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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

German IS member on trial for war crimes in Munich A German woman suspected of traveling to Iraq to join "Islamic State" (IS) appeared in a Munich court on Tuesday to face a string of charges, including committing a war crime.

The defendant, identified as 27-yearold Jennifer W., is accused of allowing a 5-year-old Yazidi captive to die of thirst by leaving her chained up outside in the 45-degree heat. The accused faces life in prison if found guilty of joining a terror group, weapons offenses, war crimes and murder. The trial was adjourned soon after it began under tight security at the Munich Higher Regional Court, and is expected to resume on April 29.

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Madonna to perform at Eurovision in Tel Aviv for million-dollar fee The US pop superstar is reportedly getting paid $1.5 million for the gig

The kidnapped German journalist who gave birth in Syria In the fall of 2015, journalist Janina Findeisen traveled to Syria in an effort to get in touch with her former classmate Laura. Ten years earlier, Laura had traveled to Pakistan to join jihadi fighters. Findeisen wanted Laura to help her shoot exclusive footage of jihadis who were fighting inSyriaʼs civil war.

Together with Lauraʼs mother, Findeisen, who was seven months pregnant at the time, boarded a plane to the Turkish city of Antakya, where both were met by people smugglers to help them cross into neighboring Syria. On the Turkish-Syrian border, the situation was chaotic, with border police beating refugees and bombs exploding nearby. Lauraʼs mother changed her mind and decided to return to Germany. Findeisen, however, opted to ignore the travel warnings and continued her journey. Findeisen says Laura assured her by email that she would be safe, though she admits that "in hindsight, putting all my trust in that assurance was naive."

Red Cross readies response as Libya peace talks postponed Some 47 people have been killed since Sunday in Libyan General Haftarʼs push to take Tripoli. After talks planned for the weekend were postponed, DW spoke to the Red Cross to find out the situation on the ground. The battle for the Libyan city of Tripoli saw casualties rise to 47 deaths and 181 wounded on Tuesday, according to the World Health Organization. As the strongman generalKhalifa Haftar attempted to take Tripolifrom an internationally recognized government, the long-planned, UN-backed conference aimed at finding a way out of the eight-year conflict was postponed. "We cannot ask people to take part in the conference during gunfire and airstrikes," UN envoy Ghassan Salame told news agency AFP.

India: Rebels kill lawmaker in roadside bomb attack ahead of national election

Madonna will put on a guest performance at the final of the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Israel.

American pop star Madonna will perform at theEurovision final in Tel Avivnext month, her public relations firm has confirmed. The 60-year-old is expected to sing two songs during the competition, which will also feature musical acts from more than 40 countries.

Israel was chosen to host the event afterlocal singer Netta Barzilai won the 2018 contest in Portugal with the song "Toy." CanadianIsraeli businessman Sylvan Adams, who reportedly extended the invitation to Madonna, will also cover her estimated $1.5 million (€1.3 million) fee for the show. Itʼs tradition for the winning country to host the following yearʼs Eurovision, but Israel has proven a controversial venue, with proPalestinian activists calling for performers to boycott the event. In January, around 50 British celebri-

ties, including Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters and Julie Christie, signed a letter urging the BBC to cancel coverage of the 2019 contest. "Eurovision may be light entertainment, but it is not exempt from human rights considerations — and we cannot ignore Israelʼs systematic violation of Palestinian human rights," the letter said. It followed a boycott appeal earlier this year from more than 60 LGBTQ organizations from nearly 20 countries, who accused Israel of using Eurovision "to distract attention from its war crimes against Palestinians." In recent years, artists like Nick Cave and Radiohead have beencriticized for performing in Israel, while others such as New Zealand singersongwriter Lorde have canceled concerts there following intense public pressure.

A state legislator for Indiaʼs ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and four others were killed in a roadside bomb attack carried out by Maoist militants in India on Tuesday, two days before the country is due to start voting in a national election. Police said BJP legislator Bhima Mandavi, his driver and three of his state bodyguards were killed in a "massive" explosion in a remote part of Chhattisgarh state, some 340 kilometers (211 miles) from the stateʼs capital, Raipur. Chhattisgarh is a restive central state where Maoist rebels have been pursuing an armed insurgency for decades.

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83/2019 • 10 April, 2019

Protests as far-right AfD wrangles over Europe candidates

Bayer to cut 4,500 jobs in Germany

Five hundred Alternative for Germany (AfD) delegates wrangled via procedural run-offs Saturday over who should fill its tail-end candidacy slots as more than a 1,000 opponents headed for the conference venue, overseen by police. Protesters, organized by local civic groups, had set out from the railway station of the 30,000population Elbe River city of Riesa — once a key metal industry hub in communist former East Germany — bound for the convention center. Read more:EU in 2019, challenges and crisis Placards and banners carried by AfD detractors included the slogan "Racism is no alternative," playing off the partyʼs name. Police said they intervened when a roadside bystander made a Hitler salute.

The anti-migrant, euroskeptic AfD, launched in 2013 and now holding opposition seats in all of Germanyʼs 16 regional assemblies as well as the federal Bundestag, had begun its four-day convention on Friday in Riesa to complete its list of party members who could serve in the European Parliament following this yearʼs European elections.

The massive conglomerate will cut 1 in 7 of its 32,000 jobs in Germany

Syrian girls attacked in Berlin, racism suspected A man spouting racist insults allegedly confronted two Syrian teenagers in northeastern Berlin and punched them in the face, authorities said Saturday.

He hit the girls, aged 15 and 16, "with his fist several times ... before fleeing into a shopping arcade," police alleged in a statement. Both girls were taken to hospital for treatment.

Read more: Racist or Islamist — lone-wolf attackers show similar patterns Hours later, a woman reportedly attacked a 12year-old girl in the southeastern district of Neukölln. Officers alleged the suspect tried to tear off the girlʼs headscarf, pulled her hair and threatened her with pepper spray. The woman also allegedly attempted to stab the child with a syringe filled with what appeared to be blood, police said. Officers from the state security police are investigating the incidents, which took place late Friday. The suspected hate crimes highlight tensions over migration in Germany. Last month, a 50-year-old German man was charged with attempted murder after he deliberately drove his car into foreigners in the western cities of Bottrop and Essen. Eight people were injured in the New Yearʼs Day attack, including a 4-year-old Afghan boy and a 10-year-old Syrian girl.

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The company is undergoing a massive restructuring as it faces legal and financial tests.

Pharmaceutical and agriculture giant Bayer confirmed on Tuesday that they would be slashing about 4,500 jobs in Germany, affecting 1 in 7 members of its workforce in the country. The company had already announced in December that it would cut 12,000 jobs internationally. The number revealed on Tuesday indicated that its German workers, whohad already protested the cuts last year, will bear the biggest brunt of the losses proportionally. Bayer has argued that the

China says Interpol chief Meng Hongwei under investigation for bribery Interpol President Meng Hongwei, who had gone missing in late September, is under investigation for bribery and other crimes, the Chinese Security Ministry announced on Monday.

Meng is accused of "accepting bribes and is suspected of violating the law," the ministry said in a statement. It also hinted at a political dimension by stating Meng was being probed because of his own "willfulness and for bringing trouble upon himself."

Meng, a senior security official in China as well as the first Chinese head of Interpol, has beenmissing since September 25 while on a trip to his native country. On Sunday, Chinaʼs anti-graft body had said that "Public Security Ministry Vice Minister Meng Hongwei is currently under

cuts are necessary to stay profitable and competitive — they are also designed to avoid overlaps with Bayerʼs major new acquisition, US agriculture behemoth Monsanto. A lot of public attention has been given to Bayerʼs mounting legal battles since it took over the US conglomerate Monsanto in 2018. The company has alreadylost one major caseregarding the weed killer Roundup, which contains the cancer-causing compound glyphosate. investigation by the National Supervisory Commission for suspected violations of law," without specifying its allegations. China has been cracking down on corruption under President Xi Jinping.

Interpol later said Meng had resigned as president of the international police organization with immediate effect. It named South Korean national Kim Jong Yang, who was Senior Vice-President, as acting president.

Attack on Iranian military parade may harden domestic and regional policies A deadly attack on an Iranian military parade may strengthen hardliners in the country and send al-

Egypt President Abdel-Fattah elSissi takes over chair of African Union Egyptʼs President Abdel-Fattah elSissi took up his chairmanship of the 55-member African Union (AU) at its 32nd ordinary session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Sunday. During his tenure, el-Sissi is expected to concentrate on security and financial reform, but with no great plans to strengthen the AUʼs multilateral powers. Instead, the focus is expected to be on combating illegal immigration while Egypt presents itself as a model for hosting refugees. The summit has been titled: "Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons" presented within a security context.

Ahead of the summit, el-Sissi set out his priorities for the year: Building bridges in support of African cultural events.Cooperating with partners regionally and internationally.Peace and security, with a focus on post-conflict reconstruction.Institutional and financial reform of the AU.Expediting the CFTA free trade agreement and infrastructure projects.Providing employment opportunities, increasing the return of African youth, developing manufacturing, agriculture and fishing.

ready heightened tensions across the Middle East soaring, asTehran points its finger at the United States and its Gulf Arab allies.

The rare attack claimed by Arab separatists killed 12Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)members and 13 others in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province, which is home to Shiite Iranʼs Sunni Arab minority. It was the deadliest attack in the country in nearly a decade. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed "mercenary terrorists" who carried out a crime in "continuation of the conspiracies by the US-backed regimes in the region," while the IRGC under his command vowed "deadly and unforgiving revenge," if need be abroad.

Iran did not name a particular Arab country, but the accusations appeared to be aimed at regional rivals Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

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EUʼs Tusk argues for longer Brexit extension Donald Tusk has told EU leaders that he did not think the UK could come to an agreement by June 30. He also called for an end to short extensions, last-minute summits, and cliff edges that create more uncertainty.

Ina letter to EU leaderson Tuesday, European Council President Donald Tusk pushed for a longer extension for Brexit than theJune 30 deadline the UK government has asked for. Tusk said he was doubtful that the British government would find a deal it could agree to by then. "Our experience so far, as well as the deep divisions within the House of Commons, give us little reason to believe that the ratification process can be completed by the end of June," he wrote, adding that the bloc should avoid "a rolling series of short extensions and

German export policies threaten European defense projects: French ambassador Franceʼs ambassador to Germany, Anne-Marie Descotes, warned on Monday that German arms export policies and licensing rules threatened future Franco-German defense projects.

The remarks come as the two European nations are seeking to form closer defense cooperationand deepen ties between their parliaments. In anessay published by the German militaryʼs Federal Academy for Security Policy, she said Germany had a tendency to see arms exports as a domestic political issue, but that its policies still "have serious consequences for our bilateral cooperation in the defense sector and the strengthening of European sovereignty." An ʼuntenableʼ situation Germanyʼs unpredictable arms export policies and long waiting times for export licenses are a particular problem, Descotes said. This has an impact on major Franco-German projects to develop new tanks, combat jets and drones. "This situation is untenable," she wrote. "Realistic export possibilities on the basis of clear and predictable rules are an essential prerequisite for the survival of our European defense industry."

emergency summits, creating new cliff-edge dates." Tusk stressed that a no-deal Brexit should be avoided at all costs, considering the disastrous effects it could have on both parties economically, and on peoplesʼ lives. He made clear, however, that there would be strings attached, including "sincere cooperation" with the EU until it leaves the group, perhaps alluding to comments by Brexiteers like Jacob ReesMogg that the UK should be as "difficult as possible" for the reminder of its time as a member state.

NASA cancels first all-female spacewalk, cites suit size problem

NASA, the US space agency, has cancelled the first all-female spacewalk due to a lack of a spacesuit in the right size. Anne McClain and Christina Koch had been scheduled to step into the history books in a spacewalk this coming Friday, during the final week of Womenʼs History Month. "Mission managers decided to adjust the assignments, due in part to spacesuit availability on the station," NASA said in a statement. "McClain learned during her first spacewalk that a medium-size hard upper torso – essentially the shirt of the spacesuit –

fits her best. Because only one medium-size torso can be made ready

by Friday, March 29, Koch will wear it." NASA said the decision to change the plan was made in consultation with McClain after a spacewalk last week. "Anne trained in M and L and thought she could use a large but decided after Fridayʼs spacewalk a medium fits better," wrote spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz on Twitter. "In this case, itʼs easier (and faster!) to change spacewalkers than reconfigure the spacesuit," Schierholz explained.

French boy suspected of reintroducing measles to Costa Rica An unvaccinated French child who went on holiday with his parents to Costa Rica is suspected of reintroducing measles to the Central American country. The 5-year-old boy and his parents entered the country on February 18, Costa Ricaʼs Health Ministry said. Authorities have quarantined the boy in a hospital and are searching for people he may have come into contact with since his arrival.

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83/2019 • 10 April, 2019

German firms warned about Chinese ʼcloud hopperʼ hackers Germanyʼs BSI information security agency, tipped off by America, has identified small weak-link service firms as the gateways used to hack German industry, Germanyʼs Süddeutsche Zeitung daily newspaper said on Wednesday. Referring to US President Donald Trumpʼs trade row with China and citing the "well-informed"website Axios, the paper said the BSI "acted promptly."

Their actions in late November came after the US, via diplomatic channels, named German firms apparently targeted by "cloud hopper" hackers — allegedly from China.

German mechanical engineering and material research concerns were targeted in particular, the Munichbased newspaper said. Cyber experts have long warned that Germany, with its high level of manufacturing and engineering expertise, would be keenly targeted for industrial secrets by hackers. The BSI - in a5 December press release — said the worldwide-circulating malware (malicious software) "Emotet," with the potential to paralyze enterprise networks, had led to a "heap" of severe incidents in Germany. Categorized as Advanced Persistent Threats (APT), these were "highly professional" attacks adapted and automated the use of Emotet within infected networks, said BSI president Arne Schönbohm.

Mann+Hummel: Hidden champion fights fine particles It only takes the weather to be unfavorable,and megacities across the world sink into wafts of mist. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some 7 million people die every year partly as a result of inhaling polluted air over longer periods. Increasing traffic has no doubt contributed to creating "thick air." Many nations are in the middle of campaigns to reverse the trend by pushing e-mobility, arguing that electric vehicles donʼt have exhaust pipes as sources of poisonous nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.

But a closer look reveals that fine particulates cannot be reduced drastically through electric cars. "Irrespective of a carʼs transmission system, it will always produce a lot of particulate matter," says Jan-Eric Raschke, who heads the fine particulates/filtration division at the German company Mann+Hummel. He explains thatroughly 90 percent of all particulate emissions in cars stem from tire wear and the braking system.

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Cannabis capitalists scrutinize future of UKʼs fledgling industry Cannabis has been legalized for medical use in Britain. But prices are high and many desperate patients still canʼt get their hands on it. The industry still has a long way to go — as do lawmakers.

Itʼs a Wednesday evening in the City of London, and a strange crowd is gathering in the offices of DLA Piper, a global corporate law firm. Listen closely and you can hear the creak of expensive shoe leather as delegates reach for the tiny canapes and excellent wine. There are stockbrokers, hedge-fund managers and pensionfund investors, but also Essex farmers and quick-witted East End boys and girls here — all with an eye on the future of the nascent British medicinal cannabis industry. Thereʼs a definite

2019: The year after peak global growth

After boom comes bust — few economists would disagree that this eternal rule of free market-based or capitalist economies is as true today as it was, say, 150 years ago. A similar consensus seems to be emerging in the profession about the current business cycle, which many say is nearing its end — in 2019, or 2020 at the latest.

At the time of writing though, the post financial crisis economic boom still seems well set on becoming the longest expansion in many countries. If the American economy, for example, makes it past June 2019 without a recession, the recovery will exceed 120 months and become the longest expansion since US economic records were first taken in 1857.

Yet, global data trackers, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), are less optimistic about ongoing growth in the rest of the world.

The IMF, for example, thinks global growth plateauedat 3.7 percent in 2018.

Hotel Parlament H-Budapest 1054, Kálmán Imre utca 19.

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Japanʼs Nikkei plunges after US economic turmoil Japanʼs Nikkei index closed on Tuesday after tumbling by an unusually large 5.1 percent. Stocks in Shanghai and Taiwan also tumbled following heavy losses on Wall Street over PresidentDonald Trumpʼs attack on the US central bank. Tokyoʼs benchmark stock index hit a 20-month low as worries mounted over the US economy during a government funding crisis. On Monday evening, Trump shocked investor confidence by hitting out at the Federal Reserve, tweeting: "The only problem our economy has is the Fed. They donʼt have a feel for the Market, they donʼt understand necessary Trade Wars or Strong Dollars or even Democrat Shutdowns over Borders."

Although the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, was nominated by Trump, the Fed is not under the control of the White House, much to Trumpʼs consternation. The US economy has also been suffering from trade disputes Trump has started with China.

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whiff of change on the air, which is matched by the fragrant tang of recently smoked marijuana on the breath of a number of the more casually dressed delegates. On First Wednesdays though, everyone is welcome. The monthly networking event in London is run by cannabis consultancy Hanway Associates and unites some of the least likely bedfellows ever to meet in the City. What do these disparate groups have to teach each other, and whose vision and values will prevail?

Lithuania floats a solar-powered future

A floating photovoltaic power plant at the Kruonis hydroelectric facility in Lithuania is the first of its kind in the Baltic region. The market is growing worldwide, and smaller countries like Lithuania can benefit.

The Lithuanian Business Support Agency (LBSA) recently granted €235,000 ($270,000) to support construction of an experimental floatingsolar photovoltaic power plantat the 900-megawatt (MW) Kruonis hydroelectric plant.

The first stage of the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. State-owned enterprise Lietuvos Energijos Gamyba (LEG) will be developing the project with scientists from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU). LEG and KTU plan to install the experimental 60kilowatt (kW) plant in the upper reservoir of the Kruonis plant. The full capacity is projected to reach 200-250 MW and will triple currently installed solar power capacity in Lithuania. LEG said in a statement the plant would generate enough electricity to supply 120,000 households.

83/2019 • 10 April, 2019

Bad food choices killing more people than tobacco Researchers warn

Strolling down the Bonngasse, the street where the Beethoven House is located, one could easily overlook the humble facade were it not for the tourist groups that cluster outside. For many, treading the squeaky wooden floors that were once walked upon by Ludwig van Beethoven himself is an emotional moment, particularly when they gaze into the cordoned-off "birth room," empty save for a bust of Beethoven on a pedestal. From February 28, the room where the infant Beethoven is said to have entered the world — probably with a loud cry — and the house his family lived in wonʼt ever be the same. The Beethoven House is closing for several months, the permanent exhibition being given a thorough workover and the facilities expanded.

Are we eating ourselves to death? Researcher Stefan Lorkowski sat down with DW to set a few things straight about the effect the food we put in our pie holes is having on our bodies. And itʼs not good.

One in every five people across the globe dies of causes associated with a poor diet. A new study published in the scientific journal "The Lancet" reports an overconsumption of red and processed meats, salt and sugar and not enough fruit, vegetables and legumes are to blame for damaging our hearts and causing cancer. Our daily diet, researchers say, is a bigger killer than any other

Budapestʼs historic Lotz Hall café reopened as Café Párisi

risk factor, including cigarette smoking. Eleven million deaths globally in 2017 can be attributed to cardiovascular disease, which is often caused or made worse by obesity and poor diet — in particuar an overconsumption of salt. Stefan Lorkowski, a German researcher who contributed to "The Lancet" report, sat down with DW to nut out the findings of the paper.

What Hollywood movies do to perpetuate racial stereotypes In recent years, there has been increased attention onracismandsexismin Hollywood films, which can be reflected in who acts in front of the camera, who directs behind it and how people are represented on-screen — and often all three. To illustrate how stereotypes have developed in Hollywood, DW analyzed tropes used in more than 6,000 Oscar-eligible movies since 1928. Hollywood history provides many examples of racist caricatures. Black and Asian people have been repeated targets. Take the 1961 Audrey Hepburn movie Break‐ fast at Tiffanyʼs and the bucktoothed Mr. Yunioshi, whosestereotypical "Engrish" accent was intended to mock Japanese people. He is notori-

Beethoven House closes ahead of composerʼs anniversary year

ous, and there are so many more examples. "Racism, in the form of job exclusion and racially stereotyped roles, has defined the Hollywood film industry since its birth in the early 1900s," the sociologist Nancy Wang Yuen writes in her book, Reel Inequal‐ ity: Hollywood Actors and Racism. Indeed, Asian characters in the early days of Hollywood mostly appeared in the form of racist cliches — either as mysterious, menacing villains or as laughable caricatures such as Mr. Yunioshi. In addition to everything else, that character is played by the entirely white American actor Mickey Rooney, thus making it an example of yellowface: a non-Asian person impersonating an Asian person.

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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

After two years of undesired silence a new café has opened its gates in Budapest’s neorenaissance styled jewellery box, the former Paris Deparment Store (Párisi Nagy Áruház). Situated in the heart of the city on Andrássy avenue, Café Párisi is the perfect location for those who wish to enjoy the luxury of early 20th century Budapest. The newly reopened location is already one of Budapest’s hidden gems: set in the Paris Department Store’s mezzanine level just below the iconic frescos created by renowned Hungarian painter Károly Lotz. Párisi Café has everything you could ask for from traditional Hungarian cakes like the Eszterházy or the Gerbaud slide to alternative milkbased cafés. Open everyday from 9:00 - 21:00

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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83/2019 • 10 April, 2019

Virgil van Dijk votes for rival Raheem Sterling as PFA player of the year

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has voted for Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling as his PFA player of the year, and said title rivals City had several candidates for his vote. Van Dijk has been a key part of a Liverpool side boasting the divisionʼs best defensive record this season. Meanwhile, 24-year-old ex-Reds forward Sterling has scored 15 times for City. "I did what I thought and I thought he deserves it," said Van Dijk, with players unable to vote for team-mates. "Heʼs had a fantastic season. I could have voted for Bernardo Silva as well, and another couple of players from City.

Snooker Shoot Out: Jimmy White through to last 32

Aleksandar Kolarovʼs free kick stunner secures Serbia win over Costa Rica A brilliant second half free kick from captain Aleksandar Kolarov led Serbia to a deserved win over Costa Rica. Serbia were wasteful in front of goal but did enough to secure three vital points in Group E. Another World Cup day, another sublime freekick. If Cristiano Ronaldo’s ice-cold effort tosnatch a point against arch-rivals Spain on day two was the current goal of the tournament front-runner, the Portuguese may have just met his match. Aleksandar Kolarov, take a bow. A combination of poor finishing and sublime goalkeeping had kept the scores level until Serbia’s no.11 produced his moment of magic. Kolarov’s powerful left foot is no secret, but few inside the stadium would have expected such a thunderous strike when the Roma defender stood over a free kick midway through the second half. His shot was unstoppable; a side-footed missile which screamed into the top corner of the Costa Rica net.

Kaylor Navas, who kept his team in the game with several crucial saves either side of half time, was nowhere near it.

Rory McIlroy to play with Rickie Fowler at Augusta Masters 2019 tee times:

Rory McIlroyʼs quest to win a first Masters title at Augusta National will get under way at 16:15 BST on Thursday.

The Northern Irishman will play with fancied American Rickie Fowler in a group that will follow four-time winner Tiger Woods and Jon Rahm (16:04). World number one Justin Rose tees off at 18:49 with three-time champion Phil Mickelson and American Justin Thomas. Englandʼs Paul Casey plays with 2015 winner Jordan Spieth, and US Open and PGA Championship holder Brooks Koepka.

The eye-catching grouping will be

the last to tee off on Thursday, at 19:00, while defending champion Patrick Reed will start his tournament at 15:31. McIlroy, 29, needs the Masters title to complete a career Grand Slam of majors and starts the event as favourite with bookmakers. Should he win, he will join an elite group of five players Jack Nicklaus, Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen to win each of golfʼs biggest prizes at least once.

Chris Froome falls as Michael Matthews wins second stage

Crowd favourite Jimmy White reached the last 32 of the Snooker Shoot Out in Watford with a tense 32-18 win over fellow Englishman John Astley. White, at 56 the oldest player in the event, beat 11-time womenʼs world champion Reanne Evans in the first round. Belgian Luca Brecel beat Ricky Walden with a 133 total clearance. His 14-year-old compatriot Ben Mertens lost to 16-yearold English left-hander Ryan Davies.

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Britainʼs Chris Froome suffered a nasty fall as Australian Michael Matthews secured victory on the second stage of the Volta a Catalunya.

The Team Sky rider, 33, scraped a large area of skin off his right thigh in the crash inside the last 40km of the stage from Mataro to Sant Feliu De Guixols. Froome was able to continue but did not attempt to rejoin the peloton. "Someone hit Froomey and he slid and crashed. Weʼll monitor him but it seems he is OK,"said Skyʼs Nicolas Portal. "It was a tricky corner

which had a few roadworks on the right and was also quite bumpy," added Team Sky sports director Portal. Froome eventually finished 13 minutes behind Team Sunwebʼs Matthews, who beat world champion Alejandro Valverde into second in an uphill sprint. Lotto-Soudalʼs Belgian rider Thomas de Gendt extended his overall lead to two minutes 47 seconds. Britainʼs James Knox finished the stage in sixth place and - along with compatriots Simon and Adam Yates and Hugh Carthy - is two minutes and 58 seconds off the lead.