DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
German newspaper editor accuses churches of left-wing bias Ulf Poschardt, head of one of Germanyʼs leading newspapers, has sparked a social media row over supposed left-wing bias in church sermons during Christmas. Churches have denied the claim. The editor-inchief of Die Welt, one of Germanyʼs leading right-wing newspapers, triggered a social media meltdown on Christmas by complaining about supposed left-wing bias in Germanyʼs Christmas midnight masses. Ulf Poschardt wondered aloud on Twitter on Christmas Eve: "Who would voluntarily go to a midnight mass if at the end of the sermon he thinks he spent the evening with the Jusos or the Green youth?" — referring to the youth organizations of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green party, who both represent the left wing of their centrist parties.
Germany: Rhine cruise ship hits bridge pylon causing injuries The "Swiss Crystal" passenger cruiser hit a motorway bridge pylon near Duisburg, injuring around 25 people. Another ship helped the passengers to safety. The accident happened late Tuesday on theRhine River near the north-west German city of Duisburg. There were 129 people on board the ship when the vessel hit a supporting pillar of the A42 motorway. Four people were taken to hospital with serious injuries while 20 others were slightly hurt. A police spokesperson told the Germanyʼs Deutsche Presse Agen‐ tur that none of the injuries appeared fatal. Another nearby ship helped to take the injured off the "Swiss Crystal." A number of fire department boats were also involved. The A42 is expected to remain closed on Wednesday as structural engineers carry out safety checks.
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Britainʼs Prince Harry scores radio interview with former US President Obama He also warned about the perils of social media
In his first interview since leaving office in January, Obama said he felt liberated despite missing the work of being president. In a BBC interview broadcast on Wednesday, former US President Barack Obama told Britainʼs Prince Harry that he was at peace and felt liberated onthe day he left the White House in January,despite the enormous amount of work left undone. The prospect of getting up in the morning and setting his own agenda for the day was "hugely liberating," Obama said, and explained that included having time to talk to his wife, Michelle. "I miss the work itself because it was fascinating," Obama said of his eight years in the White House, and he cited his health care reform,popularly known as Obamacare,as one of his proudest achievements. Obama spoke with Harry in the princeʼs capacity as a guest interviewer for the BBC Radio 4 news program. The interview was conducted in Canada in September, and both men said it was Obamaʼs first since leaving the Oval Office. The two also spoke about social media.Without naming his successor, Donald Trump,the former president said people in government should be careful how they used so-
cial media. And he cited the need to promote diverse views in a way that "doesnʼt lead to a Balkanization of our society." "All of us in leadership have to find ways in which we can recreate a common space on the internet," Obama said. "One of the dangers of the internet is that people can have entirely different realities; they can be just cocooned in information that reinforces their current biases." In the past, Obama has already lamented how social media platforms compel people to make snap judgments about complex issues — again, without criticizing Trumpʼs regular use of Twitter. In his interview with Prince Harry, Obama said moving online communities offline would help people see the complexity of public policy issues and added that it would make criticism more difficult. "Itʼs also, by the way, harder to be as obnoxious and cruel in person as people can be anonymously on the internet," he said. As a guest editor Harry has focused on climate change, the military and mental health.
Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels begin landmark prisoner swap The swap comes after a recommitment to a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, where over 10,000 people have been killed. A US decision to provide Ukraine with weapons has seen Russia warn the US is encouraging "new bloodshed." Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels began a landmark prisoner swap on Wednesday, following therecommitment to a ceasefirein the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine last week. It is the first prisoner since September 2016, and comes days before the New Year and Orthodox Christmas holidays. Russian-backed eastern rebels released some 70 prisoners to Kyiv, while the Ukrainian side handed over about 250 rebels to the other side. During Russian President Vladimir Putinʼs annual news conference of December 14, he had called on Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to complete a prisoner exchange in war-ravaged eastern Ukraine by New Year’s Eve.
India still missing hundreds of fishermen after Cyclone Orkhi India is still missing 661 fishermen, almost a month after Cyclone Ockhi battered its southern waters, according to Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Most originated from coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. Sitharaman, replying in parliament Wednesday after allegations that authorities gave insufficient storm warnings, said 821 other people had been rescued by Indiaʼs navy, coastguard, and merchant vessels.
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Russia vetoes last-ditch bid to save probe into gas attacks in Syria Russia used its veto twice in 24 hours to deny a new mandate to the UN team looking into chemical weapon attacks in Syria. Moscow said it would not extend the mandate of the probe without fixing its "fundamental flaws." Tensions were running high in the UN Security Council on Friday after Russia vetoed a last-ditch motion by Japan to continue the UN-led investigation into chemical weapons use in Syria. The move comes only a day after Russiavetoed a separate US draft resolutionto extend the probe, and its own draft was in turn rejected by the US, UK, and France. Moscow has repeatedly criticized the findings of the UN-backed investigative body, dubbed Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) as biased and inaccurate. Last week, JIM released a report blaming the Syrian regime for the chemical attack which killed around 100 people in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in April. Russia rejected it as "invented" and insisted that the body needed to reform.
Ousted Venezuelan opposition leader escapes house arrest, flees to Spain Ousted Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma has likened his escape to a film. He plans to take the fight against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro abroad. The ousted opposition mayor of Caracas arrived in Spain on Saturday after orchestrating a daring escape from house arrest in Venezuela. Antonio Ledezma landed in Madrid from Bogota, Colombia, where he arrived a day earlier after slipping across the border. He was greeted by his wife and two daughters who live in Spain. Ledezma said he planned to organize resistance from abroad to President Nicolas Maduro, under whose rule millions of Venezuelans have suffered from shortages of food and other basic supplies. "I am going to travel the world to spread the hope of all Venezuelans to escape this regime, this dictatorship," Ledezma said. The 62-year-old opposition figure was removed as mayor of Caracas and arrested in 2015 on allegations he sought to topple Maduro. He was later put under house arrest due to health issues. Ledezma was one of the opposition leaders who led protests against the government in 2014, which also resulted in the arrest of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. He remains under house arrest. 2
Berlin Christmas market attack: ʼWe werenʼt preparedʼ One year after the Berlin Christmas market attack is gone
One year after the Berlin Christmas market attack, German politicians have said more must be done to offer assistance to victims following a terrorist incident. What should that support look like? On the one-year anniversary of the Berlin Christmas market attack, in which 12 people were killed, Justice Minister Heiko Maas has said the German government "was not sufficiently prepared for the consequences of such a terrorist attack for those affected." "For this we can only apologize to the victims and surviving relatives. It remains a never-ending task of politics in a democratic constitutional state to learn from mistakes and to assume our responsibility towards the vic-
Argentina navy loses contact with submarine with 44 crew on board No one has heard from an Argentinian submarine for at least two days. While authorities initially insisted it wasnʼt missing, Argentinaʼs navy has stepped up its search efforts. Argentinaʼs navy lost contact with one of its submarines and its 44 crew members, it announced on Friday. Although the German-built ARA San Juan has been out of contact for two days, the navy initially did not consider it lost. "Itʼs not that itʼs lost, because to be lost, you have to look for it and not find it," the navy told a local broadcaster. However, after an initial search operation in the submarineʼs last known position, around 430 kilometers (267miles) off the southeastern
tims of terror," Maas wrote in an oped in the Tuesday edition of the Tagesspiegel newspaper. At a private ceremony for the bereaved and emergency workers on Tuesday, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said there had been some failings in providing support and comfort to victimsʼ relatives: "It is true that some support came late and remained unsatisfactory," Steinmeier said. "Many family members and injured, many of you felt abandoned by the state." Valdez peninsula, bore no results, Argentina said it was stepping up its search efforts and calling on allies for help. "We have not been able to find, or have visual or radar communication with the submarine," navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters at a news conference. "I donʼt want to dramatize the issue. Weʼre lacking communication and donʼt know what happened." The incident has formally been upgraded to a "search and rescue" operation, Balbi added.
Cambodia charges 2 journalists with espionage The arrests are the latest in a widening crackdown on media and the opposition in Cambodia ahead of elections next year. The move further
Australia shutters Papua New Guinea detention center Around 600 asylum seekers have refused to leave the facility, citing fears of attacks from locals. Australian lawmakers have warned of a "humanitarian emergency" when authorities in Papua New Guinea shut off the water. Private security staff at a controversial Australian detention center in Papua New Guinea left the facility for the first time in years on Tuesday ahead of its expected closure. The facility formed an integral part ofAustraliaʼs expensive offshore detention programknown as "Sovereign Borders." However, Papua New Guineaʼs Supreme Court ruled that the facility is unconstitutional and needed to be closed. Some 600 asylum seekers residing at the facility have refused to leave, saying the alternatives provided are less secure. Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the campʼs closure would proceed, and that the asylum seekers have access to temporary residences nearby. "All have been informed for a considerable period of time that there is safe and secure alternate accommodation where health and other services will be maintained," Dutton told Reuters news agency in an emailed statement.
strains ties between the United States and Cambodia. Two Cambodian journalists who worked for a US-funded radio station were charged with espionage on Saturday, the latest move in a widening crackdown on critics of authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Uon Chhin and Yeang Socheameta, former journalists of the Washington-based Radio Free Asia, were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly providing information to a foreign power. The offense carries up to 15-years in prison. Radio Free Asiaʼs Phnom Penh bureau closed its office in September, citing "intimidation" and threats that it was violating tax and registration regulations. The Cambodia Daily newspaper reported the two journalists were accused of setting up broadcasting equipment in the capital and sending news reports to Radio Free Asiaʼs Washington bureau.
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Twitter kicks out far-right radicals: What you need to know In an effort to combat right-wing hate speech, Twitter has now introduced a range of new guidelines for its social network. DW provides you with an overview of what you need to know. Twitter, along with Facebook, is one of the biggest social networks and has been repeatedly criticized for its role in helping disseminate hate speech into political discourse. Among other things, critics have pointed out that these social networks have failed to combat the spread ofextremist farright content. Controversially, Twitter recently opted to verify US white supremacist Jason Kesslerʼs account —
US and Poland strike $10.5 billion missile defense deal The US has approved the $10.5 billion sale of a Patriot anti-missile system to NATO ally Poland. Eastern European NATO states have been ramping up their military capabilities in the face of perceived Russian aggression. In a move likely to irk Russia, the US and Poland agreed on Friday a major arms deal that could see the eastern European NATO member soon begin conducting air and missile defense operations. As part of the $10.5 billion (€8.9 billion) sale, Poland is expected to receive 208 Patriot Advanced Capabilty-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement missiles, 16 M903 launching stations, four AN/MPQ-65 radars, four control stations, spares, software and associated equipment. Made by US defense contractor Raytheon, the missiles are reportedly designed to detect, track and engage unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles and shortrange or tactical ballistic missiles. In a statement issued following the sale, the State Department said that: "A secure Europe capable of deterring air and missile threats and other forms of aggression promotes peace and stability within NATO and on the European continent."
thereby officially recognizing his Twitter profile. Having oneʼs account verified by Twitter can significantly enhance influence on the social network. Kessler organized thewhite supremacist rally in Charlottesvillein the US state of Virginia back in August. Twitterʼs move to recognize Kesslerʼs account created such backlash that the US company temporarily halted verifying accounts altogether.
Spanish government begins withdrawal of thousands of police from Catalonia
Spain has announced it will begin to pull out police reinforcements sent to Catalonia ahead of the regionʼs contested October independence vote. As many as 10,000 additional officers are thought to have been deployed. The Spanish government on Tuesday announced that it had begun pulling out police reinforcements from Catalonia, almost three months after they weresent to halt an independence ref-
erendumthat the Constitutional Court had declared illegal. Spainʼs Interior Ministry and the Spanish police union said the withdrawal should be completed by Saturday. Madrid deployed thousands of additional officers from Spainʼs National Police and Guardia Civil to Catalonia in September, just as the northeastern region was preparing to vote in a contested independence referendum.
Austrian full-face veil ban comes into effect Austriaʼs prohibition of full-face coverings has officially come into force. The government said the ban helps uphold Austrian values and promotes integration despite criticism from Muslim and refugee groups. People in Austria are now banned from covering their faces in public.
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302/2017 • 28, December 2017 Can the ad industry become sustainable?
A look at an entrepreneur who wants to revolutionize the ad industry. Andrea Henao is a former advertising executive who left the corporate world to found her own business — a boutique ad agency that vets its clients. ndrea Henao wants to change the ad industry. Two years ago, the Berlin-based French entrepreneur founded an ad agency that only works with sustainable brands. I met Henao in her offices, not too far from the Berlin’s notorious Alexanderplatz. The premises are decorated with second-hand furniture that she bought online, and art pieces collected and made with friends and colleagues. While showing me around, she shared the stories about the furniture and art. Henao understands the importance of stories. And she knows just how brands come up with stories that appeal to customers with certain values. With rising consumer awareness about environmental issues and labor practices, brands increasingly emphasize ecological footprint and employee working conditions. Unfortunately, ad campaigns do not always tell the truth — they exaggerate, embellish and lie. And this is something Henau wants to change. "We really believe that we are responsible for the ad that we promote, hence we promote exclusively sustainable brands," she tells me. The ad industry has yet to play a significant role in ensuring brands tell the truth.The onus to reveal false claims has generally fallen on activists, consumer groups and the media. But Henao believes advertisers can play a bigger role.
China sales behind German carmakersʼ rosy third quarter Strong vehicle sales in the wordʼs most important car market have been essential in enabling German carmakers to end their third quarters on a positive note. Their dependence on China is expected to increase further. Germanyʼs top carmakers would not have been able to present positive third-quarter results without a booming auto market in China, a study by consultancy EY showed Tuesday. It said China had long become the most important market for Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler, with one in three of their cars sold in the third quarter having gone to the Asian nation. To be more precise, the Chinese market accounted for 34 percent of Germanyʼs overall car sales between July and September, the highest ever rate logged so far. Back in 2010, only 23 percent of Germanyʼs quarterly car sales ended up in China. 4
Brexit: Hard-liners angered by Royal Mailʼs refusal to release Brexit stamp British advocates of Brexit have slammed the UKʼs postal service following reports that it will not produce a stamp marking the countryʼs exit from the EU. Some MPs said theyʼd push Royal Mail to reverse its decision. Conservative Brexiteers attacked Britainʼs Royal Mail postal service on Monday following reports in the press that it would not release a stamp commemorating thecountryʼs departure from the European Union, scheduled for March 2019. ProBrexit Conservative ministers were quick to accuse the postal service of hypocrisy, saying that it had released a series of stamps celebrating
Germany bans sale of childsnooping smartwatches A German regulator has banned the sale of childrenʼs smartwatches that have one-way monitoring functions. Officials said parents had been using the watches to listen in on teachers while their children were in class. Certain smartwatches for children can no longer be sold in Germany as some of these models are equipped with a "wiretapping" function, a regulator said on Friday Germanyʼs Federal Network Agency, orBundesnetzagentur, announced the ban saying that these watches can be classed as "unauthorized transmitters." "According to our investigations, parents were using the watches, for example, to listen in on teachers during class," said Bundesnetzagentur President Homann. Germany Germany bans sale of child-snooping smartwatches A German regulator has banned the sale of childrenʼs smartwatches that have one-way monitoring functions. Officials said parents had been using the watches to listen in on teachers while their children were in class.
Hotel Parlament H-Budapest 1054, Kálmán Imre utca 19. T.: +36 1 374 6000 reservation@parlament-hotel.hu www.parlament-hotel.hu
Norwegian wealth fund plans to divest of oil and gas Norwayʼs trillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund is proposing to drop oil and gas companies from its holdings, saying it already has enough exposure to the industry and wants to protect against fluctuating oil prices. Oslo is set to decide in the fall of 2018 on backing a proposal from the countryʼs sovereign wealth fund —the worldʼs biggest— to cut oil and gas companies from its benchmark index. In a letter to the government, the Norwegian central bank, which manages the fund, said on Thursday that the move would make Norway "less vulnerable to a lasting decline in oil prices." "This advice is based exclusively on financial arguments and analyses of the governmentʼs total oil and gas exposure," the bankʼs deputy governor Egil Matsen said in a statement. "It does not reflect any particular view of future movements in oil and gas prices or the profitability or sustainability of the oil and gas sector," he added.
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Britainʼs accession to the European Community back in 1973. Speaking to the British press, David Jones, a former minister in Britainʼs Exiting the EU Department and a Conservative for Clwyd West, described the Royal Mailʼs decision as "outrageous," and said that he would write to the UK Business Secretary Sajid Javid, whohas oversight over the postal service, to complain.
Kalashnikov stays tight-lipped ahead of new US sanctions
New American sanctions are set to hit the Russian weapons industry. But during a press tour to the home of the famous AK-47 rifle, questions about sanctions were met with defiance – and silence. Traditional Urdmurt plaid dresses, a log cabin in the snow, and lots of potatoes. Itʼs not what I had expected of the Russian Foreign Ministryʼs press tour of the Kalashnikov factory. The tour to the industrial city of Izhevsk, the capital of the Urdmurt Republic in the Western Urals, promised a rare glimpse of the company known for its AK-47. But first, the handful of foreign journalists on the tour was treated to an unexpected lesson about Urdmurt culture — including a performance by former Russian Eurovision contestants Buratovskyie Babushki. They sang renditions of famous pop songs in Urdmurt, the local language of the republic.
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Europeʼs shocking failure to act on climate The European Union has agreed to emission reduction targets for 2030
The European Union has agreed to emission reduction targets for 2030. But far from fulfilling its duties under the Paris Agreement, environmentalists say Europe has abdicated its role as a climate leader. The European Union has agreed a host of climate and energy targets this week: Itʼs set energy efficiency standards for new buildings, and agreed to climate targets for 2030. Europe has a history of progressive environmental legislation, and it political leaders often position themselves as climate heroes. Recently, French PresidentEmmanuel Macron appears to have moved in on German Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs traditional territoryas international climate champion, with public displays of support for climate science and attacks onUS President Donald Trumpʼs regres-
sive climate policies. But behind the bravado, is Europe doing enough to cut emissions? The short answer, environmentalists say, is no. "Europe is so divided on climate issues, it doesnʼt play that leadership role any more," Wendel Trio, director of Climate Action Network Europe, told DW. On Thursday, the European Commission and European Parliament agreed to cut emissions from sectors not covered by the blocʼs emissions trading scheme by 30 percent compared to 2005. That impacts transport, buildings, waste and non-CO2 emissions from agriculture.
Teachers for AI — can robots create more jobs than they retire? While headway in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry has many worried about potential jobs losses, others see this as a perfect opportunity to nurture an economy that is completely human-based. Workers can spend anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 hours a week going through simple tasks on a smartphone, making AI all over the world more intelligent and efficient. By building platforms and crowd sourcing a large supply of workers, the companies that train AI were smart to realize the data needed could be processed by anyone with steady access to the internet. From this developed companies like Clickwork, Neurala,
and Alegion Inc., which utilize "human taggers" to push AI education. With over a million "clickworkers" signed up, thereʼs an estimated 100,000 people logged on at this very moment, sifting through droves of information and lending a human touch to robot training. "Staring at security cameras or an airport scanner, remote-controlling a robot, driving trucks up and down a mine did not exist as jobs until recently," says Massimiliano Versace, CEO of Neurala, "and will probably not exist as jobs occupying a full-time human as they are today. Humans were created to do much more complicated and elevated tasks than watching videos 24/7."
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Germany must allow third gender in registry of births, court rules An intersex person has won a court case to allow them to enter a third gender into the registry of births. The case was appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court after failing at lower levels. Germanyʼs Federal Constitutional Court on Wednesday called for a third gender option in the registry of births. Intersex people, who are neither male nor female, should be able to register their sexual identity as such, the Karlsruhe court ruled. The court found that the general right to the protection of personality in Germanyʼs Basic Law meant the register had to be altered to allow a third gender. The court ruled seven to one that lawmakers must create new legislation by the end of 2018 to allow for a third sex, providing the examples of "intersex," "diverse" or another "positive designation of sex." Another possibility raised was to scrap gender entries altogether. "Assignment to a gender is of paramount importance for individual identity; it typically plays a key role both in the self-image of a person and in the way in which the person concerned is perceived by others. The gender identity of those persons who are neither male nor female is protected,"the court ruled.
Advent Feast at the Basilica November 24 - January 1
One of the ‘Best European Christmas Markets’ is a must-see event in the heart of Budapest Discover Hungary’s most acclaimed Christmas market: The Advent Feast at the Basilica is blending Central European traditions and modern attractions, turning the iconic St. Stephenʼs square into 3D cinema. For more details and information about the Advent Feast’s event schedule, check out thewww.adventiunnep.hu/enwebsite. Budapest 1051, Szent István tér Opening hours: MondayFriday: 11 am – 10 pm, SaturdaySunday: 10 am – 10 pm, and 10 am – 2 pm on December 24. Skating class hours: Friday from 2-8 pm, Saturday from 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday from 10 am -6 pm.
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Culture
New Hungarian film Aurora Borealis now screens in Budapest Becoming a mother is a miraculous time in a woman’s life. However, there are certain scenarios when the arrival of a newcomer is not entirely wonderful news. The new motion picture by eminent Hungarian director Márta Mészáros, Aurora Borealis, tells a touching tale, taking viewers back in time in Hungary and leaving them reaching for the Kleenex. The story has two timelines. One transports viewers back to a western Hungarian village in 1953, where a descendant of an aristocratic family, Ákos, falls for a village girl, Mari. They try to escape to Austria together, but unfortunately with no success, and after being harassed by soldiers, Mari has to start a new life alone and pregnant in occupied Vienna. The other storyline is in the present, unfolding the events through the recollections of old Mari, now a pensioner living in her old village. One day she gets a letter from Russia and falls into a coma. Her daughter Olga, a lawyer living alone in Vienna, comes back to care for her. Suspecting something about her mother’s past isn’t quite right, she starts investigating. This is only a fraction of the story, as anything else would be a major spoiler. However, even the trailer foretells that Olga’s dad might not be who she thinks after all.
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302/2017 • 28, December 2017
Tour de France winner Chris Froome fails doping test
Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome has failed a doping test. The British rider said that he took an increased dosage of asthma medication during another race on the advice of a doctor. The UCI, cyclingʼs world governing body, announced in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday that it had notified Chris Froome of an "Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF)" in excess of 1000ng/mg (*) in a sample collected during theVuelta a Espana," which he wonin September. According to Britainʼs The Guardian newspaper, a urine sample taken from Froome at the Vuelta was found to have twice the permissible limit of the asthma drug salbutamol. However, the 32year-old Froome, who is asthmatic, has denied any wrongdoing.
FIFA suspends president of Brazilʼs football confederation
Marco Polo Del Nero, the president of Brazilʼs football confederation, has been suspended for 90 days while he is under an ethics investigation. He has remained in power despite facing US corruption charges. FIFA announced in a statement on Friday that Marco Polo Del Nero, 76, has been suspended for 90 days as he is investigated by the governing bodyʼs ethics committee. "Mr. Polo Del Nero is banned from all football activities at both national and international level," the FIFA statement read. It also said that his suspension could be extended by up to 45 days as the ethics committee completes its investigation. It did not give a reason for the ethics probe. 6
Athletics doping: IOC confident over Russia doping reform plans International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach believes Russia will resolve its doping issues and field athletes at next yearʼs Rio Games. Russia was provisionally suspendedfrom world athletics after an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report alleged "state-sponsored doping". Bach met with his Russian Olympic Committee counterpart Alexander Zhukov to discuss the report. He said he was "confident" in the measures put forward by the ROC. Council members of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Friday voted 22-1 in favour of Russia being banned. As it stands, Russian athletes may not enter international competitions, including the World Athletic Series and Rio Olympics, which begin on 5 August next year. Russia will also not be entitled to host the 2016 World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary and the 2016 World Junior Championships in Kazan. "We are confident that the initiatives being proposed by the ROC, with the responsible international organisations - Wada and the IAAF - will ensure compliance as soon as possible in order to provide participation of the clean Russian athletes at the Olympic Games," said IOC president Bach.
Cristiano Ronaldo free kick seals third Real Madrid title Club World Cup:
A second half free kick from Cristiano Ronaldo secured a third Club World Cup win in four seasons for Real Madrid. The Portuguese superstar and his club have won almost every trophy going in 2017. After a first half where the European champions had much of the ball but failed to do a great deal with it, Ronaldo drove the ball home through the wall after Real had been awarded a free kick 25 yards out. Therecently-crowned Ballon dʼOr winnerwas the man who got the Spanish side in to this competition, which has been won by a European club on 10 of the last 11 occassions, witha brace in the Champions League final win over Juventus. He thought he had another double here,
just five minutes after the opener, but his strike was ruled offside. Real continued to dominate proceedings, with Luka Modric striking a post just after the hour mark. Despite the narrow scoreline, the gap in class meant Gremio never really threatened and Ronaldo, coach Zinedine Zidane and the rest of Realʼs latest batch of Galacticos could add another trophy to a year that has already seen them lift the La Liga title, Spanish Super Cup, Champions League and UEFA Super Cup.
Sports Tattoos: A status symbol among footballers There is something that any selfrespecting footballer canʼt be without these days: a tattoo. The more and the bigger they are, the better. Whether or not they actually look good is in the eye of the beholder. Until he became a father, the lower arms of Germany midfielder Toni Kroos were tattoo-free zones. But that changed for the Real Madrid star with the births of Leon and Amelie. He has Leonʼs face – along with his name and birth date on his left arm, while
Amelieʼs name and birthday is on his right – just in case he ever forgets the names of his children… David Beckham also has those nearest and dearest to him under his skin. The former England, Manchester United and Los Angeles Galaxy star has the names of his children as well as a portrait of his wife Victoria tattooed on his body. He also has tattoos of Jesus and angels, as well as a quotation from the bible: "I am my belovedʼs and my beloved is mine." Isnʼt that sweet!