DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Brexit: UK lawmakers reject greater say for final deal vote British Prime Minister Theresa May won a vital parliamentary vote on Wednesday, which allows her government to press ahead with offering lawmakers a take-it-or-leave-it decision on any final Brexit deal. MPs voted by 319 to 303 to reject a rebel amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, which sets the legal framework for the UK to leave the European Union. Pro-EU politicians spent months lobbying for parliament to be given the opportunity tostop Britain crashing out of the EU without a future trade deal, which could spell disaster for the British economy. May has offered parliament a vote on the final terms of any deal with Brussels, but has rejected what she sees as any attempt to undermine the chances of a strong Brexit deal. Those opposed to a hard Brexit wanted the option to return negotiators to talks with the EU, rather than crashing out with no trade deal at all — something the government says will weaken its position in the eyes of Brussels.
EU to impose countertariffs on US products as of Friday A raft of retaliatory tariffs from the European Union on US products will come into effect on June 22. The EUʼs list of targets reads like a summary of emblematic American exports, including motorbikes and jeans. EU countertariffs on a list of US products would come into force on Friday, the European Commission said Wednesday. The retaliatory measure comes in response to US tariff hikes on steel and aluminumthat were imposed on EU member countries on June 1, with the White House citing grounds of national security.
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Ukraineʼs Yulia Tymoshenko to run in next yearʼs presidential election Although she enjoys undying support in some quarters, many voters see her as part of the problem
US withdraws from UN Human Rights Council The United States told the United Nations on Tuesday of its intention to withdraw from the intergovernmental organizationʼs Human Rights Council. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the announcement at a press conference in Washington. It comes a day after the HRC denounced the Trump administrationʼs policy ofseparating children from their migrant parents at the US borderwith Mexico, with UN human rights chief Zeid Raʼad al-Hussein calling the practice "unconscionable."
Germanyʼs Angela Merkel accused of ʼbuyingʼ deal on asylum with Emmanuel Macron
The two-time ex-prime minister, who spent three years in jail for corruption, says she will run against Petro Poroshenko. Ukrainian opposition leader and political veteran Yulia Tymoshenko confirmed on Wednesday that she would seek tochallenge Petro Poroshenko in the countryʼs presidential electionsdue next year. "I will run for the presidency of Ukraine," she said during a question-andanswer video posted on her official Facebook page. She said it wasnʼt her intention to "play an authoritarian game ... the presidential office for me is not a PlayStation. Tymoshenko is possibly Ukraineʼs most influential woman and is the leader of the AllUkrainian Union "Fatherland" party, which has 19 seats in parliament. The 57-year-old was twice the countryʼs prime minister — the first time was for less than eight months in 2005 following the countryʼs Orange Revolution, which saw the countryʼs postSoviet establishment overthrown. News Ukraineʼs Yulia Tymoshenko to run in next yearʼs presidential election The two-time ex-prime minister, who spent three years in jail for corruption, says she will run against Petro Poroshenko. Although she enjoys undying support in some quarters, many voters see her as part of the
problem. Ukrainian opposition leader and political veteran Yulia Tymoshenko confirmed on Wednesday that she would seek tochallenge Petro Poroshenko in the countryʼs presidential electionsdue next year. "I will run for the presidency of Ukraine," she said during a question-andanswer video posted on her official Facebook page. She said it wasnʼt her intention to "play an authoritarian game ... the presidential office for me is not a PlayStation." Tymoshenko is possibly Ukraineʼs most influential woman and is the leader of the AllUkrainian Union "Fatherland" party, which has 19 seats in parliament. The 57-year-old was twice the countryʼs prime minister — the first time was for less than eight months in 2005 following the countryʼs Orange Revolution, which saw the countryʼs postSoviet establishment overthrown. Read more: Russia and Ukraine discuss prisoner ʼexchangeʼ involving film director Oleg Sentsov She returned to the position from 2007-2010, before losing the presidential election to Viktor Yanukovich, who aligned the country towards Russia.
World Refugee Day could barely have come at a more delicate moment for Angela Merkel and Horst Seehofer. The German chancellor is still locked in a power struggle with her interior minister over his potentially illegal plansto turn certain asylum-seekers away at the border. And yet on Wednesday, the two government leaders attended an event at Berlinʼs German Historical Museum to commemorate the victims of forced displacement. As if to make the afternoon slightly more awkward, the pair afterwards posed for photos on either side of Umeswaran Arunagirinathan, a former refugee who had fled the Sri Lankan civil war as an unaccompanied minor, attended school in Germany and briefly faced deportation, before eventually becoming a heart surgeon and German citizen.
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139/2018 • 21 June, 2018
Key EU states to hold minisummit on migration Sunday Germany, France and key European states will hold an informal meeting on Sunday to address migration. It comes as the EU shifts into overdrive to strike a migration deal ahead of a leaders summit on June 28-29. Several European leaders will convene in Brussels on Sunday for an "informal" meeting on migration, amid a series of disputes causing strain across Europe. European Commission President JeanClaude Juncker said he called an "informal working meeting" for EU states "interested in finding European solutions" on migration and asylum issues ahead of a critical EU summit on June 28-29. News Key EU states to hold mini-summit on migration Sunday Germany, France and key European states will hold an informal meeting on Sunday to address migration. It comes as the EU shifts into overdrive to strike a migration deal ahead of a leaders summit on June 28-29. Several European leaders will convene in Brussels on Sunday for an "informal" meeting on migration, amid a series of disputes causing strain across Europe.
In North Korea, stunted growth still rife among children A UN report published on Wednesday showed that malnourishment remained widespread in North Korea despite a "slight" improvement across the country. Around one in five children in North Korea is smaller than the average for his or her age, the report said. The UN Childrenʼs Fund (UNICEF) noted that stunting is "an indication of chronic or recurrent malnutrition." The rate of stunted children has decreased over the past decade, dropping from 32.4 percent in 2009 to 19 percent in 2017. Despite the improvement, "only one in three children age six to 23 months receive the minimum acceptable diet," UNICEF Asia and Pacific director Karin Hulshof told reporters in Geneva. A UN-led report published last year found widespread food insecurity in North Korea, with roughly 41 percent of the population undernourished. Hulshof noted that the government survey of 8,500 households marked improved cooperation between Pyongyang and the UN, noting that the information was more reliable than in the last survey in 2009. 2
Canada legalizes recreational marijuana use Canadaʼs Senate has passed a landmark law, known as the Cannabis Act, legalizing recreational marijuana
Canadians will have to wait until September at the earliest, however, before they can buy the drug legally. The Canadian Senate on Tuesday gave the final passage to theCannabis Act, a landmark bill legalizing the purchase and consumption of marijuana. The bill passed its final hurdle in a 52-29 Senate vote. It is expected to come into force within eight to 12 weeks. Under the Cannabis Act, or Bill C-45, Canadian adults will be able to: Purchase cannabis and cannabis oil produced by licensed growers at various retail locationsOrder mari-
SPD seeks high ground in German coalition mudslinging As the leaders of Germanyʼs two big conservative parties, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), engaged in fraught brinkmanship on Monday — with the question of Angela Merkelʼs future dangling — the third party in Germanyʼs centrist coalition government struggled to make the media notice that it, too, has a say in what this administration does.But, after Merkel (left in photo) and CSU leader Horst Seehofer (center) gave parallel press conferences on Monday, Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader Andrea Nahles (right)
juana, as well as plants and seeds, online from retailers licensed by the federal governmentGrow up to four marijuana plants in their home for personal useCarry up to 30 grams (1 ounce) of marijuana in publicHowever, they will not be allowed to buy edibles infused with marijuana for up to a year after the bill comes into force. The government intends to outline regulations for those products over the coming year. was eager to remind the public that, even if the CDU and CSU could come to an agreement about Interior Minister Seehoferʼs asylum plan, it wouldnʼt mean automatic agreement from the SPD. She promptly demanded a leadership summit between the three parties to hash out a course of action.
Police seize thousands of animals in wildlife trade crackdown A one-month international operation against the illegal trade of wildlife and timber has resulted in almost 2,000 seizures, the international police agency Interpol said on Wednes-
Benetton draws flak for exploiting rescued migrants for ad campaign Italian clothing firm United Colors of Benetton has drawn flak for its latest advertisement campaign featuring pictures of migrants rescued from the Mediterranean Sea. The FrancoGerman charity, SOS Mediterranee, that carried out the rescue lashed out at Benetton for exploiting a "human tragedy." "SOS Mediterranee fully dissociates itself from this campaign which displays a picture taken while our teams were rescuing people in distress at sea on June 9," it said on Twitter Tuesday. The "dignity of survivors must be respected at all times," said SOS Mediterannee. "The human tragedy at stake in the Mediterranean must never be used for any commercial purposes." The NGO added that it does not give its consent for any commercial use of its pictures and condemned the photographerʼs "personal initiative" to provide the picture. Benetton published two publicity photographs on its Twitter account featuring migrants, one credited to SOS Mediterannee and another to the Italian news agency ANSA. Both the pictures displayed the companyʼs name at the bottom.
day. Codenamed "Thunderstorm," the operation took place during May and targeted the people and networks behind global wildlife crime, with 1,974 seizures made and 1,400 suspects identified. The operation involved police, customs, border, environment, wildlife and forestry agencies from 92 countries. Read more: Europe, a silent hub of illegal wildlife trade So far the operation has recovered: 43 tons of wild meat (including bear, elephant, crocodile, whale and zebra)1.3 tons or raw and processed elephant ivory27,000 reptiles (including 869 alligators/crocodiles, 9,590 turtles and 10,000 snakes)Almost 4,000 birds (including pelicans, ostriches, parrots and owls)Several metric tons of wood and timber48 live primates14 big cats (tigers, lions, leopards and jaguars)The carcasses of seven bears, including two polar bears
139/2018 • 21 June, 2018
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg wants fewer tensions, improved relationship with Russia Jens Stoltenberg told DW that he is concerned about Russiaʼs new military capabilities. In an exclusive interview scheduled to air next week, the NATO chief said that Moscow is investing heavily in modern equipment — both conventional and nuclear. He said that Russia has been willing to use military force against neighbors, citing the current conflict in Ukraine, andhistoric warfare in Georgia. "Moscow also has troops in Moldova without the consent of the government in Moldova," Stoltenberg said, pointing to "a pattern developed over years which needs a response." "Weʼre not mirroring what Russia is doing," Stoltenberg told DW. "Weʼre not responding tank for tank, or mis-
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte dismisses Roma census proposal as ʼunconstitutionalʼ Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Tuesday criticizedInterior Minister Matteo Salviniʼs plans to create a Roma "register." "No one is planning to create files or conduct a census on the basis of ethnicity, which would be unconstitutional because it is clearly discriminatory," Conte said in a statement Tuesday. Read more: Forgotten victims of Hungaryʼs Roma murders Conte also called for checks to ensure Roma children had access to school services, as "they are often kept out of compulsory education courses." Salvini, who also serves as deputy prime minister, announced his intentions of carrying out a Roma census during a television question-andanswer session on regional television channel TeleLombardia on Monday. The far-right League party leader said the census would mean Roma who were in the country illegally could be deported, but "as for the Italian Roma, unfortunately, one has to keep them at home."
sile for missile, or nuclear weapon for nuclear weapon. But of course we need to make sure that NATO adapts when we see a more assertive Russia investing heavily in new modern equipment." Stoltenberg was keen to point out that he wants to improve NATOʼs relationship with Russia, to reduce tensions. "We donʼt want a new Cold War," he said. "We donʼt want a new arms race and we donʼt want to isolate Russia."
Japan fears larger earthquake after Osaka tremor
When theearthquake struck Osaka on Monday, Jamie El-Banna was in his apartment in Namba district. Britishborn El-Banna has lived in Japan for more than a decade and has felt numerous tremors in that time, but he admits this one was alarming. "It was a proper shake. I have experienced a lot over the years," he told DW. The 6.1-magnitude quake – the largest within the prefec-
ture since records were first started in 1923 – was a mere 13 kilometers below the surface in the northern part of Osaka Prefecture. Four people were killed as a result of the quake, including a 9-year-old girl who died when a brick wall collapsed on her, while the shocks were strong enough to be felt in Tokyo, more than 500 kilometers to the east.
German arms sales drop almost 10 percent Arms sales totaled some €6.24 billion in 2017, roughly 9 percent less than in 2016. However, it still marks the thirdhighest annual total,following two record yearsin 2015 and 2016. The upcoming Military Equipment Export Report is set to confirm preliminary figures already provided by the German government back in January.
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Air India sale grounded after privatization flops Indiaʼs aviation minister, Suresh Prabhu, told local media late on Tuesday that the government was no longer looking to sell Air India, focusing instead on improving the airlineʼs efficiency ahead of another attempt at a sale or a listing. "The government is of the opinion that the plan for going ahead with the stake sale before the 2019 general elections may seem hasty, especially after no bids were received," he told financial news provider Cogencis. Read more: Indiaʼs iconic airline up for sale - but will anyone buy? New Delhi had been looking to sell a 76-percent stake in the loss-making carrier in what would have been Indiaʼs biggest ever privatization. But last month, bidding for Air India closed without a single prospective buyer coming forward. Prabhu told reporters that the aviation sector globally was going through a "difficult time due to high oil prices," which is why it wasnʼt the right time to sell the stake. "We will review the proposal when the situation improves," he added.
German erotica chain behind worldʼs first sex shop relaunches The new company, be you, said itwould operate the online and retail units of the old Beate Uhse erotica chain and market the brands Beate Uhse in Germany, Adam & Eve in France and Pabo in the Netherlands. The company added that Chief Executive Michael Specht would retain his position in the post-insolvency company. Its main stakeholder would be Robus Capital Management, the firm said from its headquarters in Flensburg, Germany, on Wednesday. The Beate Uhse erotica chain began as a mail-order shop founded by the firmʼs namesake. It claimed to have opened the worldʼs first sex shop in Germany in 1962. Following the outsourcing of the logistics unit and a considerable reduction in fixed overheads, the new stakeholder plans to focus on online retail where newer companies had pushed out the former Beate Uhse chain. According to earlier reports, creditors and investors are likely to lose everything in the insolvency proceedings. Staff will be down to 150, from 500 before the firm went bankrupt. Following the outsourcing of the logistics unit and a considerable reduction in fixed overheads, the new stakeholder plans to focus on online retail where newer companies had pushed out the former Beate Uhse chain. According to earlier reports, creditors and investors are likely to lose everything in the insolvency proceedings. 4
Ford and Volkswagen eye strategic partnership Ford and Volkswagen said in a joint statement late on Tuesday that they had signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at "exploring a strategic alliance designed to strengthen each companyʼs competitiveness." Reports earlier Tuesday suggested the two carmakers were interested in collaborating on vans and pickup trucks, but a Ford spokeswoman said it was too early to say what the final outcome of the partnership
Australia launches workplace sexual harassment inquiry Australia launched a national inquiry into workplace sexual harassment on Wednesday, inspired by the global #MeToo movement, which has exposed the prevalence of the problem. The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said the 12-month independent inquiry is believed to be the first such national process taken by any country in response to #MeToo. "Recent prominent international and national coverage has highlighted the prevalence and detrimental impact of sexual harassment on individuals and organizations. This inquiry will be a positive and meaningful step forward in reducing sexual harassment at work and ensuring that, where it does occur, it is dealt with carefully and appropriately," Minister for Women Kelly OʼDwyer said. The inquiry will examine the causes of sexual harassment in the workplace, the role of technology and social media in perpetuating the problem, as well as the legal framework. Minister for Women Kelly OʼDwyer said. The inquiry will examine the causes of sexual harassment in the workplace, the role of technology and social media in perpetuating the problem, as well as the legal framework.
Hotel Parlament H-Budapest 1054, Kálmán Imre utca 19. T.: +36 1 374 6000 reservation@parlament-hotel.hu www.parlament-hotel.hu
General Electric loses century-old spot in the Dow index A founding member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index in 1896, General Electric (GE) will be replaced on June 26 by Walgreens Boots because the US pharmacy chain will contribute "more meaningfully" to the index, S&P Dow Jones said on Tuesday. "Todayʼs change to the DJIA will make the index a better measure of the economy and the stock market," said David Blitzer, managing director and chairman of the index committee, adding that the US economy had changed, giving industrial companies less importance. Read more: How General Electric became a general disappointment Shares of GE fell 1.9 percent in after-hours trading upon the news, while Walgreens Boots jumped 3.1 percent. GE has been in the index continuously since 1907, but is now the sixth smallest member of the Dow by market value, and sports its lowest stock price. That makes the GE stock the least influential component of the price-weighted average.
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would be. Read more: Ford plans huge investment in e-mobility In a separate statement, Fordʼs president of global markets, Jim Farley, noted that the move was intended to boost the US carmakerʼs effectiveness and efficiency. "This potential alliance with the Volkswagen Group is another example of how we can become more fit as a business, while creating a winning global product portfolio and extending our capabilities," he said.
Trumpʼs economic boom stalked by trade fears
"Our economy is perhaps BETTER than it has ever been. Companies doing really well, and moving back to America, and job numbers are the best in 44 years." There will be no prizes for guessing either the author of the above quote or the medium on which it was delivered. President Donald Trumpʼs tweet on Sunday afternoon was typically hyperbolic — there is little evidence to support the claim that the American economy is in its best shape in 242 years, after all. Nonetheless, the US president has a point:the American economy is doing well.Despite the many trade conflicts brewing between it and several of its biggest partners from Canada to the EU to China, on many important indicators, the US economy looks to be in robust health. Trumpʼs many opponents might be quick to point towards the famous line about "lies, damned lies and statistics" but likewise his supporters feel there is considerable evidence to support the view that the US economy is doing far better than it ever did under President Obama or indeed, under many of Trumpʼs most recent predecessors.
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Shakira selling Nazi-like trinket for El Dorado tour The emblem is still popular amongst neo-Nazis
A necklace for sale on singer Shakiraʼs website resembles the Black Sun symbol used by the SS. Colombian superstar singer Shakira may want to check her online shop for some fascist fare. As pointed out by media outlet Bento on Tuesday, a necklace she has for sale for her El Dorado tour bears not just a striking resemblance, but is identical to a symbol used by the Nazis. The small gold necklace reads "Shakira El Dorado World Tour" surrounding a sun pattern. That pattern is the same as the Black Sun, or Schwarze Sonne in German, which is still used today in some neo-Nazi occult circles. Inspired by ancient occult symbols, the Black Sun was incorporated into a mosaic on the
floor of Wewelsburg Castle, the ideological home base of Heinrich Himmler and the SS. It was likely adopted by Nazis as significant because of its alleged relationship to ancient Germanic runes and sagas — and perhaps even the round table of Britainʼs legendary King Arthur. Although it is almost certainly an accident, it seems that whoever made the design for Shakiraʼs promotional necklace didnʼt do much research. Nazi symbols are banned in Germany and, according to Bento, the Black Sun is on the list of far-right symbols to watch out for in at least two German states.
Berlinale set to appoint its new head of festival Carlo Chatrian, artistic director of the Locarno film festival since 2012, will reportedly become the new artistic director of the Berlinale as of 2020, according to reports by newspapers B.Z. and Bild. The news was neither confirmed nor denied by Monika Grütters, Germanyʼs commissioner for culture and the media, who is set to officially reveal the name of the new director at a press conference on Friday. Along with the selected artistic director, a second person, who would take on the role of festival "manager,"
is additionally expected to be named to replace Dieter Kosslick, who has headed the Berlinale since 2001. Read more:Dieter Kosslick, the man behind the festival In an interview with Germanyʼs Zeit Online magazine last summer, Chatrian didnʼt seem to expect to be named for the role. While he said he considered the Berlinale to be one of the worldʼs most exciting festivals, he didnʼt believe he would be chosen to direct it, as he doesnʼt speak German. He does however understand the language.
Conductor Simon Rattle bids farewell to the Berlin Philharmonic The end of an era: In the Berlin Philharmonie and in live transmissions vialive streamand inmovie theatersacross Europe, Sir Simon gives the downbeat to his farewell at 7:30 p.m. CEST on Wednesday. It ends as it began. In 1987, Rattle gave his debut with the Berliners with the same work, Mahlerʼs Sixth. In 2002, he began his stint as artistic director and principal conductor of the renowned orchestra with Mahler as well; then it was the Symphony No. 5. The combination of Mahler, Rattle and the Philharmonic marked other highlights during his tenure in Berlin, notably in 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons, when he conducted the composerʼs complete symphonies. An open-air event titled "Goodbye, Sir Simon" on June 24 marks Rattleʼs very last appearance as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. The playbill at BerlinʼsWaldbühneincludes popular works by the composers Joseph Canteloube and Paul Lincke.
Nicki Minaj and Future confirmed for Budapest
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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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.
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139/2018 • 21 June, 2018
Burger King sorry after offering Whoppers to women impregnated by World Cup players
The Russian arm of the burger business initially offered a lifetime supply of their signature Whopper burger and 3 million rubles (roughly €41,000 or €47,000) to women who became pregnant by the countryʼs World Cup players. The prize was offered to women who get "the best football genes" and "ensure the success of the Russian team for generations to come." After widespread criticism, the company removed the announcement from its social media accounts and posted a Russian-language statement on local network VKontakte saying "we offer apologies for the announcement we made. It was too offensive."
Boris Beckerʼs lawyer refutes fake passport claims, presents new evidence
Deutsche Welle has obtained the certificate that Boris Beckerʼs lawyer says confirms the former German tennis star was appointed by the Central African Republic (CAR) as an attache. Becker has claimed diplomatic immunity in an attempt to avoidbankruptcy proceedings against him. The document bears the signature of CARʼs EU envoy, Daniel Emery Dede, who told DW last weekend that Becker had diplomatic status, owing to a diplomatic passport from the CAR for his role as attache for sports, culture and humanitarian affairs. 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.
Are Poland too reliant on Lewandowski? World Cup 2018:
Looming menacingly in front of Spartak Stadium is a 25-meter-high (82 feet) statue of the slave gladiator Spartacus, the Moscow clubʼs eponymous hero, who went down in legend for commanding a ragtag rebel army against the Roman overlords. His story is one of struggle, valiance and ultimately defeat. It is a tale that might well resonate with Robert Lewandowski.Polandʼs very own gladiator has long carried the weight of his underachieving national side on his shoulders. The Bayern Munich striker scored 16 times in European World Cup qualifying – more than half of his countryʼs total – to help send them to Russia. However, with
that comes expectation and the pressure to perform. Such is the burden of legends. Against Senegal, the roar from the mostly Polish crowd grew louder every time Lewandowski threatened to approach the goal. The problem for him and Poland was that this barely happened, save for a moment just after halftime when he burst through the Senegalese defense, drawing a free kick.
World Cup 2018: Germany will need more than Sochi sunhine to spark the right response
The sunshine of Sochi might be an instigator of change for Germany. However, the members of this Germany team know that a response will have to come from them. Both Oliver Bierhoff and Thomas Müller have said as much. Joachim Löw took a morning stroll down the Sochi promenade ahead of Germanyʼs first training session in Sochi on Wednesday. He didnʼt look like a man under pressure. Only later, when the training-ground sprinklers threatened to drench him in water did
Löwʼs mood look to be somewhat dampened. One look at Sochi and itʼs clear to understand Löw. The sun shines bright and the sea is close. It is a world away from Germanyʼs somewhat isolated base camp in Vatutinki – and change is what this team needs. "Light and warmth are important factors, so it does us good to be here," Oliver Bierhoff told the daily press conference. The hope is that Sochi can be to Germany in 2018 what "Campo Bahia" was to the 2014 edition of this team. It needs to be.