswagen "reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in benefit by issuing the securities at more attractive rates for the company," the SEC said.

The suit also seeks to bar former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn from serving as an officer or director of a public US company, and recover "ill-gotten gains." Volkswagen, Europeʼs largest automaker, this week announced both€12 million euros in profitsandplans to cut 7,000 jobs by 2023.

63/2019 • 18 March, 2019

Pussy Riot concert in Christchurch cancelled following NZ shootings The band is also banned from entering Brazil, which was the next stop on their international tour

Currently touring New Zealand, the Russian feminist punk group had a performance planned in Christchurch on Friday.

The Russian punk rock band Pussy Riot was set to perform in the New Zealand city affected by deadly terrorist attacks, but "due to the devastating events that occurred in Christchurch today, tonightʼs show has been officially cancelled," the organizers wrote, adding that they had been advised by the Christchurch police "that due to the ongoing nature of the events that it is best to keep everyone safe and at home." Pussy Riotʼs criticism of religion is well

known. They became world famous after three members of the feminist protest band were arrested following a masked performance in Moscowʼs Christ the Saviour Cathedral in 2012 (top photo). Their latest show in New Zealand, in the city of Nelson on Thursday, was also in a church.

"No-one was arrested in Nelson, but the irony of seeing the international force that is Pussy Riot perform in a holy space again was spine-tingling," wrote the website Stuff.

German museum returns stolen colonial era artifacts As "Kaptein," Hendrik Witbooi was one of the most important leaders of the Nama tribes in Namibia during the German colonial period and revolted against German power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He accepted the Christian faith by way of missionary influence in the then "South West Africa."

Witbooiʼs personal bible, together with a cattle whip, have been given back to the Namibian nation at arestitution ceremony on Thursday, held in the resistance heroʼs hometown of Gibeon. The objects were probably captured in 1893 during an

attack by German colonial troops. In 1902, they were donated to the Linden Museum in Stuttgart, which actively participated in their return as part of its provenance research.

However, there were conflicts in the negotiations over the return as to whether the bible should not be handed over directly to the legitimate descendants. Namibian President Hage Geingob has promised to give the bible to the family at a later date. In an interview with DW, Sandra Ferracuti, Africa consultant at the Linden Museum, explained what makes this return so important.

We need men to talk about periods: Oscar winner Guneet Monga

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Whether youʼre sightseeing, shopping, exploring or relaxing on the beach, this "Belly" bag can attach around your waist practically or be worn across your shoulder. www.hoegl.com

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Period. End of Sentence is a documen-

tary about the deep-rooted stigma attached to menstruation in the village of Hapur in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. For generations, women here did not have access to sanitary pads, leading to health issues and girls dropping out from schools.

Directed by award-winning IranianAmerican filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi, the film is created by The Pad Project, an organization established by a group of students at the Oakwood School in Los Angeles and their teacher, Melissa Berton. The movie has been produced by 34-yearold Guneet Monga (pictured above), who was born in Delhi and heads the production company, Sikhya Entertainment. She has been involved in several critically acclaimed Indian movies, including Lunchbox, Gangs of Wasseypur and Masaan, which won the International Jury of Film Critics Prize at Cannes in 2015. Monga is brimming with ambition and confidence after her Oscar victory and hopes the movie will help change mindsets and hard-wired attitudes, especially among males, towards menstruation.

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Culture

Red Bull Air Race moves to Zamárdi at Lake Balaton Zamárdi on the south shore of Lake Balaton will host the popular Red Bull Air Race this July. The event, staged in Budapest from 2003, failed to receive the necessary permit from the city mayor István Tarlós, and so had to be relocated. The decision represents a major coup for Zamárdi, which will also host several key music festivals this summer, including Balaton Sound and STRAND. Instigated by star Hungarian pilot Péter Besenyei, the Red Bull Air Race has been a huge crowdpleaser since first hosted in Budapest in 2003. Of all the 40-plus prestigious cities to stage this annual global series – New York, London, Rio – the Hungarian capital always put on the best show.

The thrill of seeing planes zoom under Chain Bridge attracted an estimated 135,000 spectators in 2018. But in the immediate aftermath of June’s activities, Budapest mayor István Tarlós went on TV to apologise to local residents for the disturbance, and to vow that planes would not race here again.

Despite this, tickets were sold for another Budapest event in 2019 while sites were sought elsewhere, Lake Balaton the obvious candidate. Keszthely and Fonyód were also in the frame as potential hosts, but Zamárdi’s track record in staging major gatherings got it over the line.

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63/2019 • 18 March, 2019

Valtteri Bottas wins Australian Grand Prix as Mercedes get off to a flyer

The Finnish driver started second on the grid but flew past Hamilton at the start of the race and never looked like letting his lead slip. "I donʼt know what just happened," said Bottas after picking up his first race win since 2017 after spending last season in the shadow of Hamilton. "I donʼt know what to say. It was definitely my best race ever. I felt so good and the car was so good." Bottas also ensured he claimed the new fastest lap bonus point, reclaiming that on the penultimate lap from Max Verstappen, who finished third. German driver Sebastian Vettel was a fairly distant fourth after Verstappen eased past him just past the halfway point but it appeared team orders from Ferrari stopped his new teammate Charles Leclerc from going past him.

FIFA risk trouble after agreeing new Club World Cup

London Broncos have long-term ambition to win Super League title Promoted London Broncos must have the ambition to win Super League in the future, says head coach Danny Ward. The Broncos will be back in the top flight in 2019 afterbeating Toronto Wolfpack 4-2 in the Million Pound Gameon Sunday. "We need to make it work, have a five-year plan of where we want to be," Ward told BBC Radio London.

"Next year is going to be tough but we want a long-term vision to make London the best club in the country." He added: "We donʼt just want to compete in Super League, but win it. We are not there just to survive." Ward, who took charge following the departure of Andrew Henderson at the end of last season, described their victory over the Wolfpack in Canada as "one of the proudest moments" of his career. "What a performance, what a day and what an achievement - I am still on a massive high," he said on their return to England. "To lead the club into the Million Pound Game and win promotion is one of my biggest ever achievements."

Joachim Löw hits back at criticism for ousting Bayern Munich trio The national coach has received a lot of backlash for the way he informed the trio

Joachim Löw defended his decision to omit Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Müller from Germanyʼs squad.

In his first comments sinceousting World Cup winners Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Müller from the German national team, Joachim Löw hit back at critics who questioned the way he delivered them the news.

His decision to no longer include the Bayern Munich trio in his squad drew a backlash last week. Many, includingBayern and Germany defender Joshua Kimmich, openly questioned the course of action.

Read more: Bayern Munich criticize

timing of Joachim Löwʼs decision to axe trio On Wednesday, Sport Bild also reported that Löw, who flew to Munich 10 days ago to inform the three players in person of his decision, only spent a handful of minutes with each player. "I find it strange when people make judgments about respect and values even though they did not take part in the discussions. Time is also no indicator for the quality of a conversation," Löw said at a press conference in Frankfurt.

Bundesliga: Marco Reus leaves it late to send Borussia Dortmund top

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Friday that the footballʼs governing body will go ahead with a new 24-team Club World Cup from 2021 onwards, despite opposition from Europeʼs elite. The current seven-team tournament, played every winter but is not particularly popular amongst European football fans, will be replaced by a more lucrative tournament every fourth summer - filling in the spot previously resevered for the Confederations Cup. 6

Even without Axel Witsel, Mario Götze and Paco Alcacer, Borussia Dortmund found something from somewhere to seal an epic comeback that sends them top in the tightest of title races. Marco Reus proved the hero again.

Considering Dortmund knew they were in title fight, they started surprisingly slowly - and paid the price. Roman Bürki spilled a long-range shot, bringing the ball back into play, and Salomon Kalou was on hand to poke home.

Hertha Berlin outplayed Dortmund in the opening 10 minutes. But even with-

out Axel Witsel, Paco Alcacer and Mario Götze, Dortmund dragged themselves back into the game. Thomas Delaney picked up the ball in his own half and just kept running. With an option to his right, Delaney instead went for goal instead and after a wicked deflection from Karim Rekik, Dortmund were level. Dortmund had their chances. Jacob Bruun Larsen tested Rune Jarstein, Manuel Akanji took a header away from the better-placed Delaney. But Dortmund wobbled, as they have and Hertha found themselves ahead again when Kalou converted from the spot.