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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Far-right group patrols German city after migrant assaults A German far-right group has carried out street patrols in the Bavarian town of Amberg where four asylumseekers allegedly attacked a dozen passers-by over the weekend. The Nuremberg branch of the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) posted pictures on its Facebook page of people wearing red vests with the words "Weʼre creating safe zones" on them, walking through the streets of Amberg. The townʼs mayor, Michael Cerny, expressed "shock" to learn the NPD was trying to create "safe spaces" in Amberg, where he said there was no far-right scene. "I can understand the uncertainty seen in some of the reactions of some Ambergers, but the hatred and the threats of violence from all over the country go way too far," Cerny told the local daily Mittel‐ bayerische Zeitung.

German government cagey on spy cooperation in Pinochetʼs Chile The German government has offered only cagey responses to questions about cooperation between the German secret service, the BND, and military dictatorships in Chile and Greece in the late 1960s and early ʼ70s. The socialist Left partyʼs Jan Korte submitted 68 questions to the German Foreign Ministry late last year, and the incomplete answers he got irritated the Bundestag member so much that he filed an official complaint about the noncooperation of the government. "These answers are an unparalleled insult," he told DW. "And, by the way, that is no way to treat the parliament." The Foreign Ministry did admit that the administration of Chancellor Willy Brandt knew in advance about theimminent putsch being planned

by Chilean military leaders under General Augusto Pinochet in September 1973, but offered few details on exactly how.

3/2019 • 4 JANUARY, 2019

Tourists flee as Thailand braces for Storm Pabuk Thai authorities have begun evacuations in the provinces expected to be the hardest hit

The storm — feared to be the worst to hit Thailand in decades — is expected to pound the countryʼs famed southern beach resorts.

Tens of thousands of tourists have fled some of Thailandʼs most popular beach resorts as the country braces for Tropical Storm Pabuk.

The storm — feared to be the worst to hit Thailand since 1989 — threatens to pound some of the countryʼs popular island destinations such as Koh Samui, Phuket and Krabi with heavy downpours and strong winds The Thai Meteorological Department said the storm was moving west into the Gulf of Thailand with maximum winds of 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour, bringing high waves and gusty winds ahead of its expected landfall on Friday. Thai authorities on Thursday suspended ferry services and began evacuations in the provinces of Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani — expected to be the worst hit. Surat Thani is home to the popular tourist islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.

"There will be heavy rainfall and we have to be prepared for flooding or an impact on transportation," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said.

"We are ready ourselves, but if the rainfall is high we will need some time to resolve problems." Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, which were packed with holiday-makers during

the peak Christmas and New Year season, have emptied out since Wednesday. "I think the islands are almost empty... between 30,000 and 50,000 have left since the New Yearʼs Eve countdown parties," said Krikkrai Songthanee, Koh Phangan district chief. Bangkok Airways, which has a virtual monopoly on the air route to Koh Samui, canceled all flights to and from the island, potentially stranding tourists. Some hotel operators reported a few early checkouts and said they were prepared.

"Since the morning we have prepared sand bunkers and we have barricaded glass windows. We have also prepared first aid kits, torches, water, food and fuel for the hotelʼs power generator," said Ampawan Taopheng, manager of Lub D Koh Samui on Chaweng Beach. A Russian man drowned on Koh Samui on Wednesday after his family ignored warnings not to go into the sea. "A family of three went swimming but the strong current caught a 56-yearold man who drowned," said Boonnam Srinarat, a local police officer.

"Island officials announced the warning and put up the red ʼdangerʼ flags... but maybe the family did not think the situation was that serious."

US Congress reconvenes with record number of women In Washington DC, the House and the Senate have convened for the 116th Congress. As its first order of business the clerk of the House rapped the gavel to signal the chamber was in session, with 235 Democrats and 199 Republicans reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House 220-192, making her third in line to the presidency.

In her first speech she said the work ahead would be tough. "We have no illusions that our work will be easy, that all of us in this chamber will always agree," Pelosi said after accepting the speakerʼs gavel. "But let each of us pledge that when we disagree, we will respect each other and we will respect the truth," she said.

Pelosi also touched on the economy and health care.

Paul Whelan: US citizen charged with spying in Russia The former US Marine detained in Russia has been charged with espionage, the Interfax news agency said on Thursday. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Paul Whelan, 48, was detained by Russiaʼs FSB state security service in Moscow last Fridayon suspicion of spying, in a case which threatens to aggravate diplomatic tensions with the United States. The FSB opened a criminal case against Whelan but gave no details of his alleged espionage activities. According to Interfax, the Russian authorities had brought formal charges against Whelan on Thursday, citing what it described as an informed source.

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3/2019 • 4 January, 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.

Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege accept Nobel Peace Prize In theirNobel Peace Prize acceptance speeches on Monday,Denis MukwegeandNadia Murad called on the world to protect victims of wartime sexual violence. They also slammed global indifference to the plight of women and children in conflict. In her speech Murad implored the global community to help free hundreds of women and girls still held by jihadists. She also said that the world must protect her people and other vulnerable communities. Speaking at Osloʼs City Hall and seemingly overcome with emotion, Murad said: "It is my view that all victims deserve a safe haven until justice is done for them." Murad survived the horrors of captivity under the "Islamic State" (IS) group in Iraq and Syria where they targeted her Kurdish-speaking community.Older women and men faced summary execution during the IS assault, which the United Nations has described as a possible genocide. Murad was captured in 2014 and suffered beatings and gang-rape before she was able to escape.

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Jamal Khashoggi murder trial opens in Saudi Arabia with calls for death penalty The suspects charged with killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi have appeared in court

His murder in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul threw the kingdom into turmoil, with many suspecting high-level involvement.

The trial of murdered dissident journalistJamal Khashoggiopened Thursday in Riyadh with the state prosecution announcing it would seek death sentences for five of the 11 suspects, state media reported.

They provided few other details and did not name the suspects. Saudi Arabia previously said it had arrested 18 people in relation to Khashoggiʼs murder. Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who was an outspoken critic of Saudi Arabiaʼs ruling family, was killed on October 2 at the Saudi

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

Consulate in Istanbul. His murder sparked international tensions, with Saudi Arabia initially denying that he had been killed and US intelligence officials, among others, accusing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of direct involvement in the murder. The 11 suspects attended the hearing with their lawyers, a statement from the prosecutors said. The statement also said that prosecutors had asked Turkey to send the evidence it had collected while investigating Khashoggiʼs murder.

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.

3/2019 • 4 January, 2019

US sanctions North Korean officials over human rights abuses Washington has imposed sanctions on three men accused of involvement in the death of 22-year-old student Otto Warmbier. The sanctions make it illegal for any US entity to conduct financial transactions with them.

The United States has imposed sanctions on three North Korean officials for their role in human rights abuses and the death of American captive Otto Warmbier. The US Treasury Department said Monday that Washington had frozen the US assets of the three officials and banned them from entering financial transactions with US companies. "The United States has consistently condemned the North Korean regime for its flagrant and egregious abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and this administration will continue to take action against human rights abusers

Luxembourg election presents tough challenge to PM Xavier Bettel The future of Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel hangs in the balance as some 256,000 voters head to the polls in the European land-locked Grand Duchy on Sunday.

Any party or alliance needs to obtain 31 seats to form a government. Opinion polls suggest Bettel could lose the vote due to his unpopular economic policies and declining support within his Democratic Party and coalition partners. A high growth rate under the coalition has put pressure on housing and infrastructure. According to polls, a quarter of voters were undecided in who to vote for. Claude Wiseler, a former literature teacher and the prime minister candidate of the Christian Social Peopleʼs Party (CSV), is expected to pick up seats. Bettel became the countryʼs prime minister in 2013 after a spying scandal toppled the CSV government of Jean-Claude Juncker, who is now president of the European Commission.

around the globe," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. One of the officials, Choe Ryong Hae, is a close adviser of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He is believed to be the second highest official in the North Korean military. At a military parade in 2017, he said North Korea would "beat down enemies with the power of nuclear justice." The other officials are Jong Kyong Thaek, the minister of state security, North Koreaʼs primary counterintelligence agency, and Pak Kwang Ho, the director of North Koreaʼs Propaganda and Agitation Department.

Germans happiest to pay taxes to fund infrastructure

People in Germany believe their fellow citizens are happier to pay taxes for public spending than people in many other countries, a United Nations-backed study has found. The news comes as lawmakers call on the German government to increase public investment orcut taxes amid a budget surplus. Germans and Brazilians a world apart: The Switzerlandbased Basel Institute of Commons and Economics published the scores

of 14 countries on how willing people thought their fellow citizens were on a scale of 1-10 to spend tax money on infrastructure, healthcare, education and other goods: Germany: 7.0Cambodia: 6.7Austria: 6.4Kosovo: 5.6Bangladesh: 5.5 The remaining countries were: Pakistan: 5.2; Afghanistan: 5.2; Nepal: 4.9; Bosnia Herzegovina: 4.7; Albania: 4.5; Serbia: 4.1; Montenegro: 3.9; Brazil: 3.4; and Macedonia: 3.2.

Europe-wide Rhine River cleanup draws thousands of volunteers Anke Mielke digs through her orange garbage bag, sifting through numerous plastic bags and other scraps of trash before pulling out the strangest thing sheʼs found so far on the banks of the Rhine River — a pungent pair of jeans. Mielke tells DW that she hopes that by cleaning up the riverbank, others will be reminded to take their rubbish with them next time. "I grew up along the Rhine and I want it to remain beautiful so that others can enjoy it," she says.

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3/2019 • 4 January, 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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Germanyʼs welfare experiment: Sanction-free ʼbasic securityʼ Fear of sanctions is demotivating the unemployed from getting a job, a new study aims to show. Meanwhile, Germanyʼs political left is mulling a welfare reform to refit the system for 21st century work.

A basic principle of social security in Germany is this: The best incentive to get people into work is to cut their payments if they miss an appointment, or fail to finish a training course, or refuse to sign an "integration agreement" in which they pledge to do all they can to find a job. But this simply doesnʼt work, says the Sanktionsfrei ("sanction-free") organization. Not only does the pressure created by the threat of sanctions lead more people to fall out of the system completely, it even demotivates those who arenʼt even being sanctioned. To prove its point, the organization launched a study on Thursday to find

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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T.: +36 1 374 6000 reservation@parlament-hotel.hu www.parlament-hotel.hu

KnorrBremse 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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out what effect sanction-free support has on people. Starting in February 2019 and for the next three years, 250 randomly-chosen recipients of Hartz IV financial assistance — the system of German long-term unemployment benefits or welfare support — will get any sanctions immediately reimbursed by the organization, no questions asked. The scheme is called HartzPlus. The organization will then record the psychological effects of this newfound security in periodical questionnaires that the participants fill out. A control group of another 250 Hartz IV recipients will get no such safety net, but still out the forms.

Australia passes law forcing tech firms to hand over encrypted data

Passage of a law expanding Australiaʼs spying powers may have global implications for encrypted communications. Critics say the law may unleash unintended consequences.

Australiaʼs Parliament on Thursday passed a controversial bill that will force tech firms to give police access to the encrypted communications of suspected terrorists and criminals. The law, which has been opposed by tech giants, has caused heated debate over national security and privacy at a time when governments across the globe are grappling with how to access encrypted information to monitor illegal activities. Under the law, Australian security services can force local and international communications giants such as Google, Facebook or WhatsApp to remove encryption, help conceal government snooping and hand over data linked to suspected illegal activities.

Police must still first obtain a warrant.

The new law passed the Senate after a last-minute deal was struck with the opposition Labor Party, which had demanded more oversight and safeguards in how the law is used. Under the deal, the coalition government agreed to add amendments next year.

3/2019 • 4 January, 2019

Germanyʼs New Years Eve fireworks ruining air quality About 4,500 tons of fine dust will be blown into the countryʼs skies to ring in 2019

Cornelia Funke at 60: Why the star childrenʼs author distrusts words She launched to fame with "Dragon Rider" in 1997 and has since become one of Germanyʼs most successful authors. In an interview with DW, star kidsʼ author Cornelia Funke spoke about why words can be challenging.

Cornelia Funke cheerfully answers the phone at 9:30 a.m. California time. She had already been to the ocean, written a bit, made a few calls, and drunk her coffee. Every workday begins with a good cup of coffee, she says. Funke laughs sincerely and frequently, then speaks thoughtfully about her life, her work with words and pictures, and her relationship to fantasy and reality. Her childrenʼs fantasy novels, which she illustrated herself, have sold 20 million copies and been translated into 37 languages.

Sting to return to Budapest for summer 2019 New Yearʼs Eve should be a firework-free celebration to protect the environment, says Germanyʼs environment agency.

Germanyʼs environment agency on Saturday called on peoplenot to use fireworksto ring in 2019. It said Germans bought about €137 million ($157 million) worth of fireworks last year, creating 4,500 tons of fine dust particulates in the air. "This corresponds to about 15.5 percent of the particulate matter emitted by road traffic each year," agency chief Maria Krautzberger told the Rheinische Postnewspaper.

Krautzberger spoke about alleged health consequences to persuade people to rein in their use of

fireworks. "The effects range from temporary impairments of the respiratory tract to an increased need for medication in asthmatics to respiratory diseases and cardiovascular problems." Some lawmakers, such as CDU environmental spokeswoman Marie-Luise Dött, are against a general fireworks ban. She says particulate matter (PM10 — particles measuring less than 10 microns in diameter) is a temporary burden which accounts for just two percent of the annual emissions from humans.

DeepL: Cologne-based startup outperforms Google Translate Translation giants like Google and Microsoft are faced with a powerful but small competitor. The startup from Cologne, DeepL, was founded by a former Google employee. It provides a translation tool that produces more naturally worded text than any of its big competitors. The service uses so called deep learning technology based on artificial neural networks. But how exactly does it work?

From dictionary to translator Before the company launched the new translation tool in August 2017 it had

been in the "language business" for quite some time. In 2009, they started a a dictionary called Linguee.What was special about it? Apart from various translation options, it offered samples of already translated pieces of text in chosen language pairs. It gathered these text samples from the Internet using special Internet bots that help web indexing called web crawlers. Many text samples came from the documents of multilateral institutions like the European Union (EU).

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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

Sting is head over heels for Budapest. After a successful free show with Shaggy a month ago on Heroes’ Square, the former Police frontman has just announced another Budapest concert for next summer. On 2 July, the Grammy-winning singer brings his My Songs tour to the Papp László Aréna, where he will be taking the stage with his own band. From “Englishman In New York” to “Every Breath You Take”, the set should include Sting’s biggest hits. Tickets are on sale now.

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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3/2019 • 4 January, 2019

Russia misses WADA doping lab deadline

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday that Russia had not met the December 31 deadline to hand over data from its Moscow antidoping laboratory. This was one of two conditions WADA set out when it lifted the suspension it had imposed on the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) in 2015 as a result ofevidence of state-sponsored doping contained in the McLaren Report. "I am bitterly disappointed that data extraction from the former Moscow Laboratory has not been completed by the date agreed," WADA President Craig Reedie said in the statement, which was posted on the agencyʼs website.

Greg Rutherford: Former world long jump champion gets British Rowing invite

British former long jumper Greg Rutherford has been invited to take part in the British Indoor Rowing Championships on Saturday, 8 December. The move comes after Rutherford, who won Olympic gold in 2012, took part in tests which "identify nonrowers who have Olympic podium potential". The 32-year-old retired from athletics in September. "Entries close on Wednesday, so we shall see if Greg accepts the invite," said a British Rowing spokesperson. "During his afternoon with the GB Rowing Team, Greg was put through our World Class Start programme testing, which seeks to identify non-rowers who have Olympic podium potential. "This included a race on the indoor rowing machine against Rio 2016 Olympic champion in the menʼs four, Moe Sbihi."

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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."

Why Germany striker Timo Werner should stay in Leipzig Germanyʼs striker would do well to stay at his current club and continue his development

Timo Werner, 22, has yet to agree a new contract with RB Leipzig and is attracting interest from a number of top European clubs.

Wading through media speculation and agent whispers and ignoring bigmoney offers is not an easy task for young, ambitious footballers. Football careers are short and a transfer to a big club can fly by as quickly as itʼs presented. But for Timo Werner the best course of action would be to stay put at RB Leipzig and sign a new contract. His current deal is due to expire on June 30, 2020 and a number of top clubs are circlingthe talented, pacy, young forward. Leipzig,

are fully aware they risk losing Werner for nothing, something which the club are not about to let happen.

Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff duly handed down an ultimatum to the young forward this week – sign a new deal or leave in the summer. "Of course we have to know by the end of the season, at the latest. Because a club like us cannot afford to keep Timo Werner in the final year of his contract,” CEO Oliver Mintzlaff told German football magazine Kicker.

As horror year continues, what now for Mesut Özil?

After the furore surrounding his decision to quit the national team, Mesut Özil sought solace at his club, Arsenal. But right now, he canʼt even get a game. With critics piling on, whatʼs next for the divisive playmaker?

Though it was emphatically not the reason hestepped away from the Germany setup, the boost in freshness and fitness Mesut Özil would get from missing international breaks would surely be a happy sentence to close a sad chapter.

So when Unai Emery benched Özil for the fixture against Bournemouth on

November 25 that followed an international break, eyebrows were raised.

Emery explained his decision by suggesting Özil wasnʼt suited to a "very demanding match with physicality and intensity." It was a familiar charge from an unfamiliar source. The 30-year-old has fair claim to be the most polarizing footballer in the world. Is he the floating, unselfish and incisive menace whose best qualities are those most underappreciated? Or the talented waster prone to hiding at key moments, shirking responsibility and allowing opponents to drift past him.