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Bavarian ʼtough dogʼ tipped to lead Germanyʼs BAMF refugee agency A Bavarian official known as a "tough dog" for taking a harder line against asylum-seekers is reportedly set to take over at BAMF. The agencyʼs former head was fired on Friday over an asylum application scandal. Hans-Eckhard Sommer, a Bavarian ally of Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, is set to take over as head of Germanyʼs embattled Federal Office of Migration and Refugees(BAMF), German media reported on Sunday. News outlet Focus Online and the DPA news agency reported the move, citing anonymous government sources. The German Interior Ministry in Berlin said it would not "speculate" about personnel decisions. Sommer, reportedly known as a "harter Hund" (tough dog) in government circles, is currently responsible for foreigner and asylum law at the regional Interior Ministry in the southern state of Bavaria. He favors stronger screening of refugeesʼ possible terrorist connections and speeding up deportations of failed asylumseekers, according to Focus Online.

Donald Trump claims Germans are turning against government over migration The US President has waded into the ongoing stand-off between Chancellor Angela Merkel and her interior minister over migration. He said it was a "big mistake" to allow millions of refugees into Europe. US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that Germanyʼs leaders were losing the support of the public over the migration issue. His untimely comments come amid a deepening split between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leader of her coalition ally, Horst Seehofer, over asylum policy and border controls.

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Angela Merkel buys time in government crisis over asylum His asylum reform plan could threaten the EU immigration system

Chancellor Angela Merkel has got her Interior Minister Horst Seehofer to agree to wait for an upcoming EU summit before imposing new border controls. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has won a minor victory in her ongoing stand-off with ally Horst Seehofer, interior ministerand leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister-party to her conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The crisis last week briefly threatened to break the age-old alliance between the two conservative parties. Merkel managed to getSeehofer to agree to wait for a European summit at the end of the month, so that a new bloc-wide asylum reform could be agreed before he unilaterally imposed new border controls at Germanyʼs borders. In a press conference in Berlin on Monday afternoon, Merkel stressed that the two parties shared the common goals of reducing immigration and better organizing migration into Germany, and that they had agreed to work together. Nevertheless, she signalled she would not accept the CSUʼs brinkmanship on the issue: there would be "no automatism" in shutting borders to asylum-seekers after the EU summit, she said — a phrase that effectively gave herself another deadline extension. While Merkel was an-

swering questions, Seehofer gave his own press conference in Munich, at which he underlined that the chancellor agreed to "62-and-a-half" of the 63 points in his asylum reform "masterplan." He also said he would support the chancellorʼs efforts to make deals with EU partners. At the same time, he said the government did not yet "have the issue of migration under control" and that a lot of work still needed to be done. Maintaining the pressure on Merkel, Seehofer said he wanted to start turning migrants back at the border if EU talks failed to produce results. The row is centered on anasylum system reform plan Seehofer wants to implement in Germany, which would see migrants who had already been registered in another European Union country turned away at the German border. This would potentially disrupt the EUʼs Dublin immigration system and threaten the principle of free movement within the EU, especially if, as Merkel fears, other countries impose similar border controls. Pro-refugee organizations also say it would violate asylum-seekersʼ rights to have their cases heard fairly.

Refugee stands trial in Germany over alleged murder of teen Fifteen-year-old Mia was stabbed to death in the southwestern town of Kandel last December. Her exboyfriend, a refugee, has been charged with her murder, triggering a series of anti-migrant protests. A refugee, who is reportedly from Afghanistan, is on trial for themurder of Mia, a 15-year-old teenager from Kandel with whom he had been in a short relationship. The murder trial, which is being held in the southwestern city of Landau, is not open to the public as the suspect is being tried as a minor. His age has been difficult to ascertain, but authorities believe he was under 18 years of age when he allegedly committed the crime. He is believed to have acted out of jealousy, as the victim broke off the relationship and reported him to police for harassment prior to the murder last December. He reportedly approached Mia in a pharmacy and stabbed her seven times.

US lawmakers, Melania Trump call for end to migrant family separations A White House policy that has split nearly 2,000 migrant children from their families has drawn outrage nationwide, including a rare public comment from Melania Trump. The UN called the practice "unconscionable." President Donald Trump is set to meet with House Republicans this week to discussimmigration legislation, facing pressure over his administrationʼs policy of separating migrant children from their parents at the USMexico border.

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137/2018 • 19 June, 2018

Spanish kingʼs brother-in-law, Inaki Urdangarin, jailed over corruption probe Inaki Urdangarin, husband of Spainʼs Princess Cristina, was handed a prison sentence for crimes including fraud and tax evasion. The princess had been acquitted of aiding Urdangarin.News Spanish kingʼs brother-in-law, Inaki Urdangarin, jailed over corruption probe Inaki Urdangarin, husband of Spainʼs Princess Cristina, was handed a prison sentence for crimes including fraud and tax evasion. The princess had been acquitted of aiding Urdangarin. Former Olympic handball medalist and husband of Spainʼs Princess Cristina, Inaki Urdangarin, reported to a prison on Monday, following an order by a court of the Spanish island of Majorca issued last week. The highly controversial case divided the Spanish royal family and hurt their public image. The 50-year-old Urdangarin is set to serve five years and ten months on various charges, including graft, tax evasion, and embezzlement. According to the prosecutors, Urdangarin used his family ties with the royal family to score public contracts relating to sports, then overcharged for events and hid the money abroad. He had been found guilty of using his Majorca-based foundation to siphon off some €6 million ($7.06 million) in funds between 2004 and 2006.

Compulsive gaming recognized as disease by World Health Organisation The World Health Organization has included addiction to video games in its list of mental health conditions. The move will help with diagnosis and treatment options for health-care professionals. The Word Health Organization has included "gaming disorder" in its reference list of recognizable and diagnosable diseases known as the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The latest update to the international reference list means the diagnosis and funding for the treatment ofpeople addicted to playing video gamesshould become more widely available and "serve a public health purpose for countries to be better prepared to identify this issue," according to the UNʼs health agency. The ICD is also used by health insurers whose reimbursements depend on its classifications. 2

Boris Beckerʼs diplomatic immunity claim rejected by Central African Republic Becker had hoped to seek diplomatic immunity from legal prosecution in the UK

The Central African Republic has rejected Boris Beckerʼs claim that he holds a diplomatic passport from the country. The foreign minister of the Central African Republic (CAR) on Monday contradicted the assertion made by retired German tennis star Boris Becker that his status as unpaid sports attache for the African nationequates to diplomatic immunity. In a statement to German newspaper Die Welt, CARʼs Foreign Minister

Artist survives three-day burial in Australia Australian performance artist Mike Parr surfaced from his underground container without saying a word late on Sunday. He had been buried in a steel container under a busy road for 72 hours as part of Tasmania stateʼs annual Dark Mofo festival, which celebrates darkness through large-scale public art, food, film and music. "The anxiety of the artistʼs disappearance is the point of the piece," organizers explained. Parrʼs performance was an attempt to highlight "the shadow cast by the genocidal violence of 19th century British colonialism in Australia," organizers said. The Aboriginal population in the state of Tasmania was nearly totally destroyed during that period. Read more: Belgian artist cut

Charles Armel Doubane said that Becker was not an official diplomat of his country. The claim contradicts the testimony provided to DW by CAR ambassador to the European Union, Daniel Emery Dede, who had confirmed that Becker had diplomatic status, owing to a diplomatic passport from the CAR. free after chaining himself to marble block to show ʼburden of historyʼ Used to being shocking "He is an endurance performance artist and heʼs been doing this for many years, so his body is quite used to (it)," Dark Mofo curator Jarrod Rawlins told reporters. Heavy machinery carefully removed the asphalt that had sealed Parr into the mini-shipping container on Thursday.

Afghanistan peace marchers reach Kabul, ʼtired of warʼ The protesters, who mainly walked during the fasting month of Ramadan, arrived exhausted and weary in the Afghan capital Kabul, after walking nearly 700 kilometers (430 miles)

As US, UK ʼretail apocalypseʼ deepens, EU chains grow nervous Nearly 11,000 stores — owned by traditional retailers like Sears, Walgreens and Gap — are anticipated to close before the end of the year, as the US sets a new record for lost retail space. 2018 will likely surpass last yearʼs record 105 million square feet (9.8 million square meters) of stores lost, the commercial real estate services firm CoStar has predicted. The mass closings phenomenon began in the early 2010sas a result of the growth of online shopping, but the sudden pace of the closures has been billed by the US media as a "retail apocalypse." A similar story is unfolding in Britain, where the media regularly forecasts "the end of the High Street." Some 5,800 stores shut down in the UK in 2017, and around 10,000 are expected to close before the end of the year, according to the UK Centre for Retail Research. Skeptics have long bemoaned that as the legacy retailers abandon their stores, many UK town centers have become cluttered by thrift stores (charity shops), bookmakers and "everything for a pound" stores. But now even the big discount chains are struggling. Just recently, Poundworld went into administration, which could potentially see its 335 stores shuttered.

across the country, calling "we want peace!" and "stop fighting!" "We want our people to stay united for peace and get rid of this misery for the next generation," Mohammad Naikzad, one of the marchers, told Afghanistanʼs Tolo News network. "I am calling on both sides – the government and the Taliban – for Godʼs sake... find a way for peace and reconciliation," he said. Another participant, Iqbal Khayber, told the Reuters news agency that they met "people in areas controlled by the Taliban and in areas under government control" and that "everyone is really tired of war." Read more:UNICEF: Nearly half of children in Afghanistan do not go to school The marchers, varying in numbers from day to day, started walking after a car bomb attack in Helmand on March 23 that killed at least 14 people. It started with a sit-in protest and hunger strike in Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern province.

137/2018 • 19 June, 2018

Audi Chief Executive Rupert Stadler detained CEO of German carmaker Audi, Rupert Stadler, was detained in connection with the Dieselgate investigation. Prosecutors are investigating Audi for selling diesel-engine cars containing cheat software in the US and Europe. CEO Rupert Stadler was detained on Monday on suspicion of fraud, according to prosecutors in the city of Munich. German automaker and Audiʼs parent company Volkswagen confirmed the detention. Stadler was under investigation for malpractice in the emissions cheating scandal at Volkswagen. "The arrest warrant is based on concealment of evidence," Munich prosecutors said. Stadler has denied any involvement. Read more: Opinion: How the German car industry self-destructs What we

ʼThe life I have lived has tortured me,ʼ says male prostitute in Mombasa Martin Kyana was brought up as an altar boy in western Kenya. He is now 37 and has been living with the HIV virus for 14 years. He is bisexual and started experimenting with his male primary school friend at the age of 11 but his parents found out and chased him from home; he was then left to fend for himself. "When I was growing up I came to realize that I have feelings for both men and women. When I was in class seven I had sexual intercourse with a male classmate who had came to our house to help me with my homework. That is when my brothers caught me and started shouting. We were beaten thoroughly, that boy said that I brought him to my house so that we could have sex. My parents were very ashamed of me." Martin thinks that it was because his mother was a church member and their family had a relatively high standing in the church that he was sent away.

know so far: Prosecutors have said he was detained because he posed a flight risk, according to news agency DPA.Upon arrest, Stadler appeared before a judge, who ordered him to be kept in custody, pending additional charges.VW is set to hold a board meeting on Monday to discuss the charges against the Audi executive.Bram Schot, Audiʼs current head of sales and marketing, is expected to take over as CEO. Audi has not commented, except to confirm Stadlerʼs detention.

Strong earthquake hits Osaka, Japan

Transport was disrupted and trains stopped amid power outages during the morning commute as the earthquake struck at 8.a.m. local time (23.00 Sunday, UTC) at a depth of about 13 kilometers (8.1 miles). A number of people were trapped in elevators, windows broke and small fires were set off in buildings. Centered inland from the port city,

the earthquakedid not cause a tsunami. Two men in their eighties died in Osaka City and in Ibaraki, and a nine-year-old girl was killed in the city of Takatsuki in western Japan on Monday morning, according to Japanʼs Fire and Disaster Management Agency. More than 200 people were injured.

European Union extends Crimea sanctions for a year The economic measures prevent EU citizens and companies from investing in Crimea and Sevastopol. Russiaʼs annexation of the peninsula in 2014 prompted the sanctions. The European Union extended economic sanctions on Crimea and its port city of Sevastopol on Monday. The 28-member bloc imposed the measures after Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula four years ago.

137/2018 • 19 June, 2018

German agro firm boss fires broadside at Trump tariffs Richenhagen, whose company, AGCO, sells mainly on the North American market, but has substantial exports to Asia-Pacific, has been critical of US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in recent months as the trade spat between the US and China escalated. On Monday he turned his attention to US President Donald Trump. "When you talk to a populist who doesnʼt want to go too much into detail, you need to answer in a simplistic way and need to explain to him basically why he might be wrong in the first place and secondly what can be done," he told DW. "Overall, the business community is very negative aboutprotectionism. We like and need free trade, so thatʼs what we try to support," he said. AGCO, a designer, maker and distributor of agricultural machinery, is a NYSE-listed company that expects net sales of around $9.1 billion (€7.8 billion) in 2018, annual growth of 9.6 percent. "When you talk to a populist who doesnʼt want to go too much into detail, you need to answer in a simplistic way and need to explain to him basically why he might be wrong in the first place and secondly what can be done," he told DW. "Overall, the business community is very negative aboutprotectionism. We like and need free trade, so thatʼs what we try to support," he said. AGCO, a designer, maker and distributor of agricultural machinery, is a NYSE-listed company that expects net sales of around $9.1 billion (€7.8 billion) in 2018, annual growth of 9.6 percent.

Australia and EU eye new trade deal European trade commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, on a two-day visit to Australia, said on Monday "there is a lot of global momentum for trade liberalization." The new deal is expected to upgrade an existing agreement between the EU and Australia, which is governed by a 2008 partnership framework designed to reduce technical barriers to trade. It is expected to see the removal of customs duties and simpler procedures for product testing. Read more: Macron begins Australia visit, focused on submarines, trade Brexit and growing protectionist impulses in the US have galvanized Canberra to seek to bind the EU into a new trade deal, which could see Australia gaining more access to EU markets, something the Antipodean nation has been seeking or decades, in particular increasing food and agricultural exports. Concerns in Europe center on Australian cheese,wine and meat. 4

Putting female entrepreneurs in the digital fast lane

Digitalization and e-commerce have created a whole new wave of entrepreneurship and women are part of the revolution. A new initiative for female entrepreneurs aims to provide them with the necessary digital training. It has been quite a working life for Ines Spanier. The 52-year-old from the German state of Saxony worked in the former East Germany as an agricultural engineer for a huge, state-owned production co-operative. As you might expect, entrepreneurial freedom was not part of her job spec. A future as a budding digital entrepreneur did not look very likely

Hotel Parlament H-Budapest 1054, Kálmán Imre utca 19. T.: +36 1 374 6000 reservation@parlament-hotel.hu www.parlament-hotel.hu

Google invests in Alibaba rival JD.com Google said Monday it would invest over $500 million (€431 billion) in Chinese online shopping platform JD.com. The announcement came as the US giant was pushing Google Shopping, a platform allowing customers to compare prices between different sellers and posing a challenge to Amazon. The investment means the marrying of JDʼs supply chain and logistics experiencewith Google technology to create nextgeneration, personalized retail in regions including Southeast Asia, the United States and Europe. Money for shares "The partnership with Google opens a broad range of possibilities to offer a superior retail experience to consumers throughout the world," JD Chief Strategy Officer Jianwen Liao said in a statement. For its investment, Google will receive 27.1 million newly issued JD Class A ordinary shares, the Californiabased firm said.

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back then. Yet she entered the e-commerce worlda few months ago and sells her goods via Amazon, eBay and her own online shop. "Everything is so fast," she says. She can barely keep up with the names of all the new staff working for her. She has just hired a student to help with the digital side of things, hot on the heels of two other new recruits a few weeks ago.

General Electric faces French fine over job policy

US engineering giant General Electric needs to brace for hefty penalties if it fails to uphold a job creation pledge in France. The company made the promise when taking over Alstomʼs power business in 2014. The French government said US conglomerate General Electric would have to pay millions of euros in penalties, should it not be able to live up to its promise of creating 1,000 new jobs in France by the end of the year. GE made the promise as part of its 2014 purchase of Alstomʼs power and electrical grid businesses, including its prized gas turbine operations. The transaction was valued at $14.4 billion (€12.4 billion). Shortly after closing the deal,GE announced plans to cut 6,500 power jobs in Europe because of falling oil and gas prices. Later on, it planned a further 12,000 job cuts in the sector. Unfavorable business environment CEO John Flannery told the French Finance Ministry last week that he could not honor the French hiring pledge, which had so far led to just 323 new jobs in the country.

137/2018 • 19 June, 2018

Stephen Hawkingʼs voice to be beamed into space during burial service A recording of Stephen Hawkingʼs voice will be sent towards a black hole as he is laid to rest

His daughter said it was "a message of peace and hope, about unity and the need for us to live together in harmony." The voice of late British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking will be beamed into space as his ashes are buried at Londonʼs Westminster Abbey during a memorial service on Friday. One of the worldʼs bestknown scientists,Hawking died on March 14 at the age of 76after a lifetime spent probing the origins of the universe, the mysteries of black holes and the nature of time itself. Read more: How Stephen Hawking became a pop culture star As the ashes of the British theoretical

Two years ago, the Californian villa formerly belonging to Nobel Prize laureate Thomas Mann was to be sold and demolished; the news caused outcry among German authors, publishers and artists. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, then Germanyʼs foreign minister, and the commissioner for culture and the media, Monika Grütters, backed the idea of having the building located at 1550 San Remo Drive bought by the German state in order to turn it into a meeting location and memorial site. Dubbed the "white house of exile" by Steinmeier, theacquisition of the villa cost around nearly $13 million (€11 million). President Steinmeier, accompanied by numerous fellow campaigners, has now come to visit "his" work for the opening ceremony of the restored house held on Monday.

Nicki Minaj and Future confirmed for Budapest

physicist are interred, a recording of Hawkingʼs voice accompanied by music written by Greek composer Vangelis will be sent towards the nearest black hole by the European Space Agency. He will be buried by the graves of fellow scientists Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. "This is a beautiful and symbolic gesture that creates a link between our fatherʼs presence on this planet, his wish to go into space and his explorations of the universe in his mind," Hawkingʼs daughter Lucy said.

Thomas Mann was disappointed by Americaʼs populism Heinrich Detering: Iʼd say Thomas Mann is one of the most entertaining writers in world literature, and one of the funniest. Itʼs odd that people still havenʼt realized that novels like Bud‐ denbrooks, The Magic Mountain as well as Joseph and his Brothers contain some of the funniest lines and dialogues ever. Then, of course, he has all the characteristics you would expect of him: Reading his works can help you reflect and fuel imagination, and you can crisscross entire mountains of western culture. Itʼs difficult to be

German president to attend opening of Thomas Mann House in LA

bored with Thomas Mann. Read more: German-language winners of the Nobel Literature Prize Youʼre going to be a fellow and scholar in the residency program at the Thomas Mann mansion in LA. What does that mean for you? First of all, it means Iʼll get to meet "old acquain‐ tances." Over the years, Iʼve read and writ‐ ten a lot about what went on in this house — meetings that took place there, texts that were written, and conflicts Mann grappled with there, internally and with others. And I never even entered the man‐ sion!

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.

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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.

137/2018 • 19 June, 2018

US Open: Brooks Koepka wins back-to-back titles

Brooks Koepka has won the US Open golf title for the second straight year, becoming only the seventh player to do so. He closed with a 2-under 68 to become the first US Open repeat champion in 29 years. American Brooks Koepka has successfully defended his US Open golf title, narrowly beating Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, who matched the lowest score in the tournamentʼs history, a seven-under-par 63. Koepka shot a closing 68 to finish at one-over 281.

South, North Korea to compete under one flag at Asian Games

Officials from South and North Korea on Monday agreed to form unified teams for some sports at the 2018 Asian Games, which are to be held in Indonesia in August and September. "The South and the North agreed to march together at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Asian Games... and to form joint teams for certain sports," a joint Seoul-Pyongyang statement released by the South Koreaʼs sports ministry said. The agreement was finalized at a meeting of officials from the two sides at the village of Panmunjom, on the Northʼs side of the DMZ. The two sides also agreed to hold two friendly basketball matches, one in Pyongyang on July 4 and another in Seoul in the fall. 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.

Bayern Munich CEO says Jerome Boateng can leave for the right price Bundesliga:

Heʼs won everything possible while at Bayern Munich but Jerome Boateng could have played his last game for the club. Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said the German champions will listen to offers for the defender. Germanyʼs World Cup campaigncould also be an opportunity to attract suitors for Boateng, who joined the Bundesliga outfit from Manchester City in 2011, after Rummenigge opened the door for a possible switch. "The idea is not out of this world and has been revealed to me by his advisor, so we know that the topic may come to us," said Rummenigge at an event in Munich. "If a club comes and he announces that he wants to move, we will deal with it." Read more: Jerome Boateng - My daugh‐ ters say I should score more goals The

center back, 29, has been a key man

for both Bayern and Germany for a number of years but said last month that he was open to a new challenge. "Foreign countries are always interesting. You do not get many chances," he told Sky Germany. "Everyone has to decide for himself whether he want to gain an experience like that again. “Iʼm at a different age now than I was at Manchester City and at the point of thinking about it again. Of course itʼs very difficult to move away from Bayern. That would not be a decision against Bayern, Iʼve been feeling very well in Munich for years.”

Philipp Lahm: Germany have all the tools to go far in the World Cup Four years ago, he was lifting the World Cup aloft in Rio but Philipp Lahm says heʼs content with a watching brief this time around. The former Germany skipper tells DW about the current crop and the other contenders. Philipp Lahm: Iʼm doing very, very well because Iʼm back at another World Cup and that is always enjoyable. The chance to come and see plenty of matches is always nice and I was, as always actually, greeted with a warm and

heartfelt welcome. Right now, Iʼd have to say that itʼs clear the people are incredibly excited about the World Cup. Theyʼre delighted to be hosting this incredible tournament. What is it like not be‐ ing actively involved this time? What are the feelings now that youʼre watching others play? Itʼs given me a chance to appreci-

ate another perspective of the game and everything that goes on behind the scenes. Itʼs nice to be able to appreciate, or better appreciate, everything that goes into an event like this.