DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
German gardener suspected of planting explosives German police have warned anyone who quarreled with now-deceased landscape gardener Bernhard Graumann to be on alert after it emerged that he may have planted bombs to harm those he perceived as enemies. The 59-year-old was found dead at his home in the town of Mehlingen last week. Authorities said they believe that the gardener, before his death, installed a booby-trapped device that killed a doctor in a nearby town on Friday. On Sunday, a 37year-old woman and her 4-year-old daughter were injured when a log of firewood rigged with explosives blew up inside their house. Graumann is alleged to have had disputes with both the doctor and the family.
Thai court bans party that nominated princess for PM Thaiʼs Constitutional Court on Thursday dissolved an opposition party that nominated the kingʼs sister as its candidate for prime minister. The ruling against the Thai Raksa Chart (TRC) party and Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi strikes a blow to the oppositionʼs plans to defeat Thailandʼs military junta in elections on March 24. What the court said: TRC illegitimately nominated the princess as its prime ministerial candidate on February 8.In response, TRC leaders are barred from politics for 10 years.300 TRC candidates are also banned from contesting in the election. Why does this weaken the opposition? The opposition is hoping to win more seats in the upcoming ballot by fielding multiple parties. That became necessary after the junta made changes to the electoral system that made it harder for the biggest opposition party, Pheu Thai, to singlehandedly win a large number of seats.
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Facebookʼs Mark Zuckerberg promises greater privacy in messaging apps Mark Zuckerberg said that private communications will become more important than public platforms
The companyʼs plan of increasing encryption may frustrate law enforcementʼs efforts to track criminals and extremists. Facebook will begin strengthening privacy features on its chat applications, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Wednesday. The announcement comes as the social media giant has been in hot water over its handling of user data and the dissemination offake news on its platforms. Facebook is one of the largest private messaging companies with its WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram platforms. Each of them has more than 1 billion users, but only WhatsApp fully secures message content from all outsiders. "The future of communication will increasingly shift to private, encrypted services where people can be confident what they say to each other stays secure and their messages and content wonʼt stick around forever," Zuckerberg saidin a poston his Facebook page. Facebookʼs plan to enhance end-to-end encryption on its messaging services, Zuckerberg emphasized, would prevent anyone from seeing what people share, including Facebook itself. Read more: Assessing WhatsAppʼs 5 years with Facebook Zuckerberg anticipated public skepticism about his plan to improve privacy, since the
company does not have a "strong reputation for building privacy protective services." But he wrote that the company had "repeatedly shown that we can evolve to build the services that people really want." Facebookʼs core platforms, such as newsfeed and groups services, as well as Instagram, will not undergo any changes. Zuckerbergʼs laser focus on private messaging suggests that the company may be looking beyond its original purpose of public sharing. But Zuckerberg downplayed expectations. "Itʼs not that I think the more public tools will go away," he said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press. "All indications are that Facebook and Instagram will continue growing and be increasingly important," he added. Nonetheless, in his announcement, he stressed that as he thought about the future of the internet, Zuckerberg saw that "privacyfocused communications platforms will become even more important than todayʼs open platforms." "Privacy gives people the freedom to be themselves and connect more naturally, which is why we build social networks," he wrote.
French court convicts cardinal of sex abuse cover-up A French court on Thursday sentenced Cardinal Philippe Barbarin to a six-month suspended jail term for covering up sexual abuse against minors by a priest under his authority. The archbishop of Lyon is the highest-ranking Catholic official in France to be caught up in a child sex abuse scandal. The Catholic Church has been rocked byrevelations of sex abuse by clergymen, promptingPope Francis to hold a crisis meetinglast month to tackle the issue. How we got here: Catholic priest Bernard Preyat admitted that he abused boy scouts during the 1980s.Barbarin and five former aides in Lyon were accused of covering up the abuse.A victimsʼ association bypassed the prosecutorʼs office and insisted the case go before a court, which is allowed in France.Barbarin and his co-defendants have denied any wrongdoing, arguing that they did not know about the abuse until it became public.
Glyphosate: EU agency must release censored study, court says An EU court ruled Thursday that European lawmakers must be given access to scientific studies examining the safety of glyphosate, a chemical commonly used in pesticides whosepossibly carcinogenic naturehas raised global controversy. The ruling by the EUʼs General Court could reinvigorate debate over glyphosate in the EU, which has seen an EU-wide petition to ban the product rejected by the blocʼs executive arm and raised questions of transparency.
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57/2019 • 8 March, 2019
Hundreds of migrants scale Spanish enclave fence One man died and several were injured as hundreds tried to reach the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco. Despite the Spanish governmentʼs promise to remove barbed wire on top of the fence, it has not yet done so. Some 300 people rushed a border fence between Morocco andSpainʼs North African enclave Melilla, Spanish authorities said on Sunday. Out of those who attempted to scale the two fences topped in barbed wire, 200 sub-Saharan Africans entered Spanish territory, a representative of Spainʼs government in Melilla said in a statement. One man who climbed over the fences died of an apparent heart attack despite efforts to revive him. Nineteen other people were being treated for fractures or cuts sustained while scaling the fences, authorities said. Another six Civil Guards sustained non-serious injuries during the rush at the border fence.
Disaster-prone nations threatened by huge insurance gap New research from Lloydʼs and CEBR has shown that vast assets are underinsured, posing a huge threat to livelihoods particularly in poorer nations. Those most at risk are also those with the lowest insurance levels. Disaster-prone developing nations are exposed to crippling losses when storms, floods or earthquakes strike, because they suffer from a dangerous lack of insurance, industry experts said Monday. Globally, assets worth about $163 billion (€141 billion) are not insured against catastrophes, posing a significant threat to livelihoods and prosperity,Londonbased insurance market Lloydʼs said in a fresh report. The value of underinsured assets had shrunk by only 3 percent since 2012, it noted. Many nations with the lowest levels of insurance were also among those most exposed to risks, including from climate change impacts, and were least able to fund recovery efforts, the study stressed. "If insurance is not available,catastrophes can have a much greater impact on economies and lives, Lloydʼs Chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown said in a statement. Emerging and low-income nations accounted for almost the entire global insurance gap, the report noted. 2
Merkelʼs successor rejects criticism over anti-LGBTI joke Merkelʼs successor, but not a copy
Man arrested over suspicious parcels sent to embassies The 48-year-old suspect was arrested at his home in Shepparton, in the southern state of Victoria, federal and state police said in a joint statement on Thursday. Numerous diplomatic missions in the Australian cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Canberrareceived suspicious packages this week, with several consulates and embassies temporarily evacuated or put on lock-down on Wednesday. Some consulate workers reported seeing packages labeled "asbestos." Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral commonly used in building materials in Australia and elsewhere until the mid-1980s, but it was banned after it was found that exposure to its fibers could cause deadly illnesses.
While defending a controversial remark about the real use of gender-neutral bathrooms, the head of the CDU decried the "madness" of cultural sensitivity in kindergarten Carnival parties. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer used herfirst Ash Wednesday speechas head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to hit back at critics who accused her of ridiculing minorities. The conservative politician faced abacklash from LGBTI activists and opposition politicians after she mocked the idea of genderneutral bathrooms during a speech at a Carnival celebration last week. Addressing supporters in the northern town of Demmin on Wednes-
German police want to put cameras in Dortmundʼs ʼNazi hoodʼ Dortmund police are determined to have "German law and order in every corner" of the west German city, local police chief Gregor Lange said on Wednesday, announcing plans to install surveillance cameras in an area that is heavily populated byfar-right extremists. For more than 10 years, an area within the western Dortmund neighborhood of Dorstfeld has been housing "far-right extremists in several households in a concentrated way," Lange added. The area became known as a "Nazi hood." Police
day evening, she defended her joke and said she couldnʼt understand the response it had provoked. The spirit of Carnival, she said, meant "not having to weigh your every word." "If weʼre so rigid, as has been the case in the past few days, then a piece of tradition and culture in Germany will be ruined, and we shouldnʼt allow that," she added. "Right now itʼs as if weʼre the tensest people in the world. This cannot go on." have boosted their presence there and formed a specially designated teamto combat far-right incidents, which led to a large drop in such offenses, according to the police chief. However, Lange said this was not enough. "As long as people who have noticeably different views see this stretch of street as something to be feared because of this housing situation and the labeling of buildings with ʼNazi neighborhood,ʼ there is still more to be done," he said.
China unveils plans to launch man-made moon into space China is set to launch into orbit a huge
space mirror,which has been specifically designed to reflect sunlight back to Earth, the state-owned China Daily online portal reported. In Chengdu, a city in southwestern Sichuan province, the "illumination satellites" are being rigously tested. If all goes to plan, the construction will shine simultaneously with the real moon, but will be almost eight times brighter, the online portal wrote. The mirrors will launch from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province before the end of the year. "By then, the three huge mirrors will divide the 360-degree orbital plane, continuously illuminating an area for 24 hours," Wu Chunfeng, head of Tian Fu New Area Science Society and the company responsible for the project, told newspaper in an interview. Three more moons will launch in 2022 if the initial test goes off without a hitch, he added.
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Huawei sues US over security ban on firmʼs products Chinaʼs digital giant Huawei has filed a lawsuit against the US government before a Texas court, challenging Washingtonʼs ban on using the firmʼs equipment in state agencies. Huawei also accused the US of hacking it. Huawei is disputing a US law before a Texas court in a bid to overturn a security ban against its products, the companyʼs rotating chairman Guo Ping said in a statement on Thursday. "This ban not only is unlawful, but also restricts Huawei from engaging in fair competition, ultimately harming US consumers," Guo said. Read more:Huawei vows US ʼcanʼt crush usʼ The US government believes the Chinese company could implement so-called "backdoors" in their equip-
Chinese investments in EU in a downward spin Chinese investments in the European Union fell sharply for the second consecutive year in 2018, a report by the Berlin-based Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) and US consulting firm Rhodium Group showed. Chinese companies completed FDI deals worth €17.3 billion ($19.6 billion) last year, down 40 percent from 2017 levels and way below the record €37.2 billion investment seen in 2016. The decline is part of a trend that has seen Chinese investments fall in most regions of the world over the past two years as Beijing continues to maintain a tight grip on outward investment by its residents amid slowing economic growth and atrade war with the United States. Chinese investors have also been forced to back away by "growing political and regulatory backlash against Chinese capital around the globe,"the authors of the report,Thilo Hanemann, Agatha Kratz and Mikko Huotari, wrote. "This shift in attitudes has been remarkably rapid in Europe," they said.
ment, allowing them to gather vital data on US infrastructure, possibly under direction from Beijing spy agencies. In order to curb the potential security risk, the US Congress banned US government agencies and contractors from buying the companyʼs equipment and services. Washington also tried topressure other governments into banning the companyʼs products. On Thursday, Guo said that "Huawei has not and will never implant ʼbackdoors.ʼ"
ʼOrban cannot yieldʼ on migration, Christian values, Fidesz official says
Hungaryʼs far-right Fidesz party has shrugged off an ultimatum from the European Peopleʼs Party (EPP) to avoid being jettisoned from European Parliamentʼs conservative bloc. Fideszʼs communications director, Balazs Hidveghi, told reporters on Wednesday the far-right party, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, "cannot yield" toconditions set by the EPPʼs German-born leader Manfred Weber. "The defense of European Christian
values and stopping migration is more important than party discipline," Hidveghi said. In an interview published on Tuesday by German newspaper Bild, Weber had said Orban must stop the campaign against European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, apologize to EPP member parties, and allow the Central European University (CEU), which is backed by George Soros, to keep its headquarters in Budapest.
Italy launches €7 billion ʼcitizensʼ incomeʼ plan to combat poverty Italians on Wednesday started to apply for new government welfare subsidies designed to jump-start the countryʼs stagnant economy. The "citizensʼ income" programwas a key campaign promisefrom the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, whichentered into a governing coalitionwith the anti-immigrant League party last year. The program, essentially a new system of welfare and unemployment benefits, provides those eligible with €780 ($882) credited to monthly, prepaid debit cards to pay for groceries, pharmaceuticals, utility bills, rent and other essentials. In exchange, able-bodied participants enroll in a job-finding and job-training program.
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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.
ITB Berlin tourism partner Malaysia claims it has ʼno gaysʼ Malaysia faces a potential backlash from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights groups after claiming that the Muslimmajority country doesnʼt have gays. On Tuesday, Tourism Minister Datuk Mohammaddin bin Ketapi was asked by reporters ahead of the opening of the ITB Berlin tourism fair whether the country was safe for gay and Jewish visitors. After initially sidestepping the question, the minister was asked again whether gays were welcome and he replied: "I donʼt think we have anything like that in our country." Denial could hurt bookings Despite efforts by Malaysian officials to downplay the incident, Ketapiʼs comments could derail attempts to entice more tourists to visit Malaysia. The remarks came after he spoke for several minutes about the countryʼs natural beauty and welcoming culture. The country has set itself a target of receiving 30 million visitors in 2019. 4
Trumpʼs trade move could deal a political blow to Indiaʼs Modi The US has decided to end its preferential trade treatment for India. New Delhi has played down the economic impact of the move, but it could cost Narendra Modi politically as he seeks a second term. US President Donald Trump has decided to endWashingtonʼs preferential trade treatment for Indiathat allows a duty exemption on more than $5 billion (€4.4 billion) worth of its goods coming into the United States. Trump, who has often called out India for its high tariffs, said his move was prompted by lack of assurances from New Delhi that "it will provide equitable and reasonable access to the markets of India." Indian officials played down the impact of the move, saying
Foreign investment in the United States of America down sharply Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States plunged by a staggering 32 percent in 2017 year on year, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis reported. Investment totaled $259.6 billion (€221.2 billion),with the figure representing the second year of declineafter a peak in 2015 when foreign investorsʼ expenditure in the US hit $439.5 billion. Last year, most foreign investments in the United States came from neighboring Canada which contributed $66.2 billion. European Union member states accounted for 40 percent of the 2017 FDI total. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the drop in foreign investment in the United States is part of a global trend.Not just a US problem OECD researchers noted that FDI levels were down 18 percent worldwide in 2017.
Hotel Palazzo Zichy H-1088 Budapest, Lőrinc pap tér 2. T.: +36 1 235 4000 reservation@hpz.hu www.hotel-palazzo-zichy.hu/
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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the preferential treatment brought benefits of just around $200 million annually. India exported around $50 billion worth of goods to the United States in 2017. "It does not come as a bolt from the blue," Ajay Sahai, the director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations, told DW. "Even though the GSP (preferential treatment) is given on a non-reciprocal basis, the US was seeking market access and tariff reduction in exchange during our negotiations."
Has Brussels pushed Brexit talks to the brink?
With just weeks to go before the UKʼs planned exit from the EU, many issues remain unsolved. Is it time Brussels was more flexible over Brexit? An MEP from the European Parliamentʼs Brexit Steering Group talks to DW. An orderly departure for the UK from the EU cannot come at any cost, a member of the European Parliamentʼs Brexit Steering Group has said. With only a few weeks remaining before Britain leaves the European Union, MEP Philippe Lamberts told DWʼs Conflict Zone that proposed technological solutions to questions about the future of the border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland were "fantasy." He also said that supporters of a hard Brexit wanted a "backdoor into the single market, uncontrolled, unpoliced." Wrangling and uncertaintyover arrangements to avoid a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit have mired talks between the UK and Brussels.
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German media reserved about new allegations Michael Jackson:
Tintin and Snowy turn 90 — havenʼt aged a day He has fought organized crime, solved mysteries and even helped to bring down despotic regimes. The famous Belgian cub-reporter Tintin, with his trademark shock of strawberry-blonde hair, blue sweater and plus-four trousers, has taken his fans with him on world adventures that have been translated into more than 100 languages and dialects. Tintin made his first appearance 90 years ago, in the Catholic conservative Belgian newspaper Le Vingtième Siècleʼs youth supplement, Le Petit Vingtième. Tintin and Snowy headed deep into Soviet territory, with Stalinʼs secret police watching them from around every corner. The story first appeared on January 10, 1929, running as a serial until May 1930; it was essentially anti-communist propaganda, neatly packaged for children. In 1930, the series was published in book form as Tintin in the Land of the So‐ viets.
A TV documentary about Michael Jacksonʼs alleged child abuse has rekindled the debate about the pop star. Radio stations worldwide have scratched his songs from the program. In Germany, however, reactions are cautious. In the TV documentary Leaving Nev‐ erland by US channel HBO. Wade Robson and James Safechuck talk about their personal experiences with Michael Jackson. The two men were childhood companions of the superstar for many years and spent a lot of time with him on his ranch "Neverland" in California. "He said that if anyone found out what we were doing, we would both go to jail for the rest of our lives," Robson says in the
four-hour film, which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2019, and prompted a lot of debate. German TV channel ProSieben has meanwhile announced that it will air the documentary in Germany on April 6, 2019. In the first part of the film, Robson and Safechuck talk about their experiences of abuse, while the second part deals with the later court trials against Michael Jackson in 1993 and 2005.
A little peace: ʼRussian Seasonsʼ festival kicks off in Berlin Alexandra Dovgan is just 11 years old and very sweet to watch. On January 7, Russiaʼs Christmas Day, the upand-coming pianist floated onto the stage of the Berlin Philharmonic. Like a Christmas angel all in white, she heralded in the "Russian Seasons" in Germany with Bachʼs heavenly sounds. Dovgan herself is a beneficiary of Russiaʼs still excellent early education for the musically gifted. Then followed Iolanta — Pyotr Tchaikovskyʼs final opera, performed by the predominantly young soloists
Sting to return to Budapest for summer 2019
of the orchestra of St. Petersburgʼs famous Mariinsky Theater under the baton of Valery Gergiev. In the enchanting fairy tale, the blind princess Iolanta is given the gift of sight through love... One could consider the eveningʼs program to be a symbolic attempt to banish the evil spirits of politics through the unifying and reconciling power of culture — music to forget about the annexation of Crimea, the war in Donbass or the propaganda trial against Russian theater director Kirill Serebrennikov.
Sting is head over heels for Budapest. After a successful free show with Shaggy a month ago on Heroes’ Square, the former Police frontman has just announced another Budapest concert for next summer. On 2 July, the Grammy-winning singer brings his My Songs tour to the Papp László Aréna, where he will be taking the stage with his own band. From “Englishman In New York” to “Every Breath You Take”, the set should include Sting’s biggest hits. Tickets are on sale now.
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Culture
New tourist info point pops up in central Budapest nearVárosháza park The main tourist information office Budapest Info Point in the city centre has temporarily relocated to a new site at nearby Városháza Park. Housed in a neat kiosk of wood and glass, the new outlet will be serving tourists while the Sütő utca office is being renovated. This pop-up shop is conveniently located, a few steps from the terminus of airport bus 100E. Until the end of February, visitors to Hungary’s capital can pick up maps, browse Budapest guides and book city tours at a new tourist info site, set up near the Deák tér transport hub. Overseen by the Budapest Festival and Tourism Center, this temporary setting is stationed here while the main Budapest Info Pointon nearby Sütő utca is being revamped. The pop-up store serves as a sales outlet for the Budapest Card, offering free and discounted services for 24, 48 and 72 hours, as well as for four or five days. This new office also stocks copies of our free We Love Buda‐ pest pocket guides, seasonal booklets covering attractions aroundBudapest,Balaton andHungary in English and Hungarian.
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Paris SaintGermain fined €100,000 for racial profiling
French champions Paris SaintGermain (PSG) have been fined €100,000 ($113,557 million) by the French Football League (LFP) after scouts were found to have racially profiled potential young recruits between 2013 and 2018. According to research by the French investigative website Mediapart, part of the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) network processing documents from the so-called "Football Leaks" revelations, the clubʼs scouting department used forms which included a drop-down menu featuring the options: French, North African, black African and West Indian.
Fed Cup: Johanna Konta & Katie Boulter give Great Britain win over Slovenia
Aleksandar Kolarovʼs free kick stunner secures Serbia win over Costa Rica
Rafael Nadal eases past Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach final
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.
Australian Open:
Rafael Nadal dominated Tsitsipas to reach Australian Open menʼs final. Japanʼs Naomi Osaka and Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic are to face each other in womenʼs final, which will also determine No. 1 ranking. Rafa Nadal beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 on Thursday to end the 20-year-old Greekʼs surprising run at the Australian Open and reach his fifth final at Melbourne Park. The Spanish second seed tamed Tsitsipasʼ serve and racked up 28 sparkling winners against the man who had knocked out double defending champion Roger Federer in the
fourth round. After roaring out to a 5-0 lead in the final set, Nadal closed out the match with a big serve after one hour and 46 minutes. The 32year-old Nadal, whose only Australian Open title came in 2009, now moves on to face either top seed Novak Djokovic or Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the final as he bids for an 18th Grand Slam crown.
Martina Navratilova under fire over transgender athlete comments Johanna Konta held her nerve to secure victory for Great Britain over Slovenia in their first home Fed Cup tie for 26 years. Britainʼs world number 39 saved three set points in a tense first-set tie-break, before eventually beating Dalila Jakupovic 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 in Bath. Katie Boulter had given GB a winning start by overcoming Kaja Juvan 6-4 6-2. It meant GB had an unassailable lead before Harriet Dart and Katie Swan won the doubles rubber for a 3-0 victory. 6
The former tennis champion has divided the sporting world by saying that allowing trans women to compete with cis women opens the door to cheating. The Athlete Ally sports group removed her from its board in response. Wimbledon champion and gay rights campaigner Martina Navratilova has been removed from the advisory board of an LGBT sports group after saying that allowing transgender women to compete in the womenʼs
category was "insane" and "cheating." The 18-time Grand Slam Champion made the comments in an article penned for The Sunday Times titled "The Rules on Trans Athletes Reward Cheats and Punish the Innocent." In it, she argued that transgender women have unfair physical advantages over cis women. "A man builds up muscle and bone density, as well as a greater number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, from childhood," Navratilova wrote.