DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Italian Alps: Fatalities in planehelicopter collision above glacier Five people were killed Friday when a helicopter and a light tourist aircraft crashed mid-air in the northwestern Italian Alps, mountain rescue officials said. Alpine rescue corps spokesman Walter Milan said the collision happened happened at an altitude of about 3,000 meters (9,845 feet) over the Rutor glacier in the Aosta Valley, near the French border. "Five dead ascertained," the National Alpine Cliff and Cave Rescue Corps (CNSAS) tweeted. It said two helicopters had been dispatched to the scene, along with a team of doctors and firefighters with metal-cutting equipment. La Re‐ pubblica newspaper reported that two people, one from France and one from Switzerland, were flown to hospital with injuries.
German petition seeks to cancel R Kellyʼs tour Since the petition was created earlier this week, over 25,000 people have signed to urge authorities to shut down the two dates booked for singer R Kellyʼs Germany tour. The concerts are scheduled for mid-April in Ludwigsburg in Germanyʼs south and Hamburg in the north. The change.org petition is calling for both dates to be canceled, arguing fans should not "give sexual offenders a stage." The protest refers to numerous allegations against R Kelly spanning the last two decades, including sex with minors and child pornography. The petitionʼs text notes that both planned concert sites are run by local authorities. "How can it be, that this sex offender should be given a stage in Germany thatʼs also supported by public institutions?" the petition asks.
23/2019 • 28 JANUARY, 2019
Donald Trump reaches deal with Congress to reopen government temporarily US government workers seek alternative employment
The US president said heʼd reached a deal with congressional leaders to reopen government for three weeks. The deal did not, however, contain his $5.7 billion funding request for a border wall with Mexico. US President Donald Trump announced a breakthrough in the standoff with lawmakersover the partial federal shutdownon Friday. "I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government," Trump told reporters at the White House. He added that the deal would temporarily reopen the US government for three weeks, until February 15. Trump vowed to pay back federal employees who have continued to work through the 35-day shutdown, which is the longest in US history. The deal did not appear to include Trumpʼs demand for $5.7 billion (€5 billion) to fund a wall on the US-Mexico border. However, he said that a "bipartisan conference committee" of lawmakers in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and At thion or another shutdown if negotiations on funding a wall at the US-Mexico border failed by the February 15 deadline. The bill will still need to be
approved by the House and Senate and signed by Trump before government can reopen — something that congressional leaders was still possible on Friday. Trump devoted the majority of his speech to defending the need for a physical barrier with Mexico, saying that "walls work." The border wall was one of his main campaign promises and a project that heʼd repeatedly vowed that Mexico would pay for. The US president did, however, appear to tone down his general plans for the wall, saying that he never proposed a coast-to-coast barrier. "We do not need 2,000 miles of concrete wall from sea to shining sea. We never did," Trump said, adding that his plans now involve sections of a "smart wall" that will be see-through, made of steel and have drones patrolling it. For weeks, Trump clashed with Democrat lawmakers over the border wall, saying he would not reopen government without first securing funding for the project.
Hundreds missing after Brazil dam collapse Brazilian authorities were evacuating the area near the Corrego de Feijao mine in the countryʼs southeast after the mineʼs tailings dam burst on Friday. The cause of the rupture was not immediately clear. Around 200 people were missing, the firefighters said in a statement released from the city of Belo Horizonte, adding that scores were trapped by the river of sludge. Television footage shared by news outlet Universo Online showed firefighters pulling survivors from the mud. Authorities did not immediately release a death toll, but a local fire service official previously told the AFP news agency that they had received accounts of "several deaths." Officials urged the residents in the lowlying areas of the town of Brumadinho to evacuate. Areal images from the affected area showed homes damaged and destroyed by the sludge.
Ex-White House ethics lawyer: Stone indictment ʼdirect evidence of collusionʼ This is direct evidence of collusion between high-ranking officials in the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks to obtain documents stolen by the Russians in the 2016 election. There is other evidence of course of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians. So this clearly closes the loop and makes clear that the Trump campaign was colluding with the Russians, with WikiLeaks to obtain damaging emails that have been stolen from Hillary Clinton and the DNC.
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23/2019 • 28 January, 2019
Protests as far-right AfD wrangles over Europe candidates Five hundred Alternative for Germany (AfD) delegates wrangled via procedural run-offs Saturday over who should fill its tail-end candidacy slots as more than a 1,000 opponents headed for the conference venue, overseen by police. Protesters, organized by local civic groups, had set out from the railway station of the 30,000population Elbe River city of Riesa — once a key metal industry hub in communist former East Germany — bound for the convention center. Read more:EU in 2019, challenges and crisis Placards and banners carried by AfD detractors included the slogan "Racism is no alternative," playing off the partyʼs name. Police said they intervened when a roadside bystander made a Hitler salute. The anti-migrant, euroskeptic AfD, launched in 2013 and now holding opposition seats in all of Germanyʼs 16 regional assemblies as well as the federal Bundestag, had begun its four-day convention on Friday in Riesa to complete its list of party members who could serve in the European Parliament following this yearʼs European elections.
Paris: Multiple fatalities after explosion at bakery An explosion that caused a fire at a bakery in central Paris on Saturday killed at least three people and injured 47, French authorities said. At least 10 people are believed to be in critical condition after the blast, which blew out windows and overturned cars. Two of those killed were firefighters, according to police. Later, the Spanish Foreign Ministry said a woman from Spain who was on holiday in Paris also died as a result of the explosion. Authorities said the massive explosion, likely caused by a gas leak, gutted the ground floor of the building. The blast happened at around 9 a.m. local time (0800 UTC). "We still need to determine the circumstances and cause of the explosion, but at this stage we can say it is clearly an accident, presumably a gas leak," Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz told reporters, adding that officials did not suspect foul play. The firefighters had been responding to a gas leak alert at the site when the explosion occurred, Heitz said. "First there was a gas leak and the firefighters arrived, then there was an explosion that caused the fire." Police closed off streets as emergency services landed two helicopters in the street, apparently to evacuate victims. 2
US lawmakers to look into reported FBI probe into Trump The FBI allegedly probed if Trump was working on behalf of Russia
A committee in the US Congress will seek more information about the reported FBI investigation into Donald Trump, a Democratic congressman said. A New York Times (NYT) report claiming that the FBI had launched a counterintelligence investigation against President Donald Trump prompted a heated response from the president and his political opponents on Saturday. The NYT article claims that FBI was considering whether or not Trump was working against US interests on behalf of Russia. Trump first drew the attention of agentsduring the 2016 campaign, when he called for Russia to hack into Hillary Clintonʼs emails, and notably praised Russian Presi-
China says Interpol chief Meng Hongwei under investigation for bribery Interpol President Meng Hongwei, who had gone missing in late September, is under investigation for bribery and other crimes, the Chinese Security Ministry announced on Monday. Meng is accused of "accepting bribes and is suspected of violating the law," the ministry said in a statement. It also hinted at a political dimension by stating Meng was being probed because of his own "willfulness and for bringing trouble upon himself." Meng, a senior security official in China as well as the first Chinese head of Interpol, has beenmissing since September 25 while on a trip to his native country. On Sunday, Chinaʼs anti-graft body had said that "Public Security Ministry Vice Minister Meng Hongwei is currently under
dent Vladimir Putin. FBI officials reportedly discussed opening a probe after Trump urged loyalty from FBIʼs then-director James Comey and apparently asked him to end a Russia-linked investigation. However, according to unnamed sources cited by the NYT, the counterintelligence probe was only launchedafter Trump fired Comey. With Special Counsel Robert Mueller starting his collusion inquiry days later, the FBI investigation was soon folded into Muellerʼs probe, which is still ongoing. investigation by the National Supervisory Commission for suspected violations of law," without specifying its allegations. China has been cracking down on corruption under President Xi Jinping. Interpol later said Meng had resigned as president of the international police organization with immediate effect. It named South Korean national Kim Jong Yang, who was Senior Vice-President, as acting president.
Attack on Iranian military parade may harden domestic and regional policies A deadly attack on an Iranian military parade may strengthen hardliners in the country and send al-
Germany: Man stabs pregnant woman An altercation between a pregnant woman and man in the western German town of Bad Kreuznach near Mainz ended with the man stabbing the woman and killing her unborn child. The incident took place on Friday at a hospital, where the 25-yearold Polish woman was staying. Police said the man was a 25-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker, who had come to the hospital to visit the woman. The man stabbed the woman repeatedly after they got into what police described as a "violent argument." The woman suffered life threatening injuries and had to undergo emergency surgery. Although she survived the attack and her condition is stable, the unborn baby died from its injuries. The attacker surrendered to police at a train station shortly after fleeing the scene. He was arrested and taken into custody. Bad Kreuznachʼs public prosecutors office has sought the cooperation of the criminal police of Mainz to carry out an investigation. For now, the manʼs motive is unknown. The assailant appeared in front of a judge on Saturday, who ordered him to remain in custody. He has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and unlawful termination of a pregnancy.
ready heightened tensions across the Middle East soaring, asTehran points its finger at the United States and its Gulf Arab allies. The rare attack claimed by Arab separatists killed 12Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)members and 13 others in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province, which is home to Shiite Iranʼs Sunni Arab minority. It was the deadliest attack in the country in nearly a decade. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed "mercenary terrorists" who carried out a crime in "continuation of the conspiracies by the US-backed regimes in the region," while the IRGC under his command vowed "deadly and unforgiving revenge," if need be abroad. Iran did not name a particular Arab country, but the accusations appeared to be aimed at regional rivals Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
23/2019 • 28 January, 2019
Police in Germany, Switzerland, Hungary launch raids over ʼforgedʼ cancer meds Police are investigating a pharmaceuticals executive for allegedly selling cancer medication in forged packaging. However, it was not clear if the drugs were significantly different than the original, police have said. Authorities raided properties in Germany, Switzerland, and Hungary after discovering that a German pharmaceutical trading company was selling forged medication, German police said on Friday. The German officials also opened a probe into a 42-year-old manager of the firm based in southwest Germany. Separately, Hungarian
NATO tries to prevent an arms race Like many meetings before, the NATO-Russia Council took place at the alliance headquarters in Brussels. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg gave a frank account of Fridayʼs meeting of the military allianceʼs NATO-Russia Council. "There was no real progress in the meeting," he said. "Especially when tensions are high, when we have some real differences, some real difficulties, then it is important to meet." There was little hope among observers that either Russia or NATO would budge from their positions on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) at the meeting. Stoltenberg again stated that Russia, with the installation of SSC-8c cruise missiles in Europe, is in violation of the INF treaty, and that this has been the case for years. Russia has insisted that the controversial nuclear weapons systems can only fly 480 kilometers (298 miles), meaning that they fall just below the 500-kilometer range limit stipulated by the INF treaty.
authorities are investigating a 37-yearold chief of a Hungarian pharma company. Other suspects and witnesses have also been detained in coordinated raids, said police in the German state of Brandenburg. German prosecutors are currently investigating a suspected advertising fraud in addition to the violation of medication laws.
Huawei fires employee arrested in Poland on spying charges
Chinese telecommunications conglomerate Huawei on Saturday said it had dismissed a Chinese worker arrested in Poland on allegations of spying for Beijing. Wang Weijing wasdetained along with a former Polish security official. Polandʼs Special Ser-
vices agency accused both men of working for "Chinese services and to the detriment of Poland." The Chinese tech giant said Wang had been arrested for "personal reasons," and his alleged actions "have no relation to the company."
Detroit auto show the last of its kind That new car smell. Flashing lights. Car doors that close seamlessly and silently. Models. Brochures. Horsepower. Crowds. Giveaways. This is what a car show is supposed to be like. And for decades this has meant shoveling through the January snow in Detroit to make it to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Now as the auto show is about to open, it is once again Detroitʼs turn in the spotlight. The past year wasnʼt kind to the American car business. Loud trade disputes hurt sales and caused automakers to rethink how and where they operate.
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23/2019 • 28 January, 2019
Aircraft makers are optimistic about Farnborough despite Brexit The Farnborough Airshow is a major trade venue for the aeronautical industry. As manufactures set up their displays their thoughts hover between anticipation of the next big order and fears of Brexit says Andreas Spaeth. The global aviation industry will come together on Monday at the Farnborough airfield southwest of London for its biennial industry fair — the second largest in the world after the Paris Air Show. The UK has traditionally been one of the worldʼs leading aviation countries and the Farnborough trade fairʼs roots date all the way back to 1920. It moved to its current location in 1948. Read more: Air India sale grounded after privatization flops However, this year is likely to be full of uncertainty as to the future role of the British aviation industry is called into question due to the UKʼs impending departure from the EU in 2019. Airlines and manufacturers have both recently denounced the prevailing uncertainties and demanded clear post-Brexit rules.Read more: Air India sale grounded after privatization flops However, this year is likely to be full of uncertainty as to the future role of the British aviation industry is called into question due to the UKʼs impending departure from the EU in 2019. Airlines and manufacturers have both recently denounced the prevailing uncertainties and demanded clear post-Brexit rules.
Surge in German arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Turkey Germanyʼs Economic Affairs Ministry disclosed Thursday that German firms sent €160 million ($184 million) worth of arms to Saudi Arabia between January and October last year. That was up €50 million on the whole of 2017. Berlin only decided on afull stop in November, prompted by the Saudi murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, amid restrictions already applying over Riyadhʼs role in wartorn Yemen. Read more:Amnesty slams Western arms sales to Saudi Arabia Riyadh leads a nine-country coalition backing a Yemeni government opposed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who last month reached a fragile ceasefire arrangementunder UN mediation. German weapons exports to Turkey — mostly naval items — more than tripled to €202 million in the same timeframe, up on €62 million in 2017, the ministry said in its reply to parliament. Erdogan isunder international scrutinyover his intention to dislodge Kurdish rebel groups in neighboring war-torn Syria. 4
Renault appoints new chief executive, chairman after Carlos Ghosnʼs exit The French carmaker has appointed Michelinʼs Jean-Dominique Senard as its new chairman and Thierry Bollore as its new chief executive. Carlos Ghosn resigned from both roles earlier on Thursday. French carmaker Renault on Thursday named Thierry Bollore as its new chief executive and Jean-Dominique Senard as its chairman, a day afterCarlos Ghosnreportedly resigned from both roles. The company said it gave Senard "full responsibility" for managing Renaultʼs alliance with Japanese carmakers Nissan and Mitsubishi. Senard had been chief executive of tire company Michelin since 2012. Bollore, who has been with the company since 2012, took over as
Nissan files complaint against ex-boss Carlos Ghosn for ʼmisuse of fundsʼ Japanese automaker Nissan on Friday said it filed its own criminal complaint against its former chairman Carlos Ghosn for the "misuse of a significant amount of the companyʼs funds." Ghosn has beenarrested and charged by Japanese prosecutors with financial misconduct. On Friday, Tokyo prosecutors added a new indictment to the growing list of charges brought against the once-lauded executive. Until the recent charges against him,Ghosn served as a top executive for Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi. He was considered a key figure in establishing and then maintaining the alliance. Prosecutors filed two new charges against Ghosn: one for aggravated breach of trust for temporarily transferring personal investment losses to Nissan in 2008 and the other for understating compensation for three years through to 2018.Nissan called for "strict penalties" when filing its complaint, which was "based on the same violation" of aggravated breach of trust.
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China: Multiple deaths in chemical plant blast Authorities in southwestern Sichuan province have opened an investigation into a blast at an industrial complex that left 19 people dead, state news agency Xinhua reported Friday. The explosion ripped through the Yibin Hengda Technology complex in the city of Yibin at 6:30 p.m. (1030 UTC) Thursday, sparking a fire that burned late into the night, Xinhua said. County officials said that 12 people wounded in the blast had been taken to hospital and were in a stable condition.Read more: China convicts dozens for last yearʼs giant explosions in Tianjin Reports in the Sichuan Dailysaid the force of the explosion reduced three buildings to their steel frames and shattered the windows of nearby properties. China, the worldʼs largest producer of chemicals, has sought to improve industrial safety standards following aseries of highprofile accidentsin recent years.
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deputy chief executive officer in November after Renaultʼs former chief executive and chairman, Carlos Ghosn, was arrested in Japan. The announcement came hours after reports that Ghosn had stepped down from both roles. "Carlos Ghosn just resigned last night," French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Renault sources also confirmed the move, according to German news agency DPA.
Major US airports experiencing delays due to staffing issues amid government shutdown
Due to air traffic control staffing shortages, the FAA has warned of delays at New Yorkʼs LaGuardia and other East Coast airports. The disruption to air traffic has come amid an ongoing federal government shutdown. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported delays in air travel on Friday due to staffing issues at two air traffic control facilities. The FAA delays are impacting flights at New Yorkʼs LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, and Philadelphia International Airport in Pennsylvania — all three airports are in the top 25 busiest airports in North America. Staff shortages at two East Coast air traffic control facilities prompted the federal agency to institute a program that spaces out the time between arriving flights, but that it would lead to nearly 90-minute delays. "Weʼve mitigated the impact by augmenting staffing, rerouting traffic, and increasing spacing between aircraft as needed," the FAA said. "The results have been minimal impacts to efficiency while maintaining consistent levels of safety in the national airspace system," the agency added.
23/2019 • 28 January, 2019
Could hi-tech Netherlands-style farming feed the world? As the global population swells, so does the need for food
Nuremberg archaeologists restore rare Bronze Age chariot burial artifacts The artifacts from a "chariot burial," a grave where the deceased was buried with his wagon, in the Lower Bavarian market town Essenbach, have been handed to the Germanic National Museum (GNM) in Nuremberg for restoration. They will be displayed in a GNM collection in the future. Angelika Hofmann, head of the GNM Prehistoric and Early History collection, said the "urn field culture" (1,300 - 800 BC) find was exceptionally rare. "Only the most important personalities were buried like that," she explained, adding that only two chariot burials from that age have been found so far, making the Essenbach find the third.
Record traffic and new terminal at Budapest Airport Could a Netherlands approach to farming that doesnʼt rely on soil, sunshine, water and pesticides be the answer? The small, overcrowded, low-lying Netherlands might not sound like the answer to feeding a worldwhose population is predicted to rise to9.6 billion people by 2050, but farmers and agronomists there would beg to differ. The country known best globally for its traditional tulips and wooden footwear, is the second largest vegetable exporter in the world — with exports totalling €6 billion annually. Onions, potatoes
and some southern climate vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and chiles are among its top selling products. The Netherlands is growing them with far lesswater and pesticidesthan if production was happening in the soil or open air. They do it using greenhouse technology, termed ʼprecision farmingʼ, that some in the Dutch food industry claim is the most advanced in the world.
Former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt: world citizen, crisis manager and chain smoker Many expected the chain smoker to live for an entire century, yet former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt died a few years too early, at the age of 96 on November 10, 2015, at his home in Hamburg. He would have turned 100 the day before Christmas eve, 2018. Schmidt was and remains the "savior of the city" for Hamburgʼs citizens. During the North Sea flood of February 1962, the then police senator of Hamburg demonstrated his skills as a crisis manager by getting soldiers involved in the rescue operations — which meant overstepping his legal authority as the German con-
stitution prohibited the use of the army for internal affairs (a clause excluding disasters was added in 1968). That established his reputation as a willing decision maker. "You need a strong will. And cigarettes," he later said of his approach. People in Hamburg still visit his grave in the district of Ohlsdorf. A sign was added in the cemetery because so many people were looking for the modest tombstone, which features his name and that of his wife Hannelore, nicknamed "Loki." Visitors leave flowers and candles, along with cigarettes or snuff tobacco.
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Culture
Renovated Museum of Fine Arts to Open on 31 October AFTER MORE THAN THREE YEARS OF RENOVATION, THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BUDAPEST WILL OPEN ON 31 OCTOBER. NOW OPEN TO PUBLIC
Budapest Airport has just announced a double-digit rise in passenger numbers for 2018. Hungary’s major international transport hub registered 14.8 million travellers last year, a 13% jump when compared to the numbers logged in 2017. This record increase has prompted further investment plans for the near future, including the construction of a new terminal building by 2024. Budapest Airport has been given the go-ahead for a €700 million extension and modernisation project, the news following a recent official report showing a considerable growth in passenger numbers. For 2018, the airport handled close to 14.9 million travellers flying in and flying out, a 13.5% increase in comparison with 2017. This makes Budapest the fastest-growing air-travel hub in Central and Eastern Europe.
Thanks to the largest-scale and most comprehensive reconstruction project in the museum’s history, the museum building has been renewed, and, returning to the collection’s first concept, the museum’s permanent exhibitions will also be rearranged. Besides the new permanent exhibitions, the revamped museum will welcome visitors with a chamber exhibition titled Leonardo & the Budapest Horse and Rider. The museum reconstruction, implemented within the framework of the Liget Budapest Project, included the restoration of the Romanesque Hall, which sustained severe damage in World War II and since then had been only partially renovated and used as a storage area, along with the modernisation of the building’s obsolete heating system, the installation of air conditioning in some of the exhibition halls, the renewal of a large part of the roof structure, as well as the addition of new exhibition spaces, visitor areas and modern storage facilities.
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23/2019 • 28 January, 2019
Millie Knight withdraws through injury
British visually impaired skier Millie Knight will not defend her World Championship downhill title because of an "ongoing injury". The 19-yearold won world downhill gold in Tarvisio, Italy, in 2017 as well as silver medals in the slalom, giant slalom and combined disciplines. In 2018, she and guide Brett Wild won three medals at the Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang. Knight wrote onTwitterthat she is "unable to give 100%". "It is with a heavy heart that Brett and I wonʼt be competing at the World Championships this year," she said.
Andy Murray: Britonʼs retirement will be ʼdevastatingʼ, says Sue Barker
Aleksandar Kolarovʼs free kick stunner secures Serbia win over Costa Rica A brilliant second half free kick from captain Aleksandar Kolarov led Serbia to a deserved win over Costa Rica. Serbia were wasteful in front of goal but did enough to secure three vital points in Group E. Another World Cup day, another sublime freekick. If Cristiano Ronaldo’s ice-cold effort tosnatch a point against arch-rivals Spain on day two was the current goal of the tournament front-runner, the Portuguese may have just met his match. Aleksandar Kolarov, take a bow. A combination of poor finishing and sublime goalkeeping had kept the scores level until Serbia’s no.11 produced his moment of magic. Kolarov’s powerful left foot is no secret, but few inside the stadium would have expected such a thunderous strike when the Roma defender stood over a free kick midway through the second half. His shot was unstoppable; a side-footed missile which screamed into the top corner of the Costa Rica net. Kaylor Navas, who kept his team in the game with several crucial saves either side of half time, was nowhere near it.
Naomi Osaka wins against Petra Kvitova at Australian Open The win also means back-to-back Grand Slam titles for the 21-yearold Osaka
Japanʼs Naomi Osaka has claimed victory over Czech Petra Kvitova to win the Australian Open, earning Osaka the first top ranking in her career. With a two sets to one victory against Czech Petra Kvitova on Saturday, Japanese Naomi Osaka snatched her first-ever victory at the Australian Open in a tense battle of wills. Osaka served first in Melbourne and managed to claim the first set after a winning the tiebreaker 7-6 (7-2). She appeared on track to a quick victory in the second set of the match, with the Czech making costly mistakes
around the midpoint and handing Osaka a 5-3 lead. However, Kvitova then managed to stave off three championship points and eventually won the set 7-5. In the deciding set, Osaka regained her composure and clinched victory by snatching six games to Kvitovaʼs four. "I felt like I was in a state of shock through the entire trophy presentation," Osaka told reporters.
Unai Emery: Mesut Ozilʼs Arsenal omission defended by manager Andy Murray is the "greatest we have ever had" says "devastated" BBC tennis presenter Sue Barker after the Briton revealed he plans to retire this year. Two-time Wimbledon champion Murray, 31,is being forced to quitbecause of a hip injury. The Scot will play at next weekʼs Australian Open but admitted it could be the final tournament of his career. "To watch him this morning in tears in that media room, it just shows what it means to him," Barker told the BBC. "It is the realisation that he is facing the fact that his career is coming to an end sooner rather than later." 6
Arsenal manager Unai Emery has defended his decision to leave Mesut Ozil out of the Gunnersʼ squad for Saturdayʼs 1-0 Premier League defeat at West Ham. The German midfielder has not started Arsenalʼs last four games, albeit two while recovering from a knee injury. When pushed over why he left Ozil out, Emery said: "I decided the players I think are the best for this match. "We win with him, we lose with him. I think it is not one player (which means) we canʼt win or lose." Ozilʼs last full game was the 3-1 win over Burnley on 12 December but he
has been left out of the starting XI on nine occasions in the league this season. Emery said the German midfielder was "left out for tactical reasons" at Bournemouth in November but has explained injuries are behind his other absences. "The players who were here are the players who deserved to be in this match," added Emery after watching an Arsenal defeat that sees them remain fifth in the Premier League. "We couldʼve won or lost. We continue working with every player because they are all important, but the decision was to come with these players."