DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Cum-ex tax scandal cost European treasuries €55 billion The scale of the financial damage caused by the so-called "cum-ex" tax scandal is much higher than previously thought, according to information provided to Reuters, ARD, Die Zeit and several other news organizations. For the last few years,German authorities have been investigating hundreds of the tax fraud cases, where banks and stockbrokers rapidly traded shares with ("cum") and without ("ex") dividend rights, with the aim of being able to conceal the identity of the actual owner and allow both parties to claim tax rebates on capital gains tax that had only been paid once. Now, reports published on Thursday morning say that at least 10 other European countries beyond Germany have been affected by the tax fraud practices, and that the damage caused to state treasuries could be as high as €55.2 billion ($63.4 billion).
German drug czar slams tobacco advertising, demands billboard ban Germanyʼs drug commissioner says that nicotine represents the countryʼs biggest substance risk. She wants to ban outdoor advertising for cigarettes and tobacco, but some within her own party donʼt want to kick the habit. When German governmentpoint woman Marlene Mortlerpresented the official 2018 report on drugs and addiction in Germany, she did not stress opioids, cocaine, LSD or even cannabis. Instead, she stressed that nicotine remains the addictive drug that has cost the most lives in the country in recent years. The numbers of people in Germany who smoke have declined by 30 percent since 2013,as they have elsewhere in Europe. But Mortler still singles out tobacco as an area where more needs to be done. "We canʼt relax when we have 120,000 tobaccorelated deaths every year," Mortler told reporters in Berlin. "120,000 deaths means 120,000 cases of great suffering, and public costs of up to €100 billion ($115 billion)."
240/2018 • 19 OCTOBER, 2018
What happened to Brexit architect David Cameron? How the former British prime minister spends his days?
As Brexit unravels before our eyes, itʼs worth reminding ourselves who got the UK and the EU into this mess in the first place. Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, David Davis. Even to the casual observer, those names are indelibly linked with the shambles that is threatening to tear the UK, and possibly the Conservatives, apart. And even the most neutral of those observers would concede that they deserve the bashing theyʼre receiving. However, we wouldnʼt even be discussing Borisʼ latest antics (at least not in this context) if it werenʼt for the, er, brains behind Brexit — the man who decided to put party politics above his country. So what exactly is former Prime Minister David Cameron up to these days? "Working on his memoirs, thatʼs what I understand," Kevin Theakston, professor of British government at the University of Leeds, told DW. "And I think he was supposed to have finished them about now. But theyʼve been put back and the line is that he thinks that because of Brexit he wants them out after weʼve left because the dust will have settled a bit." Right, just to recap. In 2013, Cameron made his fateful in/out referendum pledge if
the Tories won the 2015 election. Essentially that was done to appease the hardliners in his party who were worried that the United Kingdom Independence Party led by Nigel Farage would bite into the Conservative voter base and hand victory to Labour. To fight off that challenge, the Tories demanded that Cameron give them the prospect of a European Union referendum which would allow them to persuade their own anti-EU supporters that only a vote for the Tories would give them a definitive say over Britainʼs future in the bloc. Cameron did so in the belief that the electorate would vote to remain. Obviously that didnʼt go according to plan. "I think he still feels the humiliation of calling and losing the referendum," said Theakston. "And he fears going down in history as the person who accidentally took us out of the EU and maybe triggered knock-on consequences for the future of the UK itself — and doing it for reasons of party management and taking a gamble and it all came off badly."
EU and Asia leaders reaffirm multilateralism at ASEM Summit in Brussels The twelfth biennial ASEM meeting got underway in Brussels on Thursday with the participation of 51 leaders. The two-day conference has the EU, Switzerland and Norway hosting Asian officials — including Prime Ministers Li Keqiang of China, Shinzo Abe of Japan and Dmitry Medvedev of Russia. Two days of talks on trade, cybersecurity, the fate of the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate agreement are on the agenda. The EU sees the meeting as an opportunity to present itself as a counterbalance to both the US and China by offering Asian countries alternatives when it comes to trade, infrastructure and digitalization. An EU Belt and Road plan? The most comprehensive proposal being presented by the EU is something akin to Chinaʼs $60 billion (€52.2 billion) Belt and Road initiative.
Court in Finland finds pro-Kremlin trolls guilty of harassing journalist A Finnish man was sentenced to over a year in prison on Thursday for defaming and harassinginvestigative journalist Jessikka Aro, who works for Finnish public broadcaster YLE. Ilja Janitskin, the founder of the rightwing, pro-Kremlin website MV-Lehti, was handed a 22-month prison sentence after being found guilty of 16 charges, including defamation. Johan Backman, a longtime mouthpiece for Moscow in Finland, was also found guilty of defamation and harassing and received a one-year suspended sentence.
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240/2018 • 19 October, 2018
European Court of Justice rules Polish arrest warrants can be halted The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled against extraditing suspects to Poland on Wednesday if there are "serious and fact-based grounds" to believe the suspect would not receive a fair trial. The ruling concernsa Polish man in Irelandwho claims recent justice reforms in Poland harmed his chances of being treated fairly. The man is suspected of drug trade. In recent years, Polandʼs ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has been working to place courts under a tighter control of the executive branch. Among other steps, the parliament now has power to choose members of the National Council of the Judiciary whose job is to oversee judicial impartiality. More recently, the lawmakers changed retirement age for the Supreme Court judges, which critics believe was aimed at ousting the most experienced judges and stacking the body with government supporters. The Supreme Court and its chief Malgorzata Gersdorf are opposing the move.
Hungaryʼs university ban on gender studies heats up culture war Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen hinted at it during an interview in August: Hungarian universities would no longer offer gender studies as a discipline. According to Semjen, nobody wanted to employ "genderologists," so there was no need to train them. He also called the idea of gender as a social construct "absurd." The subject has now officially been abolished. Last weekend a government decree signed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban came into force, removing gender studies from the list of masterʼs programmes. Degree courses in the discipline that have already begun can be completed. But after that, the subject will be banned at Hungarian universities. A master’s degree in gender studies is currently offered at two Hungarian universities: Budapestʼs state-funded Eotvos Lorand University (ELTE), Hungaryʼs oldest university, and theCentral European University (CEU), a private institution funded by Hungarian-American billionaireGeorge Sorosʼ Open Society Foundation. Around 20 students have taken part in the masters program at each university. 2
Russian President Vladimir Putin reports 700 hostages seized by IS in Syria He said they were taken from an area controlled by US-backed forces
Mexican journalist shot dead at restaurant Sergio Martinez Gonzalez, the editor of a local news outlet in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, was shot dead Wednesday morning, the latest victim in Mexicoʼs wave of journalist murders. Martinez, who owned and ran the publication Enfoque, had just dropped off his daughters at school and was breakfasting with his wife at a local restaurant when two people on a motorcycle stopped in front of the couple and opened fire, local media reported. Martinezʼs wife survived the attack, and was receiving medical attention, Mexican newspaper El Uni‐ versal said. The Chiapas attorney generalʼs office announced on Twitter that it was investigating the murder.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said IS fighters have captured hundreds of hostages, including several US and European nationals. Russian President Vladimir Putin said "Islamic State" (IS) militants had seized almost 700 hostages in a part of Syria controlled by USbacked forces. Speaking at an international policy forum in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Thursday, Putin said that some of the hostages had been executed and that IS had promised it would kill more. The hostages included several US and European nationals, the Russian leader said, adding that IS was expanding its control in territory on the left bank of the River Euphrates which had been controlled by US and US-backed forces. "They have issued ultimatums, specific demands
Confusion over missing Saudi journalist in Turkey who ʼvanishedʼ from consulate Turkish and Saudi officials have given conflicting reports on the whereabouts of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday. Khashoggi, a regular contributor to The Washington Post, has been a fierce critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and has criticized Saudi Arabiaʼs policies toward Qatar and Canada,the war in Yemen and a
and warned that if these ultimatums are not met they will execute 10 people every day. The day before yesterday they executed 10 people," Putin told the 15th annual edition of the Valdai Discussion Club, a Russian think tank with close links to the Kremlin. Putin did not elaborate on the militantsʼ demands. He also praised Turkish efforts to set up a demilitarized zone in Syriaʼs province of Idlib. Last month Russia and Turkey agreed on a withdrawal of Syrian radical groups and heavy weapons from the northern province: "Turkish partners are doing all they can to fulfill their obligations," he said. crackdown on dissent, the media and activists. Khashoggiʼs personal website bore a banner saying, "Jamal has been arrested at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul!" without elaborating. A Saudi official denied that Khashoggi had been detained inside the consulate. "Mr. Khashoggi visited the consulate to request paperwork related to his marital status and exited shortly thereafter," the official said. "He is neither in the consulate nor in Saudi custody."
Afghan leader rejects resignation of spy chief, top ministers President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday
urged Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak, Defense Minister Tareq Shah Bahrami, and intelligence chief Masoum Stanekzai to stay in their posts, the Afghan government said. The three officials submitted resignation letters on Saturday, citing policy differences and a spate of deadly attacks. "President Ghani did not approve their resignations... and gave them the necessary instructions to improve the security situation," a statement from the presidential palace said. The offers to step down followed the resignation of Ghaniʼs national security adviser and close ally, Hanif Atmar, on Friday. Atmar, one of the countryʼs most powerful politicians, has been replaced by former ambassador to the US Hamdullah Mohib.
240/2018 • 19 October, 2018
Could oil nation Norway help save the climate? The world may not be able to make necessary changes in time to limit rapid global temperature rise, the UN climate panel has warned. Existing emissions must also be captured and stored. Norway thinks it has the answer. For those of us who thought installing solar panels, planting trees and switching to an electric car would do the trick,this monthʼs reportfrom the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was a startling wake-up call. The world is facing a climate catastrophe, and urgent and unprecedented changes are needed, it said. That includescarbon capture and storage (CCS), a technology that in the past has been fraught with problems. CCS is extremely expensive, and critics
German intelligence foiled 2016 Islamic State terror attack Three teams of "Islamic State" (IS) terrorists were to have traveled to Germany in 2016 to prepare for and carry out a devastating attack — with the target possibly a music festival. A man, Oguz G., and woman, Marcia M., who traveled to Syria in autumn 2015 to join IS were to have played a central role in the attack. From ISʼ then-de facto capital of Raqqa, Marcia M. — who was herself a convert to Islam — tried to recruit women in northern Germany to marry IS members so that they could be granted permission to enter Germany. However, one of the women who was contacted was an informant for Germanyʼsdomestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), who alerted authorities. Details of the case emerged after an investigation by the German broadcasters ARD and WDR, as well as the Süd‐ deutsche Zeitung and Zeit newspapers. The case was confirmed by the German Federal Prosecutorʼs Office.
have long argued that it is nothing but an excuse for the fossil fuel industry to carry on as normal, to the detriment of the growth of renewable alternatives. Yet in Norway, the technology is gaining traction. Little surprise, giventhe countryʼs continued plans to exploit oil. "The climate challenge is so big that you have to use all the tools that you have in your toolbox," said Trude Sundset, CEO of Gassnova, the Norwegian state company responsible for finding CCS solutions for the future.
VW planning on nationwide diesel cull through trade-ins
VW announced on Thursday a series of measures which the carmaker says will improve air quality in Germany through the renewal of the existing fleet of diesel vehicles on the countryʼs roads. First reported on Thursday in the German tabloid Bild and by the news agency DPA, drivers of various VW Group cars in the 14 most polluted German cities will be offered generous trade-in rates by the carmaker for their older diesels in order to persuade them to buy new ones.The premium will apply to diesel cars with the emission
standards Euro 1 to Euro 4, with those cars ranging in age from more than 10 to 25-years-old. The aim of the suite of measures from the Wolfsburg-based manufacturer is to avoid diesel bans in cities across Germany. The tradein/scrappage deals will apply to vehicles across the Volkswagen Group stable, including from the Seat, Skoda and Audi brands. The premium offered may go as high as €10,000 ($11,518), according to the news agency DPA, although that will only apply to especially large vehicles.
Recession fears grip emerging markets amid currency crises Turkey, South Africa and Argentina are among the emerging economies most at risk of recession, chief economist for business information provider IHS Markit, Nariman Behravesh, told DW. The countries, which have seen their currencies battered this year, have "twin deficits" and large amounts of dollar and euro-denominated debt.
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240/2018 • 19 October, 2018 Germany attempts ʼface-savingʼ resolution to Saudi drugs boycott
The human rightsrow between Saudi Arabia and Canada made international headlinesin recent weeks, when the Riyadh government suddenly suspended new trade and investment to the Great White North. The punitive measures were in response to a simple tweet by Canadaʼs foreign minster, calling for the release of two jailed Saudi activists. Receiving less attention has been the diplomatic spat between Europeʼs No. 1 economy and the oil-rich kingdom — also sparked by a ministerʼs comments; this time Sigmar Gabriel, Germanyʼs thenforeign minister. During the political crisis in Lebanon last November that saw Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri resign and later rescind his decision, Riyadh was widely accused of forcing his departure, which Gabriel alluded to as "adventurism." ʼShamefulʼ remarks hurt tiesRiyadh immediately recalled its ambassador to Berlin, telling the German government the comments were "shameful." In May, it went further and froze all new business with Germany. Over the subsequent months, several German pharmaceutical and medical technology firms, including Siemens Healthineers, Bayer and Boerhringer Ingelheim, have been excluded from public healthcare tenders in the kingdom. A pharmaceutical industry source told DW, on condition of anonymity, that Saudi authorities had not given any written explanation about the exclusion, and that there was no clear path for Germany to resolve the issue. Efforts by German diplomats to mediate with Saudi authorities were delayed, initially, by the Holy Month of Ramadan, and the summer break, as Gulf countries stop work in July and August due to the extreme heat.
eBay sues Amazon for allegedly poaching its sellers Online retailer eBay filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against its competitor Amazon, accusing the Seattle-based giant of using eBayʼs own messaging system to steal sellers. eBay described Amazonʼs scheme as an "orchestrated, coordinated, worldwide campaign" to "illegally lure eBay sellers." While both eBay and Amazonʼs revenue is boosted by independent sellers, the group has become a greater part of Amazonʼs recent growth. In 2017, more than half the items sold on Amazon came from third-party sellers. In eBayʼs lawsuit, Amazon representatives are accused of creating eBay accounts and then messaging sellers to persuade them to take their goods to Amazon.com instead. eBay argues that the move violated its user agreement. 4
Canadaʼs cannabis legalization goes into effect Canadians can now purchase and grow their own marijuana after a two-year effort by the government. While enthusiasts have hailed the move, some health officials have warned of the perils of an "uncontrolled experiment." Canada on Wednesday became the first industrialized Western nation tolegalize cannabis as Prime Minister Justin Trudeauʼs government completed a 2015 campaign pledge. Beforehand, only medical marijuana had been legal in the North American country. A regulated industry: While Canadians must be 18 years old to purchase cannabis, several provinces have bumped up the age requirement. Quebec is pushing the legal age to 21 years.Canadians can possess up to 30
No breakthrough in China-US trade talks Chinaʼs Ministry of Commerce said on Friday that it had held "constructive meetings" with US officialsafter talks resumed between the countries over their ongoing trade spat. Nonetheless, with no major breakthrough yet in sight, the resumption of talks did not prevent an additional $16 billion (€13.83 billion) of tariffs being levied by the US and China on each otherʼs goods, starting from Thursday. Read more: US-China trade spat: Clash of the titans, part 2 Talks took place on Wednesday and Thursday aimed at defusing the escalating conflict, which has now seen both countries slap $50 billion in tariffs on the otherʼs products, with more expected to follow. The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that the officials on both sides have vowed to "keep in contact" in the future. High-tech will suffer, says China Meanwhile, a prominent Chinese state planner said on Friday that US tariffs onhigh-tech Chinese technology would have an impact on the tech sectors in both countries.
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Kalashnikov unveils new electric car Kalashnikov,a company moreknown for its AK-47 machine gunsthan its electric vehicles, unveiled its new electric car on Thursday. The powder-blue prototype, dubbed the CV-1, was unveiled by the Russian arms maker at a defense expo outside of Moscow. Kalashnikov Concern told Russian media that the technology within its "electric supercar" will rival that of Elon Muskʼs Tesla. "This technology will allow us to stand in line with the worldʼs electric car manufacturers, like Tesla, and compete with them," a spokesperson told Sputnik. According to the company, the vehicle can travel 350 kilometers (217 miles) on a single charge. The carʼs retro look was inspired by a Soviet hatchback model developed in the 1970s, the "Izh-Kombi," Kalashnikov said in a statement on its website. The CV-1ʼs light blue color, large grill, retro door handles and boxy frame have received mixed reviews from Russians. On social media, some described the car as "cyberpunk" while others referred to it as the "Izh-Zombie."
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grams (1.05 ounces) and grow up to four plants at home.Some provinces have imposed a profit cap, such as Newfoundland, which has limited total profits on cannabis to 8 percent.Smoking cannabis is prohibited everywhere where tobacco smoking is banned.Cannabis concentrates, liquids for vaporizers and edibles are still banned under current legislation. Health authorities say they do not have sufficient evidence about their impact on public health.
Lufthansa canceled 18,000 flights up to August this year
Passengers affected won’t be surprised, but the announcement by Lufthansa that the airline group was forced to cancel 18,000 flights up to the end of August shows the headwinds the aviation industry has faced this year. This year, Lufthansa canceled 18,000 flights through August, one of its senior board members said on Wednesday. That amounts to about 2 percent of its total flights for the year up until that point and significantly more than were canceled in the whole of 2017. Harry Hohmeister told the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper that the volume of cancellations was the equivalent of a two-week shutdown of all Lufthansa operations at its main hub in Frankfurt. The figure underlines the extent to which Germanyʼs largest airline group has struggled with cancellations and delays this year, the vast majority of which it blames on circumstances beyond its control — for example regular air traffic control strikes across Europe and adverse weather conditions.
240/2018 • 19 October, 2018
Asteroids and comets: How to tell them apart Landing a probe on an asteroid?
Landing a probe on an asteroid? Itʼs been done before, hasnʼt it? Nope. The last time space scientists landed a probe on a smaller celestial body, it was a comet. So whatʼs the difference? Asteroids are from the future and the past. It all depends on whom you ask. Space scientists say asteroids, like comets and other celestial bodies, were formed around 4.5 billion years ago, during the earliest moments of our solar system. They orbit around the Sun, just like planets, although their orbits are particular. Comets, for instance, have an elliptical orbit — so they can spend thousands of years way out in the solar system before coming back round to the sun. Some asteroids and comets come incredibly close to Earth. And when space scientists get
a chance to put a lander on one, they hope to learn about those dark beginnings of life, and how it came to Earth. Thatʼs happening right now. The Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) has just jumped an asteroid called Ryugu. JAXAʼs Hayabusa 2 missionaims to bring back samples from the near-Earth asteroid. There are three landers and rovers on the mission. One of the rovers, MASCOT, was built jointly with the German Aerospace Center (DLR). And itʼs worth singling out, because it holds the instruments that will study Ryuguʼs surface.
ʼFlorence and its paintersʼ exhibition exalts Giotto, Botticelli and da Vinci Masterpieces of Florentine Renaissance painting can be admired as of Thursday at the exhibition "Florence and its Painters: From Giotto to Leonardo da Vinci" held at the Alte Pinakothek museum in Munich until January 27, 2019. Florence, the capital city of Italyʼs Tuscany region, went through an important cultural shift during the 15th century, thanks to the patronage of powerful families such as the Medici, said the exhibitionʼs curator Andreas Schumacher at the press presentation of
the show. Florence set the standards at the time, Schumacher added. Hundreds of artists, including renowned ones such as Domenico Ghirlandaio, Andrea del Verrocchio or Leonardo da Vinci, had their workshops there and their work was high in demand. One of the highlights of the exhibition is the painting "Adoration of the Magi" by Sandro Botticelli, from circa 1475. The invaluable work was cautiously transported from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence to Munich.
Asterix translator Anthea Bell dies at 82 Bell is perhaps best known for her adaptations of the French Asterixcomics, in collaboration with her late co-translator Derek Hockridge. Her work was acclaimed as it managed to transmit the spirit of the series renowned for its numerous puns. For example, the druid in the French version of the series is called Panoramix; the name of the provider of the Gaulsʼ magic potion was cleverly turned into Getafix. The English version of the series is marked by her creative signature to a point that the 37th album, Asterix and the Chariot Race (2017) — to which she could no longer contribute due to illness — paid tribute to "her wonderful translation work on Asterix over the years." Still Bell always insisted that she was "an unrepentant, unreconstructed adherent of the school of invisible translation," aiming to give readers the impression they were reading "the real thing," as she wrote in an essay in The Translator as Writer (2006).
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Culture
A new exhibition celebrates 100 years of Budapest’s Gellért Hotel A recreated Baroque-style guest room, photos of the building taken during World War II and Communist-era posters reflect the history of Budapest’s most legendary hotel, the Gellért. A new exhibition at the Museum of Commerce & Catering celebrates the centenary of this institution which opened on 24 September 1918. Attached to the hotel is Budapest’s Art Nouveau Gellért Baths, whose outdoor wave pool, also illustrated at the museum, was the first of its kind in the world. Tucked away in the cobblestoned district of Óbuda, the former residence of Hungarian writer Gyula Krúdy is now home to a charming museum. Here, permanent displays include old-fashioned shop interiors illustrating the history of commerce and catering. This same building also hosts relevant seasonal exhibitions, such as the recently opened Gellért 100 to commemorate the centenary of the Gellért Hotel, a splendid Art Nouveau landmark towering above the Buda riverfront. Opened during the turmoil of World War I, during its long history, the Gellért has accommodated the likes of former US president Richard Nixon and the Dalai Lama. They both enjoyed the hotel’s fine facilities that are now brought to life through historic objects and images currently on show at the museum.
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240/2018 • 19 October, 2018
Sergio Perez: Force India keep Mexican driver for 2019 Formula 1 season
The 28-year-old Mexican has been with the team since 2014 and is seventh in the driversʼ championship with seven points finishes in the past nine races. Perez has been credited with fending off a winding-up petition against the team bystarting administration proceedingsearlier this year, saving all 405 jobs at their Silverstone base. "Iʼm very happy to finally announce my future," said Perez. "Weʼve achieved so much success in the last five seasons but I think the best is yet to come."
Floyd Mayweather tells UFCʼs Khabib Nurmagomedov ʼcome into my worldʼ
Boxer Floyd Mayweather has told UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov to "come into my world" and make a bout happen that he believes will earn him more than his fight with Conor McGregor. The American, 41,beat McGregorin August 2017 in a fight that generatedmore than £450mand earned him £210m. Nurmagomedov, after defeating the Irishman on his return to UFC, then called out Mayweather himself. "When I face Khabib, of course I am getting a nine-figure payday," he said. "More than the McGregor fight. Probably $100m more - Iʼm going to say between $110m and $200m (more) guaranteed." 6
Aleksandar Kolarovʼs free kick stunner secures Serbia win over Costa Rica
Griezmann brace condemns Germany to another loss
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.
Nations League:
A vibrant first half display wasnʼt enough for Germany, as Antoine Griezmann struck twice to turn the game in Franceʼs favor. Germanyʼs sixth loss in 10 games leaves them in real danger of a humiliating relegation. It was a gamble that nearly worked. With his job under more pressure than it has ever been, Joachim Löw made five changes to the teambeaten 3-0 by the Netherlands,injecting pace in to a side that has looked pedestrian for some time. If this many alterations from the most stubborn and loyal of international coaches surprised those watching, it looked also to have caught out the world champions. Germany dominated the opening 45 minutes, with Leroy Sane, Timo Werner and Serge
Gnabry posing France a different set of questions than they might have expected. But it was an old hand that gave them the lead, with a little help from Sane and the referee. Toni Kroos just about converted his spot kick after Presnel Kimpembe had been harshly adjudged to have handled Saneʼs cross. It was Germanyʼs first competitive goal since the same man scored from a free kick against Sweden to offer Germany a World Cup hope that was soon to be extinguished.
Simona Halep: World number one withdraws from WTA Finals with back injury World number one Simona Halep has withdrawn from next weekʼs WTA Finals because of a lower back injury. The Romanian sustained the injury - a herniated disc - during a training session before last monthʼs Wuhan Open. "Iʼm not ready to compete at this level and Iʼm still sore," the 27-year-old said. "I didnʼt practise for the last four weeks." World number 10 Kiki Bertens takes Halepʼs place in the event, where $7m (£5.34m) prize money is available. Halep added: "Itʼs always difficult to
withdraw from a big tournament. Actually, I think itʼs the first time in my life. So it was a tough decision but itʼs better for my health." The French Open champion received treatment on the back problem during her defeat by Dominika Cibulkova in the second round of the Wuhan Open and then withdrew when one set down to Tunisiaʼs Ons Jabeur in the first round of the China Open. It means Bertens will get to compete in the singles competition at the seasonending WTA Finals in Singapore, which begin on 21 October.