DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
ʼIslamic Stateʼ claims deadly attack on Taliban and Afghan forces in Nangarhar An explosion has killed "Taliban and civilians" who gathered to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. A ceasefire between the Afghan government and militants had entered its second day. A suicide car bomber blew himself up in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing 25 people and wounding another 54. The blast, in the Rodat district of Nangarhar province, happened as officials and Taliban fighters celebrated a three-day ceasefire marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had announced a separate eight-day ceasefire with the Talibanon Tuesday, which he extended on Saturday. Ghani asked the Taliban to reciprocate by extending its truce.
ʼIslamic Stateʼ claims deadly attack on Taliban and Afghan forces in Nangarhar An explosion has killed "Taliban and civilians" who gathered to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. A ceasefire between the Afghan government and militants had entered its second day. A suicide car bomber blew himself up in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing 25 people and wounding another 54. The blast, in the Rodat district of Nangarhar province, happened as officials and Taliban fighters celebrated a three-day ceasefire marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had announced a separate eight-day ceasefire with the Talibanon Tuesday, which he extended on Saturday. Ghani asked the Taliban to reciprocate by extending its truce.
136/2018 • 18 JUNE, 2018
Greek government survives no-confidence vote over Macedonia name deal Greek lawmakers have voted down a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras
Caracas party stampede: 17 dead in tear gas panic Seventeen people have been killed at a crowded nightclub after the detonation of a tear gas canister. Eight of those who died were under the age of 18. A fight between a group of young people escalated into a brawl during a high school graduation party at the Los Cotorros club early Saturday morning. A tear gas canister was detonated during the disturbance, which according to Venezuelaʼs interior minister, Nestor Reverol, sent more than 500 people rushing for the exits. At least 17 people suffocated to death during the stampede in the middleclass Caracas neighborhood of El Paraiso. Eight of those who lost their lives were under 18. Another five people were injured, one of whom was in serious condition. Images posted on Twitter showed shoes scattered outside what appeared to be the club and people embracing one another, some wiping away tears.
Austria angry at Germany over ʼenormousʼ spy effort The vote was called over a deal to end a long-running name dispute with the neighboring Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The left-led coalition government of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Saturday surviveda noconfidence vote brought by the conservative opposition New Democracy partyafter the governmentreached a landmark agreement with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)over its name. The parliament voted 153-127 against the motion. The deal,struck on Tuesday,would allow Macedonia to rename itself North Macedonia. It has angered Greek nationalists, who insist that any retention of the name "Macedonia" by the neighboring country implies claims to Greeceʼs province of the same name and usurps ancient Greek heritage and history. Ancient Macedonia was the birthplace of the king Alexander the Great, who created one of the largest empires in the ancient world. Ahead of the no-confidence vote, senior opposition lawmaker Fofi Gennimata said the deal needed to be "improved before it is too late." "We do not trust this government," said Gennimata, who serves as the
leader of the socialist Movement for Change. "Your administration is incompetent and dangerous." "Today you are all mortgaging the future of the country," said conservative New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who brought the noconfidence motion to the parliament. Another conservative lawmaker, Yiorgos Kasapidis, described the deal with Macedonia as "treason." Outside the parliament building, police used tear gas against protesters opposing the name deal, with some of the demonstrators attempting to scale stairs leading to the chamber. Thousands more chanted anti-government slogans, with minor scuffles breaking out. Dissatisfaction on both sides The agreement aimed to end a bitter dispute between the two countries that has been running since shortly after Macedonia declared independence in 1991. But it has met with criticism from hardliners in both countries who feel that it makes too much of a concession to the other side.
Vienna has demanded an explanation from Berlin over reports that Germanyʼs BND agency spied on nearly 2,000 targets in Austria between 1999 and 2006. Austrian media said embassies were among the targets. Top Austrian officials have called on Germany to clarify reports that its BND spy agency snooped on high-profile targets including embassies, international organizations, Austrian ministers and banks based in the Austrian capital. "The scale of the surveillance was enormous," Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said of the spy effort, which reportedly involved around 2,000 targets and took place between 1999 and 2006.
weather today BUDAPEST
22 / 26 °C Precipitation: 0 mm
136/2018 • 18 June, 2018
Yemeni journalists face death threats, kidnappings Covering a war is never easy, but in Yemen local journalists are being displaced internally and externally as a result of the ongoing conflict. As Gouri Sharma reports, hundreds of journalists have left out of fear. Mohammed al-Qadhi is lucky if he sees his family more than once a year. For the past three years, the war reporter has been living apart from his wife and four children, forced to flee the family home in the capital Sanaʼa asSaudi-led airstrikes hit the city. Today, as he tries to cover the war from the coastal city of Taiz, the 44-year old admits he isnʼt sure how much longer he will be able to continue working. "So far I have been very resilient but I donʼt know how much longer I will be able to endure the situation. There are a lot of security concerns and a lot of psychological, mental and emotional pressures. It isnʼt easy to spend a long time in a city that is being destroyed and where the security situation is very chaotic. You can be killed anytime," alQadhi, who covers the war for foreign media outlets, told DW.
Moscow taxi driver mounts sidewalk, mows down pedestrians A taxi driver has been placed in police custody after driving into a crowd of pedestrians near Red Square. Video footage shows the driver accelerated onto the packed sidewalk. Eight people were injured on Saturday when a taxi driver plowed into a crowd of people in central Moscow. CCTV footage posted on social media showed the cab driving about 10 meters (about 30 feet) along the crowded pavement before hitting a traffic sign and coming to a partial stop. The footage showed bystanders trying to pull open the driverʼs door, and the driver then jumping out of the cab and running away. Other pedestrians chased after him and could be seen trying to tackle him to the ground. Moscow police have detained the driver and opened a criminal investigation into a suspected violation of the traffic code. Moscowʼs traffic authority said the driver had a license from Kyrgyzstan, a mainly Muslim ex-Soviet republic. It said the driver was not drunk and Interfax news agency cited a source saying there was no alcohol in his blood. The cityʼs mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said on Twitter that the driver "failed to maintain control." 2
Scientist searches for Loch Ness monster DNA Claimed sightings go back more than 1,500 years
A New Zealand scientist is using the latest DNA detection methods to search for the famed Scottish creature. A New Zealand scientist has traveled to Loch Ness in Scotland with a team to collect water samples from the lake that may give clues as to what creatures are lurking in its waters — including the legendary monster that has allegedly been sighted more than 1,000 times in the past 1,500 years. "Over 1,000 people claim that they have seen a monster. Maybe there is something extraordinary out there," geneticist Neil Gemmell of the University of Otago told the Agence France-
Germanyʼs reporting on asylum-seekers exposes ʼlatent racismʼ Germanyʼs mainstream media are facing mounting criticism over the coverage of crime stories involving refugee and migrant suspects. Media analyst Kai Hafez told DW that the coverage reveals Germanyʼs unexamined biases. Recent cases in Wiesbaden, Kandel and Freiburg where young girls and women were murdered sparked outrage in Germany and were widely covered by the media. The nationality of the suspects became a central aspect of many of the reports, although German press code advises journalists only to mention ethnicity sparingly, if at all, in
Presse news agency. Professor Gemmell said the water samples he had taken would be assessed for "monster DNA," but admitted that his project was mostly concerned with testing DNA techniques that could be used to glean general information about the natural world. Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is a research technique that utilizes the organic traces left by living organisms to identify them, giving scientists vital information on whole ecosystems at once. crime stories. DW spoke with media analyst and communications researcher Kai Hafez about the criticism of German mainstream media and where thereʼs room for improvement. Kai Hafez: Obviously there was a tremendous change in the quantity and quality of the coverage about refugees in Germany. If you look back to April or May of 2015, we had a tremendous shift toward positive coverage, to more sensitive coverage — with newspapers like the Süd‐ deutsche Zeitung and magazines like Der Spiegel actually promoting and advocating a more humanitarian approach in German society.
Spain rescues more than 900 migrants at sea, recovers 4 bodies
Germanyʼs new US ambassador must navigate Trump-Merkel divide Amid deeply strained ties between Washington and Berlin, Emily Haber, Germanyʼs new US ambassador, has her work cut out for herself. But former US officials who know her say she is exactly the right woman for the job. Washingtonʼs foreign policy establishment need not worry. Emily Haberʼs US counterpart immediatelyaggravated lawmakers and diplomatsin his new host country with various tweets and interviews since staring his post recently as President Donald Trumpʼs point man in Germany. Berlinʼs new ambassador to the US prefers a different style, according to former US officials who have worked with her. First, Haber, who will be Germanyʼs first female envoy to Washington when she officially starts her post later this month, is not known to tweet. But second, and more importantly, she is a trained diplomat and not a member of the Trump administration, said Julianne Smith, who served as US Vice President Joe Bidenʼs deputy national security adviser and the Pentagonʼs top European policy official during the Obama administration.
The coast guard has rescued migrants from 68 different smuggling boats in the last two days. This is in addition to the 630 people due to arrive in Spain on Sunday after being turned away by Italy and Malta. The Spanish coast guard said Saturday that it has rescued 933 people and recovered four bodies from the Mediterranean Sea over the past two days. Officials said the migrants were plucked from 68 different smuggling boats that were intercepted by the rescue vessels. The surge in arrivals comes as the country prepares to take in another 630migrants that were turned away by Italyand Malta. The Aquarius and two Italian boats carrying the migrants are due to arrive at the Spanish port of Valencia on Sunday. Health officials, emergency workers and psychologists were called up to be on hand at the cityʼs marina. Spanish officials plan to do a case-by-case analysis of the migrantsʼ requests for asylum.
136/2018 • 18 June, 2018
Pope Francis equates abortion to Nazi-era race purification Pope Francis has denounced the practice of abortions over birth defects, equating it to Nazi attempts to create a pure race. The remarks come as his home country of Argentina works on a pro-abortion bill. Abortion is the "white glove" equivalent to the Nazi-era eugenics programs, Pope Francis said on Saturday while speaking to the Forum delle Famiglie, an Italian lay movement representing Catholic families. "In the last century, the entire world was scandalized by what the Nazis did to ensure the purity of the race. Today we do the same, but with white gloves," he said in off-the-cuff remarks after ditching his prepared script Under Nazi programs, hundreds of thousands of people were forcibly sterilized and tens of thousands of others killed in an at-
No legal action to be taken against German rappers for Auschwitz lyrics Rappers Kollegah and Farid Bang were accused of anti-Semitism and hate speech in their latest album. Protests against the lyrics led to the scrapping of the Echo music awards, which the pair had won in April. German prosecutors are to take no further action against two rappers who penned the line "my muscles are more defined that an Auschwitz inmateʼs." The state prosecutor in the western city of Dusseldorf determined that the controversial lyrics in the song "0815" that drew several complaints against hip-hop artists Kollegah and Farid Bang were not grounds for prosecution. The prosecutor said in a statement on Saturday that while the lyrics are full of vulgar, misogynistic and dehumanizing fantasies about violence and sex, they are protected by the German constitutionʼs rules regarding artistic freedom. The prosecutor said the offending reference to Auschwitz was "neither an endorsement nor a trivialization of the Nazi regime and its genocide."
tempt to "clean" the chain of heredity of those with physical or cognitive disabilities. Pope Francis also recalled stories he heard as a child from his teacher about children "thrown from the mountain" if they were born with malformations. He lamented how some families choose not to have children, while others conduct prenatal tests to see if their babies have malformations or genetic problems. "The first proposal in such a case is: ʼDo we get rid of it?ʼ The murder of children. To have an easy life, they get rid of an innocent," the pope said.
Security fence around Eiffel Tower built to stop terrorists
The 3-meter-high glass and metal barrier is both bulletproof and strong enough to stop a truck on a suicide mission. France remains on a state of high alert since a series of terror attacks in 2015 left hundreds dead. Thick bulletproof glass walls and metal fencing around the Eiffel Tower are intended to protect the nearly 7 million annual visitors to Franceʼs most popular landmark. The security upgrade began last
year, and comes after a series of attacks by Islamic militants that have left more than 240 people dead since 2015. The new walls are part of a €35 million ($41 million) security upgrade due to be finished in mid-July. The bulletproof glass is 6.5 cm (2.5 inches) thick and guards the Quai Branly Boulevard, which faces the river, as well as the Avenue Gustave Eiffel, which separates the "Iron Lady" from a park.
Orbanism is sweeping across the continent Illiberal democracies are spreading across Europe. But what we are witnessing on the continent today actually originated in China and Russia, says journalist Norbert Mappes-Niediek. Slovenia, with just 2 million inhabitants, is a small and little-known country. So when Europeʼs leading media outlets announced that right-wing populist Janez Jansa had emerged as "the clear winner" in the countryʼs parliamentary elections, hardly anyone was surprised. But even with this election success, Jansaʼs Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) still did not garner the levels of support it had back in 2011, when he won a second stint as prime minister.
3
136/2018 • 18 June, 2018
China pledges to ʼimmediatelyʼ retaliate against Donald Trumpʼs latest tariffs Beijing has announced retaliatory measures after the US imposed fresh tariffs on Chinese technology products. Beijing announced tariffs on a $34 billion list of American goods including soybeans and whisky. Chinaʼs Commerce Ministry announced on Saturday tariffs on US goods as the trade dispute between the two countries escalates. The tariffs include import duties on a $34 billion (€29 billion) list of American goods, which include soybeans, electric cars, orange juice, whisky, salmon and cigars. The measures come into effect on July 6, the same day as the US tariffs on Chinese goods, with an additional $16 million to be imposed later. The Chinese government said on Saturday it was responding "in equal scale" to US President Donald Trumpʼstariffs on Chinese imports. "The Chinese side doesnʼt want to fight a trade war, but facing the shortsightedness of the US side, China has to fight back strongly," a Commerce Ministry statement said. The two giants have been trading tariffs and threats of tariffs for weeks.
German parties up their finances by €25 million, as country remains fixed on the World Cup Starting next year, German parties in the Bundestag will receive an additional €25 million in taxpayer funding. Itʼs not the first time the Bundestag has passed a costly bill during a major soccer tournament. German lawmakers on Friday voted to upparty fundingby an additional €25 million per year, taking the total amount of taxpayer money flowing into German political parties to €190 million. Lawmakers justified the funding hike, saying that digitalization posed new and expensive challenges. Parties needed greater investment to adhere to the latest online and data privacy regulations, while the era of online communication required each party to operate around the clock. Although they also stand to benefit, the four opposition parties in the Bundestag — the Free Democrats, Left Party, Greens and Alternative for Germany (AfD) — protested against the latest spending hike. The accused the government of, first, neglecting to find a common line with the opposition and, second, ignoring the necessary two-week legislation process, as is customary for any amendments to party financing. 4
Juncker promises Trump ʼfactsʼ as cold trade war threatens to heat up After Trump reiterated his anti-free trade rhetoric at the G7, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker hit back with a more traditional weaponry known as "the facts." German automakers eye proceedings nervously. To put the ongoing noise about possible trade wars into perspective, EUUS trade in goods was worth about €600 billion ($710 billion) in 2016, while the US imported €5 billion worth of European steel and exported a mere €1 billion. As Bloomberg pointed out, this would then be a trade war whose effects would probably be smaller than statistical anomalies. According to the US Census Bureau, the US goods trade deficit with the EU was $146.7 billion in 2016, while the EU puts its surplus with the US at
ECB pulls plug on eurozone stimulus – What does it mean? The European Central Bank wants to end its €2.4 trillion bond-buying program at the end of 2018, calling time on a policy that is credited with reviving the eurozone but may come too soon for some debt-laden countries. The Frankfurt, Germany-based central bank for the euro area announced on Thursday that it would end its unprecedented asset purchases by the close of the year, signaling at the same time that the move would not mean rapid policy tightening in the coming months. The bankʼs governing council had decided to halve the monthly purchases from €30 billion to €15 billion ($35 billion to $17 billion) from October until late December, it said in a statement, but would leave the ECBʼs main refinancing rate unchanged at zero percent and the rate on deposits held with the lender at minus 0.4 percent.
Hotel Parlament H-Budapest 1054, Kálmán Imre utca 19. T.: +36 1 374 6000 reservation@parlament-hotel.hu www.parlament-hotel.hu
N26 CEO: Financial services changing fast
At this weekʼs MoneyConf in Dublin, hundreds of fintech CEOs outlined their vision of just how quickly they believe the world of financial services is changing. DWʼs Arthur Sullivan spoke to N26 chief Valentin Stalf. Those are the five years that the five largest banks in Europe (measured by total assets) were founded. If there is an industry impervious to the wild winds of the "disruptive start-up" age,those digits would suggest that banking may well be it. Yet few who live in the German capital, Berlin, will have failed to notice the multitude of ads for a bank called N26 dotted around the city over the last few months; on the subway, on the side of buses, at the airports.
Published by: Mega Media Kft. 1075 Budapest, Madách I. út 13-14. +36 1 398 0344 www.hotelujsag.hu
€112.9 billion (at the average exchange rate for 2016, that is $125.3 billion). This $21.4 billion "asymmetry" would cover the US steel and aluminum trade deficit four times over. The differences are even bigger for services, where both parties claim a surplus. "Trump is quite right on a number of things," ifo trade expert Gabriel Felbermayr told DW, pointing to EU tariffs on cars of 10 percent and EU food barriers, where on average, the EU charges 5.2 percent and the US 3.5 percent.
How the German car industry self-destructs
German carmakers like Volkswagen and Daimler have so far only admitted to things that can no longer be hidden from the public eye anyway. DWʼs Henrik Böhme says this will have to end badly. What a series of more black days for the German auto industry! On Monday, we saw Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche being summoned into the German Transport Ministry for a second time over suspected emissions manipulation. Two days later, prosecutors in Braunschweigslapped a historic €1 billion ($1.2 billion) fine on Volkswagen, the worldʼs largest carmaker by its own definition. Also this week, law enforcement officers raided the private home of Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, whoʼs facing a probe into suspected fraudulent behavior. The Dieselgate scandal, which started about three years agowhen Volkswagen was forced to admit to having installed defeat devices in 11 million cars worldwide, has become a sizeable crisis for the whole industry. Itʼs an industry that still claims to be a model sector (but it isnʼt anymore) and does not tire of emphasizing its enormous contribution to Germany as an industrial location.
136/2018 • 18 June, 2018
Interactive Anne Frank exhibition tackles racism Itʼs an exhibition that transcends a traditional museum visit
The new learning lab at Frankfurtʼs Anne Frank educational center allows young visitors to digitally dive into the hidden world of a persecuted Jewish girl. A replica of Anne Frankʼs world famous diary, where the young Jewish girl describes her time hiding from the Nazis in concealed rooms in an Amsterdam building, is displayed right at the entrance of the new Anne Frank educational center. But this is the only traditional exhibit on show, with visitors needing to access multimedia tools to learn more about Anneʼs life in the Secret Annex of the apartment on the Prinsengracht canal. Titled Anne Frank. Morgen
Puerto Rico is still picking up the pieces after Hurricane Maria. Solar power has helped some get back on their feet, but as hurricane season comes round again many fear their island just isnʼt prepared. Eight months after Hurricane Maria churned across Puerto Rico, a US court order has forced the government in San Juan to begin releasing data on all deaths on the island since the storm. The official death toll stands at 64, but a recent study estimated thatat least 4,645 more peopledied in the three months after Hurricane Maria than over the same period in the previous year. Lauracelis Roques, the judge who issued the order, wrote, "People still donʼt have a clear picture as to how many lives were lost due to a lack of food, medicine, health services or simply because of an ineffective response to an emergency. Thatʼs why itʼs urgent to shed light on all components of government preparedness and response."
Nicki Minaj and Future confirmed for Budapest
Mehr (Anne Frank. More Tomor-
row), the new exhibition is conceived "not as a museum, but a learning laboratory," director Meron Mendel explained. Instead of leading classes and groups of young people through a linear tour, the exhibition rather allows them be guided by their own interests, "to show that it can be fun to question and challenge yourself," said Mendel. "We take young people seriously. Our motto is: Your opinion counts!"
Plogging: Germans take to the new ecofriendly fitness craze The Swedish jogging trend, which is just as good for the environment as it is for your body, is taking off around the world. DWʼs Anabela Linke hit the streets of Cologne to find out what all the fuss is about. We hear a distant rumble of thunder. Thereʼs no sign of rain — yet. Even if it is on its way, thatʼs still no excuse. Running shoes on and glove and bag in hand, Iʼm all set to start plogging. Going it alone is no fun, though, so I ask a couple of
Puerto Ricans still without power as storm season rolls round again
friends if theyʼd like to try out the new trend with me. "You mean picking up other peopleʼs garbage?" my friend Petra replies unenthusiastically. I explain that plogging is the latest trend to come out of Sweden. Itʼs a combination of the word jogging and the Swedish word plocke, meaning "to collect." The idea is simple — if you see a piece of garbage while youʼre running or walking, you pick it up: Good for your body, and good for the planet.
Queen of rap Nicki Minaj and influential American hip-hop artist Future are coming to Budapest. The singer of 2014 hit ‘Anaconda’ has just announced that the pair will be touching down in the UK and Europe as part of her NICKIHNDRXX tour, a global series of live shows kicking off in North America this September. The Budapest leg takes place at the Papp László Sport Aréna on February 25th, 2019. Tickets are already on sale. The tour will promote Nicki’s new album ‘Queen’, due for release on August 10th.
Weather
Tue
22 / 30
Wed
Thu
20 / 29
16 / 24
Hungary Budapest: Debrecen: Eger: Hévíz:
22/26 20/29 22/31 21/30
Athens: Berlin: Bratislava: Bucharest: London: Madrid:
19/33 15/25 21/28 21/31 13/22 22/29
Kecskemét: Keszthely: Siófok:
19/28 21/30 22/28
Europe Moscow: Paris: Prague: Rome: Varsaw: Vienna:
13/20 16/23 22/27 18/33 14/26 18/30
Culture
Good Reasons to visit Budapest in summer 2018 Picnics on a Danube bridge, wild music festivals and a white-sand beach make Budapest the perfect destination for summer. With the city experiencing an all-time high in visitor numbers, there are still many lesser-known sites where you can hang out with the local crowd, even during peak tourist season. These include the riverside Valyo Kikötő chill zone, the hidden courtyards of ruin bars and the outdoor pools at the century-old Gellért Baths. Dive in to find out what’s hot around town. Chill at Budapest’s newest riverside hangout Visit thoughtprovoking international exhibitions Soak up sunshine at Budapest’s white-sand beach Attend mini concerts taking place around landmarks Lounge at the city’s most unique picnic spot Sample Hungarian treats made with a twist Explore downtown murals during walking tours Take a plunge at the alfresco wave-pool of 100-year-old Gellért Baths Celebrate freedom at music festivals Eat authentic Asian food at Budapestʼs Chinatown Hang out in hidden courtyards of ruin bars Indulge in one-of-a-kind sweet treats Party aboard a repurposed Ukrainian cargo boat, etc.
5
136/2018 • 18 June, 2018
Lionel Messiʼs missed penalty hands Iceland first World Cup point
Lionel Messiʼs second half penalty miss cost Argentina the chance to open their Group D campaign with a win. But the emotions couldnʼt have been more different for Iceland, who grabbed a point on their World Cup debut. Sports Lionel Messiʼs missed penalty hands Iceland first World Cup point If one of world footballʼs playing duopolydominated Friday night,the other stole the spotlight on Saturday afternoon, but for all the wrong reasons. Despite the backing of their distinctive and decibel-rich fans, Iceland looked in trouble early on, Nicolas Tagliafico going close for Argentina and Ragnar Sigurdsson almost scoring in his own net.
Cristiano Ronaldo agrees to €18.8 million tax evasion fine and ʼjail termʼ
Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo has reached a deal with Spanish authorities to pay a fine for tax evasion, and accept a two-year jail term. However, he is extremely unlikely to serve any time in prison. Ronaldo, who is accused of evading 14.7 million euros ($17 million) in taxes, reached an agreement with Spanish tax authorities that would see him pay 18.8 million euros. The agreement, which has still to be ratified, will also likely include a twoyear prison sentence. However, jail terms of up to two years are not normally served in Spain for a first-time offense. Details of the agreement came to light on Friday, just hours ahead of Portugalʼs tantalizing clash with Spain at the World Cup in Russia. 6
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 frontrunner, 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.
Paul Pogbaʼs late goal rescues slack France against Australia World Cup 2018:
Paul Pogbaʼs late lob spared Franceʼs blushes after Les Blues were taken to the wire by unfancied Australia. Pogbaʼs intervention was neccessary after Mile Jedinakʼs penalty had levelled things up for Australia. It’s safe to say this match won’t be included in any "Best of" montage reels when all is said and done. France, so unimaginaive for practically the entire 90 minutes, are off to a winning start, but there is very little else they can be pleased with on an afternoon when they made life hard for themselves. That both France goals arrived thanks to the intervention of technology speaks volumes about how unnecessarily tight this game was. Antoine Griez-
mann dispatched his penalty with ease to give his team the lead on the 58 minute mark, though one suspects it wouldn’t have even been awarded at previous tournaments, given the refree allowed play to continue before reviewing the incident by the side of the pitch. On balance it was the correct decision, Josh Risdon catching a whole lot of the Griezmann as the Atletico striker homed in on the Australia goal.
World Cup 2018: Can Joachim Löw keep faith with old guard after Mexico loss? Germanyʼs loss to Mexico in their World Cup opener was no fluke. They were out-run, out-thought and out-fought by their opponents. The display poses Joachim Löw serious questions about some of his most trusted players. As the team news filtered through an hour before kickoff in Moscow, it emerged that this was the oldest eleven Germany had selected for a World Cup game since the 2002 final in Brazil. From the moment the first whistle
blew, that looked painfully apparent. Despite that statistic, this isn’t an old team, only Sami Khedira and Manuel Neuer are the wrong side of 30. Butthey were made to look ancient by a vibrant Mexico sidewho, had they made the right decisions in key moments, could’ve been out of sight at the interval. Germany lost possession an incredible 36 times in a first half where the only surprise in Hirving Lozano’s goal was that it took so long. Khedira was particularly culpable.