28/2018 • 03, FEBRUARY 2018 WEEKEND ISSUE
DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
US President Donald Trump declassifies controversial FBI memo A US congressional committee has released a memo claiming antiTrump bias at the FBI
The FBI and Democratic lawmakers had warned the president against declassifying the Republican-authored memo.
Eritrean migrants shot in massive Calais brawl At least five people have been shot after a fight involving more than 100 Eritreans and Afghans erupted in Calais. The French interior minister blamed traffickers for "fueling daily violence and brawls." A massive, two-hour brawl involving more than 100 Eritrean and Afghan nationals in Calais on Thursday left five migrants in critical condition after being shot. Twenty-two people were injured. They had been standing in line waiting for food handouts.
Russia marks Stalingrad defeat of Nazis 75 years ago, the surrender of Nazi Germanyʼs Sixth Army marked the end of the Battle of Stalingrad. It was a major turning point in the war, which remains important for many Russians even today. During World War II, Nazi Germanyʼs Wehrmacht intended to conquer the industrial city of Stalingrad — named after then Soviet leader Joseph Stalin — before advancing onward to capture its intended goal: The Caucasus oil fields. Given the cityʼs name, both Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin afforded great symbolic meaning to the Battle of Stalingrad that transcended its strategic importance.
US President Donald Trump on Friday approved the release of a classified memo created by a Republican on the House Intelligence Committee. The memo showed antiTrump bias at the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Justice Department, according to some Republican lawmakers. Read the memo released by the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee The four-page memo was authored by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee based on classified information.The memo says its findings "represent a troubling breakdown of legal processes established to protect the American people from abuses related to the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] (FISA)."It alleges that the FBI abusedgovernment surveillance powersto conduct part of its probe into Russiaʼs meddling in the 2016 presidential election. According to the memo, thecontroversial Steele dossierformed "an essential part" of the FBIʼs request to eavesdrop on Trump campaign aide Carter Page without pointing out that thecampaign of Trumpʼs election rival, Hillary Clinton, contributed funding to pay Steele. The FBI, Justice Department and Democratic lawmakers had warned the White House against declassifying the memo, saying omissions to the memo could mislead the public and undermine national security. After authorizing the memoʼs publication, Trump said: "I think itʼs a disgrace whatʼs going on in this
country … A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves, and much worse than that," an apparent reference to senior FBI officials. Earlier this week, the FBI warned against releasing the memo, saying: "As expressed during our initial review, we have grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memoʼs accuracy." The Democratic lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee said the release of the memo "will do long-term damage to the intelligence community and our law enforcement agencies." It dismissed claims that the FBI and Justice Department misled the FISA court to snoop on Page. Other Democrats said using the memo as grounds to fire the head of the Russia probe, Robert Mueller, could trigger a "constitutional crisis." The FBI Agents Association President Thomas OʼConnorsaid the bureau "will not allow partisan politics to distract" from its mission. "The American people should know that they continue to be well-served by the worldʼs pre-eminent law enforcement agency." Why is the memo controversial: The memo alleges that the FBI used a dossier partially paid for by the Democratic National Committee to gain greater access to the Trump campaign intheir probe into Russian election meddling. What happens next: The Democratic panel on the House Intelligence Committee said theyʼre hoping to release their own memo by Monday.
Terror attacks Af-Pak relations hit a new low
Eldest son of exCuban leader Fidel Castro, dies aged 68
Ties have been strained between Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent months, with spiraling mutual distrust and antipathy proving a hindrance toward repairing a relationship critical for long-lasting peace in the region. "Down with Pakistan," "Down with the Taliban," "Down with Daesh." These chants filled the air outside the Pakistani embassy in Kabul on Thursday when dozens of Afghans protested against Islamabad, blaming it for the latest wave of violent attacks rocking the already war-ravaged nation.
The son of the leader of the Cuban revolution was widely known as "Fidelito" ("Little Fidel"). He had reportedly been suffering for months from depression before his apparent suicide. The eldest son of late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart, killed himself on Thursday aged 68, Cuban media have reported. "Castro Diaz-Balart, who had been attended by a group of doctors for several months due to a state of profound depression, committed suicide this morning," Cuba debate website said.
28/2018 • 03, February 2018 Weekend issue
Westjet, Sunwing planes collide on the ground at Toronto airport A Westjet plane arriving from Cancun was hit by a Sunwing aircraft at Toronto airport, prompting the Westjet passengers to evacuate via emergency slides. The other plane was reportedly empty. Two planes collided after landing at Toronto Pearson Airport, starting a small fire and forcing all 168 passengers on one of the planes to leave via the emergency slides. No passengers or crew members were injured, but one member of the emergency services was treated in hospital, officials said late on Friday. The Boeing 737, operated by Westjet, had landed from Cancun, Mexico, and was waiting to approach the gate, when it was "struck" by a Sunwing plane, Westjet said. No crew or passengers were aboard the Sunwing aircraft, as it was hauled away from the terminal by ground crew.
Ousted Venezuelan opposition leader escapes house arrest, flees to Spain Ousted Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma has likened his escape to a film. He plans to take the fight against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro abroad. The ousted opposition mayor of Caracas arrived in Spain on Saturday after orchestrating a daring escape from house arrest in Venezuela. Antonio Ledezma landed in Madrid from Bogota, Colombia, where he arrived a day earlier after slipping across the border. He was greeted by his wife and two daughters who live in Spain. Ledezma said he planned to organize resistance from abroad to President Nicolas Maduro, under whose rule millions of Venezuelans have suffered from shortages of food and other basic supplies. "I am going to travel the world to spread the hope of all Venezuelans to escape this regime, this dictatorship," Ledezma said. The 62-year-old opposition figure was removed as mayor of Caracas and arrested in 2015 on allegations he sought to topple Maduro. He was later put under house arrest due to health issues. Ledezma was one of the opposition leaders who led protests against the government in 2014, which also resulted in the arrest of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. He remains under house arrest. 2
Donald Trumpʼs State of the Union: What you need to know We look at the key points of his first major address
US President Donald Trump outlined his immigration reform plan, declared a victory over the "Islamic State," and announced he would keep Guantanamo Bay prison open. In his first State of the Union address, President Donald Trump extolled the successes of his tenure, while brushing off the scandals that have plagued his administration. "Over the last year, the world has seen what we always knew - that no people on Earth are so fearless or daring or determined as Americans. If there is a mountain, we climb it. If there is a frontier, we cross it. If there is a challenge, we tame it," he said. In a speech that lasted nearly 90 minutes, Trump called on the country to unite as "one American family." DW looks at the key pas-
Argentina navy loses contact with submarine with 44 crew on board No one has heard from an Argentinian submarine for at least two days. While authorities initially insisted it wasnʼt missing, Argentinaʼs navy has stepped up its search efforts. Argentinaʼs navy lost contact with one of its submarines and its 44 crew members, it announced on Friday. Although the German-built ARA San Juan has been out of contact for two days, the navy initially did not consider it lost. "Itʼs not that itʼs lost, because to be lost, you have to look for it and not find it," the navy told a local broadcaster. However, after an initial search operation in the submarineʼs last known position, around 430 kilometers (267miles) off the southeastern
sages of his wide-ranging speech. Trump spent the bulk of his speech addressing domestic topics, the most prominent of which centered around US immigration reform. Trump called for a "four-pillared" plan: "generously" offering a path to citizenship for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, securing the border with "our great wall," ending the visa lottery system and ending "chain migration." He added that "Americans are dreamers too" — referring to the "Dreamers" nickname of DACA recipients. Valdez peninsula, bore no results, Argentina said it was stepping up its search efforts and calling on allies for help. "We have not been able to find, or have visual or radar communication with the submarine," navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters at a news conference. "I donʼt want to dramatize the issue. Weʼre lacking communication and donʼt know what happened." The incident has formally been upgraded to a "search and rescue" operation, Balbi added.
Cambodia charges 2 journalists with espionage The arrests are the latest in a widening crackdown on media and the opposition in Cambodia ahead of elections next year. The move further
Australia shutters Papua New Guinea detention center Around 600 asylum seekers have refused to leave the facility, citing fears of attacks from locals. Australian lawmakers have warned of a "humanitarian emergency" when authorities in Papua New Guinea shut off the water. Private security staff at a controversial Australian detention center in Papua New Guinea left the facility for the first time in years on Tuesday ahead of its expected closure. The facility formed an integral part ofAustraliaʼs expensive offshore detention programknown as "Sovereign Borders." However, Papua New Guineaʼs Supreme Court ruled that the facility is unconstitutional and needed to be closed. Some 600 asylum seekers residing at the facility have refused to leave, saying the alternatives provided are less secure. Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the campʼs closure would proceed, and that the asylum seekers have access to temporary residences nearby. "All have been informed for a considerable period of time that there is safe and secure alternate accommodation where health and other services will be maintained," Dutton told Reuters news agency in an emailed statement.
strains ties between the United States and Cambodia. Two Cambodian journalists who worked for a US-funded radio station were charged with espionage on Saturday, the latest move in a widening crackdown on critics of authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Uon Chhin and Yeang Socheameta, former journalists of the Washington-based Radio Free Asia, were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly providing information to a foreign power. The offense carries up to 15-years in prison. Radio Free Asiaʼs Phnom Penh bureau closed its office in September, citing "intimidation" and threats that it was violating tax and registration regulations. The Cambodia Daily newspaper reported the two journalists were accused of setting up broadcasting equipment in the capital and sending news reports to Radio Free Asiaʼs Washington bureau.
28/2018 • 03, February 2018 Weekend issue
YOUR JOURNEY TO TOTAL RELAXATION AND WELLBEING BEGINS AT HARMONY SPA BUDAPEST The Harmony Spa welcomes local guests as well as hotel guests for treatments, relaxation and wellness usage as a DaySpa. Aria Hotel Budapest’s spa offers 35 Feet Indoor Heated Pool and Jacuzzi, Finnish and Infrared Sauna, Aromatic Steam Bath, Gym and private rooftop yoga sessions, all in the heart of Budapest, just a few steps away from St. Stephen’s Basilica. 35 Feet Indoor Heated Pool, lounge space with Private Cabanas, and indulging Jacuzzi – Harmony Spa is truly a place for total relaxation in the heart of Budapest, which was also honored as the Europeʼs Best Wellness Spa 2015 at the World Boutique Hotel Awards. There is so much to love about Harmony Spa at Aria Hotel Budapest, but what the judges said put the Aria on top was the unique experience of musically inspired spa treatments and the option to book a private Harmony Rooftop Yoga to take in the morning glow of the beautiful and majestic city around you while taking time to reset, relax and restore. The Harmony Spa welcomes local guests as well as hotel guests for treatments, relaxation and wellness usage as a DaySpa. Harmony Spa offers lounge space with Private Cabanas, 35 Feet Indoor Heated Pool and Jacuzzi, Finnish and Infrared Sauna, Aromatic Steam Bath, Hydro Rider Aqua Bicycles and a wellequipped Gym. Private rooftop yoga and aquafitness sessions can be booked on request, as well as the Harmony Rooftop Yoga classes organized on every second Sunday with
breathtaking views to the St. Stephen’s Basilica. Discover the haven of wellness and beauty, with an orchestra of sensory experiences to indulge in. Harmony Spa at the Aria Hotel Budapest provides a unique fusion of spa and state of the art wellness for an integrated experience to help you relax, revitalize, re-energize and rejuvenate. From innovative antiageing and lifting facials to tranquilizing beauty and spa treatments, massages, manicure and pedicure are all available to our guests. Local guests who book a treatment also enjoy a complimentary half day pass to the Wellness and Gym. More on treatments: Enjoy our all natural approach to beauty and well-being with exclusive body treatments and rituals, benefit from high performance ingredients, Hungarian thermal water, natural herbs and vitamin extracts for exceptional results, leaving your skin healthy and glowing. Throughout the treatments you will have our therapists’ undivided attention as they ensure your comfort with warmed beds and heated towels, and anything you need to feel completely at peace. Guests may choose from one of
Aria’s most simple treatments or one of the intensive treatments such as structured detox or anti-aging nourishment. One can also enhance their experience with a wide range of spa, well-being, and anti-aging services. More on the Gym: Treat yourself to some "me" time that will benefit your life long after your holiday ends. The guests of the Aria Hotel Budapest and local visitors are welcome to arrange for personal training sessions or physical therapy sessions to help them start on a path to wellness and recovery. Guests enjoy access to an array of high performance equipment to enhance their strength and stamina, including Cardio Machines with treadmill, elliptical, bicycle from Technogym, Kinesis Wellness Ball and free weights. Two Aqua bicycles are available to enjoy in the heated indoor swimming pool. Enjoy swimming, private or group aqua fitness classes, as well as our unique Harmony Rooftop Yoga sessions. Every treatment at the Aria comes with a complimentary pass to the Harmony Spa Fitness and Wellness. We wish you a great relaxation! See you there!
Argentina navy loses contact with submarine with 44 crew on board No one has heard from an Argentinian submarine for at least two days. While authorities initially insisted it wasnʼt missing, Argentinaʼs navy has stepped up its search efforts. Argentinaʼs navy lost contact with one of its submarines and its 44 crew members, it announced on Friday. Although the German-built ARA San Juan has been out of contact for two days, the navy initially did not consider it lost. "Itʼs not that itʼs lost, because to be lost, you have to look for it and not find it," the navy told a local broadcaster. However, after an initial search operation in the submarineʼs last known position, around 430 kilometers (267miles) off the southeastern Valdez peninsula, bore no results, Argentina said it was stepping up its search efforts and calling on allies for help. "We have not been able to find, or have visual or radar communication with the submarine," navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters at a news conference. "I donʼt want to dramatize the issue. Weʼre lacking communication and donʼt know what happened." The incident has formally been upgraded to a "search and rescue" operation, Balbi added.
35th Hungarian Press Photo Exhibition at Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center The previous year’s best Hungarian press photos were chosen for the thirty-fifth time - a celebration of photo reporters and photography across the country. Capa Center exhibits camera-captured fates, relationships and humanity for two months.
3
28/2018 • 03, February 2018 Weekend issue
Franceʼs first panda cub, Yuan Meng, makes public debut Little Yuan Meng is the first panda cub to be born in a French zoo
Global warming: 2017 was secondwarmest, last three years are record hot Data from leading international weather agencies shows the recordbreaking trend toward a warmer planet is continuing. The findings uphold scientistsʼ understanding of human-caused climate change. The World Meteorological Organization has released ameta-analysis confirming that 2017 was the second-hottest year on record. The year2016 remains the warmest since records began, the United Nations agency said, with an average Earth surface temperature at 1.2 degrees
Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. Measuredglobal average temperatures in 2015and 2017 came in at 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer. The analysis consolidated millions of meteorological and marine observations from five international datasets: NASA, the NOAA, the Met Office, the Copernicus Climate Change Service, and the Japan Meteorological Agency. Data from these sources confirmed that the last three years — 2015, 2016 and 2017 — were the warmest ever recorded.
A playful baby panda has been the star attraction this weekend at Beauval Zoo, south of Paris. Five-month-old Yuan Meng — whose name means "making a dream come true" — has proved a huge hit at Beauval Zoo. The baby appeared along with his mother in a new enclosure. In keeping with his name, Yuan Mengʼs appearance meant some zoo visitors had their wishes fulfilled. "We got up at 3 in the morning," said Delphine, who had traveled from the Paris region. "My son absolutely wanted to see the cub. We felt we took part in a historic moment. It was very moving." Yuan Meng wasone of
twins when he was born in August, but his sibling died soon after birth. "It is very important," said another visitor, Patricia. "We absolutely wanted to be here, to discover this ball of fur. Itʼs a little ball of happiness, of peace." China has sent pandas to only about a dozen countries, using the animal as a mark of good relations. A female and male arrived in Beauval in 2012 after top-level negotiations between Paris and Beijing. Yuan Meng was born five years later through artificial insemination.
Extreme weather a factor in 2015 mass death of saiga antelopes
Trump ʼhealthyʼ with perfect cognitive score, says doctor
"Unusually" warm weather contributed to the sudden death of 200,000 saiga antelopes in 2015 — an event that had baffled scientists — according to a new study. It could happen again, putting the species at risk. Unusually high temperatures helped contribute to the dramatic sudden death of more than 200,000 "critically endangered" saiga antelopes in Central Asiaʼs remote steppe grassland in 2015, according to a new study. Over the course of three weeks in May 2015, a bacterial disease caused blood poisoning and wiped out more than 80 percent of the saiga population in Kazakhstanʼs Betpak-Dala region. In some herds, not a single animal survived. Researchers already believed the disease was caused by the pathogen Pasteurella multocida, but they were baffled by the die-off because the bacteria had likely been living harmlessly in the saigasʼ tonsils up to that point. This led researchers to wonder why the bacteria suddenly became deadly on such a vast scale among the nomadic animals with the distinctive pendulous nose. 4
The White House doctor says Donald Trump is in excellent health following his first physical as president. The exam took place days after a controversial book raised questions about Trumpʼs mental fitness for office. White House physician Ronny Jackson said Tuesday that Donald Trump had a very strong chance of remaining physically fit and healthy for the full term of his presidency. "In summary, the presidentʼs overall health is excellent," Jackson told reporters at a briefing in Washington.
Following UK, German politicians urge for measures to fight loneliness
German lawmakers have said more needs to be done to help those who suffer from loneliness and to remove the taboos around the issue. They also praised the UKʼs recent decision to appoint a "Minister for Loneliness."
Politicians in Germany are taking a harder look at loneliness and how it affects the countryʼs large — and growing — elderly population. For someone over the age of 60, loneliness "increases mortality as much as heavy smoking," Karl Lauterbach, a health expert and Social Democrat (SPD), told the German daily Bild newspaper on Friday."There has to be someone who is responsible for the topic of loneliness, preferably in the Health Ministry, who can coordinate the fight against loneliness," Lauterbach added. A discussion about loneliness in Germany was prompted by the United Kingdomʼs recent moveto name a "Minister for Loneliness." Marcus Weinberg, a politician with German Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs Christian Democrats (CDU), said people should be able to talk the issue freely without fearing that they would be seen as weak, reported Bild.
28/2018 • 03, February 2018 Weekend issue
Climate change making polar bears go hungry Study shows
An increasing number of polar bears canʼt catch enough prey to fill their stomach, researchers found. As a result, many bears are losing weight — a development that could push the species closer to extinction. Imagine you have to walk through ice and snow all day for most of the year. Youʼd work up quite an appetite — and get hungrier the more distance youʼd cover. That sums up the life of a polar bear. Living in the icy Arctic, they prey on fat-rich mammals like ringed seals to sustain themselves in this harsh environment. Andthey now need more food than in the past, a study has
found. The iconic animals require 1.6 times more energy than was estimated in the 1990s, researchers at the US Geological Survey, the Alaska Science Center in Anchorage, and at the University of California at Santa Cruz report in the journal "Science." "They need to be catching a lot of seals," Anthony Pagano, a PhD candidate at UC Santa Cruz said.
in registry of births, court rules An intersex person has won a court case to allow them to enter a third gender into the registry of births. The case was appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court after failing at lower levels. Germanyʼs Federal Constitutional Court on Wednesday called for a third gender option in the registry of births. Intersex people, who are neither male nor female, should be able to register their sexual identity as such, the Karlsruhe court ruled. The court found that the general right to the protection of personality in Germanyʼs Basic Law meant the register had to be altered to allow a third gender. The court ruled seven to one that lawmakers must create new legislation by the end of 2018 to allow for a third sex, providing the examples of "intersex," "diverse" or another "positive designation of sex." Another possibility raised was to scrap gender entries altogether. "Assignment to a gender is of paramount importance for individual identity; it typically plays a key role both in the selfimage of a person and in the way in which the person concerned is perceived by others. The gender identity of those persons who are neither male nor female is protected,"the court ruled.
Turkish brunch at Pancs Élesztőház
Teachers for AI — can robots create more jobs than they retire? While headway in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry has many worried about potential jobs losses, others see this as a perfect opportunity to nurture an economy that is completely human-based. Workers can spend anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 hours a week going through simple tasks on a smartphone, making AI all over the world more intelligent and efficient. By building platforms and crowd sourcing a large supply of workers, the companies that train AI were smart to realize the data needed could be processed by anyone with steady access to the internet. From this developed companies like Clickwork, Neurala,
and Alegion Inc., which utilize "human taggers" to push AI education. With over a million "clickworkers" signed up, thereʼs an estimated 100,000 people logged on at this very moment, sifting through droves of information and lending a human touch to robot training. "Staring at security cameras or an airport scanner, remote-controlling a robot, driving trucks up and down a mine did not exist as jobs until recently," says Massimiliano Versace, CEO of Neurala, "and will probably not exist as jobs occupying a full-time human as they are today. Humans were created to do much more complicated and elevated tasks than watching videos 24/7."
Weather
Germany must allow third gender
You have visited Turkey before and would like to relive the magical experience of a rich Turkish breakfast? Or you’ve never tried it but would like to see an authentic Turkish breakfast? Nar Gourmet will move from its apartment restaurant to the private room of Pancs gasztroplacc with a huge table of cheeses, olives, fresh vegetables, tahini, pekmez, fruits, fresh Turkish pastries, yogurt poached eggs, and many other goodies. The menu will be meatless. Registration is advance is required at nargourmet.hu@gmail.com
Sun
0/3
Mon
Tue
3/4
3/4
Hungary Budapest: Debrecen: Eger: Hévíz:
2/7 2/6 3/5 3/8
Athens: Berlin: Bratislava: Bucharest: London: Madrid:
5/17 2/7 -1/7 0/8 8/12 10/13
Kecskemét: Keszthely: Miskolc:
2/7 1/4 2/8
Europe Moscow: Paris: Prague: Rome: Varsaw: Vienna:
0/2 9/10 1/6 0/13 1/6 -1/8
Culture
New Hungarian film Aurora Borealis now screens in Budapest Becoming a mother is a miraculous time in a woman’s life. However, there are certain scenarios when the arrival of a newcomer is not entirely wonderful news. The new motion picture by eminent Hungarian director Márta Mészáros, Aurora Borealis, tells a touching tale, taking viewers back in time in Hungary and leaving them reaching for the Kleenex. The story has two timelines. One transports viewers back to a western Hungarian village in 1953, where a descendant of an aristocratic family, Ákos, falls for a village girl, Mari. They try to escape to Austria together, but unfortunately with no success, and after being harassed by soldiers, Mari has to start a new life alone and pregnant in occupied Vienna. The other storyline is in the present, unfolding the events through the recollections of old Mari, now a pensioner living in her old village. One day she gets a letter from Russia and falls into a coma. Her daughter Olga, a lawyer living alone in Vienna, comes back to care for her. Suspecting something about her mother’s past isn’t quite right, she starts investigating. This is only a fraction of the story, as anything else would be a major spoiler. However, even the trailer foretells that Olga’s dad might not be who she thinks after all.
5
28/2018 • 03, February 2018 Weekend issue
IOC concerned over possible design flaws of doping test bottles
The International Olympic Committee says it is concerned about potential flaws in doping sample bottles. The organization wants assurances that the bottles cannot be tampered with ahead of the Winter Olympics. After potential issues with the security of the bottles were aired, the IOC has asked the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to ensure that antidoping tests at the forthcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang "can be conducted credibly and reliably," an International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesperson said Tuesday.
Formula One to stop using grid girls amid #MeToo movement
Grid girls have long been a staple of Formula One but the sportʼs new owners have decided to end the practice, days after darts did the same with its walk-on girls. The concept has often been labeled as sexist. Formula One will no longer use walk-on grid girls before races this season, after deciding the practice is oldfashioned amid the current debate oversexual harassment. "Over the last year we have looked at a number of areas which we felt needed updating so as to be more in tune with our vision for this great sport," Sean Bratches, Managing Director of Commercial Operations at Formula One, said in a statement. 6
Athletics doping: IOC confident over Russia doping reform plans International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach believes Russia will resolve its doping issues and field athletes at next yearʼs Rio Games. Russia was provisionally suspendedfrom world athletics after an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report alleged "state-sponsored doping". Bach met with his Russian Olympic Committee counterpart Alexander Zhukov to discuss the report. He said he was "confident" in the measures put forward by the ROC. Council members of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Friday voted 22-1 in favour of Russia being banned. As it stands, Russian athletes may not enter international competitions, including the World Athletic Series and Rio Olympics, which begin on 5 August next year. Russia will also not be entitled to host the 2016 World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary and the 2016 World Junior Championships in Kazan. "We are confident that the initiatives being proposed by the ROC, with the responsible international organisations - Wada and the IAAF - will ensure compliance as soon as possible in order to provide participation of the clean Russian athletes at the Olympic Games," said IOC president Bach.
Hyeon Chung dumps out Novak Djokovic Australian Open:
Hyeon Chung has beaten former menʼs No. 1 Novak Djokovic to upset the odds and book his place in the Australian Open quarterfinals after a 7-6, 7-5, 7-6 victory. The 21-year-old is the youngest player in the menʼs draw. Novak Djokovic, who fought back to 5-5 after trailing the first set 4-1 before losing the tiebreaker on Monday, took a medical timeout to have his right arm massaged before the start of the second set. He spent six months off the tour last year with a right elbow injury and was beaten at his own game by Chung, ranked 58th in the world, who dealt with everything the Serbian threw at him, returning with interest more often than not thanks to his trusty
backhand. Chung will now play another relatively unknown player in the quarterfinals - Tennys Sandgren, a 97th-ranked American who beat No. 5-seeded Dominic Thiem earlier Monday. On the womenʼs side, former No. 1 Angelique Kerber booked her place in the final eight after battling back in a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory over Hsieh Su-wei. This extended her winning streak to 13 matches.Read more: Kerber thrashes Sharapova in third round.
Germany midfielder Mesut Özil signs new Arsenal deal After much uncertainty, the Germany World Cup winner has committed to Arsenal and will reportedly be paid €398,000 a week. He was linked with other clubs but has opted to stay after Arsenalʼs recent transfer moves. Amid all thecomings and goings at Arsenal, one man is staying put until 2021 and that might end up being the best bit of news for fans of the London club. Media reports say Germanyʼs Mesut Özil signed a new deal that runs until 2021 on transfer
deadline day, seeminglyruling out a departureat the end of the season, when his previous deal was due to run out. Reports say his new Arsenal contract is worth a whopping €398,000 ($495,000) a week, making him the clubʼs highest paid player ever. Özil at his majestic best is hard to beat, perfect passes, great control and ocassionally wonderful finishes. But even his biggest fans at Arsenal will concede he has not done it often enough, too often drifting out of games.