DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Blast hits Zimbabwe presidential rally, President Mnangagwa unhurt A campaign rally by Zimbabweʼs President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday was disrupted by a blast that occurred after he had addressed the crowd, his spokesman said. "There has been an incident at Bulawayo (White City Stadium) where the president was addressing a rally. This is now a police issue but the president is safe at Bulawayo State House," spokesman George Charamba told Reuters news agency. He added that some people had been reported injured, and footage posted online showed medical staff rushing to the scene. State-run broadcaster ZBC later said that Vice President Kembo Mohadi was among those hurt and had been taken to a local hospital for treatment of a leg injury. Charamba told the state-owned Zimbabwe Her‐ ald, which described the blast as an assassination attempt, that there had been "multiple attempts" on Mnangagwaʼs life over the years.
Austrian EU minister Gernot Blümel calls for migrant reception centers Blümel wants reception centers outside of the EU, and Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Sache said the country is set to "protect its borders." Their statements came one day before EU leaders meet over migration. The centers proposed by Austriaʼs EU minister Gernot Blümel would be used to determine whether individual migrants have a right to asylum in the EU, Blümel said during an interview on Saturday with German public radio, Deutschland‐ funk. Blümel, a member of Austriaʼs conservative Peopleʼs Party (ÖVP), told the broadcaster it should not be that "if you climb on board a boat in North Africa, it is automatically a ticket to Europe."
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Franceʼs President Emmanuel Macron backs sanctions on EU states refusing migrants His comments come on the eve of an EU summit on migration policy
French President Macron has said he favors imposing financial penalties on EU states that refuse to accept migrants. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that EU states that benefited from the bloc yet considered only their own selfinterest when it came to taking in migrants with proven asylum status should face financial penalties. "You canʼt have countries that massively benefit from the solidarity of the European Union and that massively voice their national selfishness when it comes to migrant issues," he told a press conference in Paris alongsidenew Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. "I am in favor of sanctions being imposed in the event of no cooperation," he added. Both Macron and Sanchez also spoke in favor of establishing closed reception centers, set up close to where migrants often arrive first in Europe, where migrants can be held while their applications for asylum are processed. The centers would be created in accordance with guidelines from the UNʼs refugee agency UNHCR, Macron said. Macron said migrants not entitled to asylum should be returned directly to their countries of origin and not travel via other countries. The comments come a day before EU leaders convene in Brussels at a summit to discuss the migration dispute that is dividing Europe andthreatening the stability of one of the EUʼs key economies, Germany. French Presi-
dent Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that EU states that benefited from the bloc yet considered only their own self-interest when it came to taking in migrants with proven asylum status should face financial penalties. "You canʼt have countries that massively benefit from the solidarity of the European Union and that massively voice their national selfishness when it comes to migrant issues," he told a press conference in Paris alongsidenew Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. "I am in favor of sanctions being imposed in the event of no cooperation," he added. Both Macron and Sanchez also spoke in favor of establishing closed reception centers, set up close to where migrants often arrive first in Europe, where migrants can be held while their applications for asylum are processed. The centers would be created in accordance with guidelines from the UNʼs refugee agency UNHCR, Macron said. Macron said migrants not entitled to asylum should be returned directly to their countries of origin and not travel via other countries. The comments come a day before EU leaders convene in Brussels at a summit to discuss the migration dispute that is dividing Europe andthreatening the stability of one of the EUʼs key economies, Germany.
Blast at rally for new Ethiopian prime minister sparks panic An explosion disrupted a huge rally for Ethiopiaʼs reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday, killing one person and injuring 132 others, officials said. Abiy had just finished addressing tens of thousands of supporters at Meskel Square, in the capital Addis Ababa, when a grenade detonated, one rally organizer said. The noise and explosion forced droves of supporters towards the stage, and the prime minister was hurriedly taken away. The state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation reported that more than 100 people had been injured, 15 of them "severely."
Vatican court jails ex-diplomat Italian priest Carlo Alberto Capella A Vatican court sentenced Carlo Alberto Capella to five years in prison for the possession and distribution of child pornography on Saturday. The 51-year-old priest admitted to viewing images of under-aged teenagers engaging in sexual acts during a period of "fragility" and internal crisis while serving as a diplomat for the Holy See in the United States and in Canada. He apologized to his family and the Vatican. He described the episode as little more than a "bump in the road" on his priestly vocation and appealed for leniency, explaining that he loved the priesthood and wanted to continue.
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US Navy plans ʼaustereʼ migrant tent camps A copy of a draft memo obtained by Time Magazine showed the US Navy was preparing to build sprawling detention centers on remote bases in Alabama, Arizona and California to escalate efforts to implement President Donald Trumpʼs "zero tolerance" policy against people illegally crossing the southern border. The navy plans to build "temporary and austere" tent cities to house some 25,000 migrants in Alabama; 47,000 people in San Francisco; and another 47,000 at a facility in southern California. Read more: Melania Trump makes surprise trip to Texas shelter for migrant children The internal US Navy document indicates it would cost at least $233 million (€199 million) to run a facility for 25,000 migrants over half a year. Captain Greg Hicks, US Navyʼs chief spokesman, told Time it would be "inappropriate to discuss internal deliberative planning documents." But Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, admitted the Department of Defense (DoD) "was conducting prudent planning and is looking nationwide at DoD installations should DHS (Department of Homeland Security) ask for assistance in housing adult illegal immigrants."
Saudia Arabia: Women take the wheel as driving ban lifted Open roads as far as the eye can see, and not an obstacle in sight. It would seem impossible to have an accident here. The vast stretch of desert outside Riyadh is the perfect place to learn how to drive. "It really is the safest place to practice," Baya tells DW reporter Fanny Facsar, who accompanied the young woman as she honed her skills in the area. "Driving schools expect a lot from us, and there is much to learn." If she passes her driving test, Baya will become one of just a handful of women who will be licensed to drive in Saudi Arabia. It is a right that women have spent decades fighting for. On June 24, the ban on female drivers will become a piece of Saudi history. Currently, very few women have a driverʼs license — in early June only 10 had earned one. That number is set to go up soon, however. The Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information estimates that some 2,000 women will get a license over the coming weeks. 2
Turkey: Erdogan faces test in critical elections Polls have closed in Turkeyʼs high-stakes presidential and parliamentary elections
Incumbent president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, could face a run-off round against a secular candidate riding a last-minute wave of support. Over 56 million Turkish nationals were eligible to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections before polls closed on Sunday. Official results are expected at 9 p.m. local time (1800 UTC). State media reported that Recep Tayyip Erdogan had picked up 56 percent of the vote after roughly one-third of the votes were counted. His nearest rival, Muharrem Ince, reportedly garnered 29 percent of the vote. However, it is still too early to tell how well each candidate performed as the figures could change significantly. Erdoganʼs Justice and Development Party (AKP) picked up 48 percent of the vote with nearly one-third of ballots counted in the parliamentary elections. Reports have also emerged of voting irregularities. Election monitors in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa were kept away from polling stations
Trade war fears mount as Donald Trump threatens EU with higher automobile tariffs US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to impose a 20 percent tariff on US imports of vehicles assembled in the European Union, in a move that would hit German automakers hard. Trump threatened to escalate a trade war after the EU on Friday imposed retaliatory tariffs worth €2.8 billion ($3.26 billion) in response US tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports. Read more: EUʼs retaliatory tariffs on US products come into effect "Based on the Tariffs and Trade Barriers long placed on the U.S. and its great companies and workers by the European Union, if these Tariffs and Barriers are not soon broken down
with "blows, threats and attacks," according to Bulent Tezcan, spokesman for the opposition Republican Peopleʼs Party (CHP). State-run Anadolu news agency reported that 10 foreigners were arrested for allegedly posing as election observers, including three Germans in the southeastern Sirnak province. A French delegation of the Communist party was arrested, including Senator Christine Prunaud. "Turkish authorities want to snuff out any criticism of the massive fraud underway," said a statement from the party. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) spokesman Thomas Rymer told DW that 320 OSCE election observers are actively monitoring the voting process. Rhymer said the organization will provide an initial assessment of the situation on Monday. and removed, we will be placing a 20% Tariff on all of their cars coming into the US," Trump tweeted. "Build them here!" Last month, the Trump administration launched an investigation into whether the import of vehicles and automotive parts pose a national security threat. The investigation is expected to be finished in late July or August. Trump used national security provisions in US trade law to impose steel and aluminum tariffs. The US president has long attacked Germanyʼs auto industry, saying that they are flooding the US market with automobiles and contributing to trade imbalances.
Brexit: BMW follows Airbus in warning of cut to UK operations BMW, which manufactures the iconic Mini and Rolls Royce cars, on Friday
Indian woman in Maharashtra poisons relatives after dark-skin taunts Indian police said Saturday the 23year-old housewifeʼs intention was to kill her husband and in-laws, who, according to the woman, constantly taunted her for dark skin color and a lack of cooking skills. Pradnya Survase, a resident of Khalapur, close to Mumbai, confessed to mixing pesticide into the dal (a dish made of lentils) that was served at a relativeʼs feast on June 18, the police said. Four children, aged between 7 and 13, and a 53-year-old man, died after consuming the poisoned food. Two of them were Survaseʼs relatives. Several victims still remain in hospital. Survase has been booked for murder. Vishwajeet Kaingade, a police official, told local media that Survase claimed she had been regularly insulted at home. "She has named her mother in-law, Sindhu Survase; husband Suresh Govind Survase; sisters in-law Ujwala Pawar and Jyoti Ashok Kadam; her mother in-lawʼs sister Sarita Mane and Saritaʼs husband, Subhash Mane; for the alleged torture," the Hindustan Times newspaper cited Kaingade as saying.
called on the British government to declare its preferred position on trade and customs with the European Union once it leaves the bloc. The German carmakerʼs special representative in the UK, Ian Robertson, said the company needed clarity by the end of the summer. "If we donʼt get clarity in the next couple of months we have to start making those contingency plans ... effectively making the UK automotive industry less competitive than it is in a very competitive world right now," he told the BBC. Read more: Brexit: UK lawmakers reject greater say for final deal vote He said the contingency plans could include having to invest money in systems or warehouses that the firm may not need long-term. BMW employs about 8,000 people in the UK. Last year, the firm said, that despite Brexit, it would produce a fully electric version of the Mini at its UK factory, near the city of Oxford. The carmaker builds another quintessentially British car, the Rolls Royce, at a facility in Goodwood, West Sussex.
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Chancellor Angela Merkel advocates bilateral, trilateral deals over migrants to EU Chancellor Merkel has sought to downplay expectations from this weekʼs EU summit for a European solution. EU leaders are attending a mini-summit on the migration issues threatening the stability of the German government. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday downplayed expectations that the EU summit next Thursday will be able to come to a full agreement to deal with the blocʼs management of migration. Merkel instead advocated bilateral and trilateral deals to cope with migrants in Europe. EU nations have to see "how can we help each other without always having to wait for all 28, but by thinking whatʼs important to whom," Merkel said as she entered the
mini-summit in Brussels on Sunday afternoon. French President Emmanuel Macron also echoed Merkelʼs suggestion of members acting in smaller groups. Leaders of 16 European Union nations met for informal talks in a bid to iron out differences over migration. The mini-summit takes place amid domestic difficulties in Germany over the issue of migration and a crackdown on NGO rescue ships operating in the Mediterranean Sea.
Explosion Blast hits Zimbabwe presidential rally, devastates President Mnangagwa unhurt Wuppertal apartment building An explosion at an apartment building in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has caused a number of injuries but all the residents escaped. The cause of the blast is not clear. An explosion in an apartment building in the western German city of Wuppertal injured a number of people, at least five of them seriously, according to local emergency services. Police say the blast rocked the multistory building shortly before midnight with a huge bang, scaring people in surrounding homes so much that they ran out into the street in a panic. Several small fires broke out inside the building, and firefighters struggled to put out the flames in the early hours of Sunday because parts of the building kept collapsing. Some residents managed to escape, but others became trapped and needed to be rescued by firefighters. A large number of rescuers worked to free people from the building .
A campaign rally by Zimbabweʼs President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday was disrupted by a blast that occurred after he had addressed the crowd, his spokesman said. "There has been an incident at Bulawayo (White City Stadium) where the president was addressing a rally. This is now a police issue, but the president is safe at Bulawayo State House," spokesperson George Charamba told Reuters news agency. He added that some people had been reported injured, and footage posted online showed medical
staff rushing to the scene. State-run broadcaster ZBC later said that Vice President Kembo Mohadi was among those hurt and had been taken to a local hospital for treatment of a leg injury. Charamba told the stateowned Zimbabwe Herald, which described the blast as an assassination attempt, that there had been "multiple attempts" on Mnangagwaʼs life over the years. Bulawayo, Zimbabweʼs second city, is a stronghold of opposition to the ruling ZANU-PF party. It was Mnangagwaʼs first rally in the city.
Rallies in Germany against governmentʼs continued reliance on coal Demonstrations took place in at least five cities, including Berlin and Hamburg. The protests come two days before a government commission intended to map a national path away from coal is to convene for the first time. Demonstrators took to the streets of Berlin and other German cities Sunday to press the government to accelerate the countryʼs reduction in coal consumption. The protesters — who included families pushing strollers, people on bicycles and samba bands — marched past government office buildings two days before a state commission on coal consumption is to convene for the first time.
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EU firms worried about Chinaʼs tough business environment, trade tensions
EU Customs Union, Single Market, Brexit — What you need to know Prime Minister Theresa May is against it, level-headed business leaders say itʼs essential: Britainʼs membership of the EU Customs Union and Single Market is a divisive issue. DW looks at what it all means.
Mats Harborn: European firms face a number of challenges in a variety of areas. The Chinese economic slowdown tops the list, but regulatory issues present greater challenges than competition from Chinese firms. This is especially striking considering how competitive they are becoming. Regulatory issues range from ambiguous rules to discretionary enforcement of policy to specific problems like access to licenses and financing or equal access to public procurement bids. All of these challenges are especially acute for SMEs, as they lack the resources and manpower to navigate these problems as easily as their larger counterparts.
Does EU biofuel deal compromise the environment for trade with Southeast Asia? Last week, the EU agreed on a package of legislation to increase the use of renewable energy in Europe, including the gradual elimination of palm oil in transport fuel by 2030. The decision presents a delicate balance between the EUʼs environmental protection goalsand relations with palm oil exporters Malaysia and Indonesia. In January,the European Parliament voted to ban the use of palm oil in biofuel by 2020. The decision sparked outcry in Malaysia, one of the worldʼs largest palm oil exporters with €16.7 billion ($19.4 billion) worth of palm oil exported in 2017. In statement released in January, Malaysiaʼs Plantations Minister Mah Siew Keong said "the EU is practicing a form of crop apartheid. Januaryʼs statement also said the EU Parliamentʼs plan would "risk expanding bilateral trade and other strategic interests in Southeast Asia," adding that the Malaysian government would take any action necessary to protect the countryʼs palm oil sector, which has "lifted millions of Malaysians out of poverty." In statement released in January, Malaysiaʼs Plantations Minister Mah Siew Keong said "the EU is practicing a form of crop apartheid. Januaryʼs statement also said the EU Parliamentʼs plan would "risk expanding bilateral trade and other strategic interests in Southeast Asia," adding that the Malaysian government would take any action necessary to protect the countryʼs palm oil sector, which has "lifted millions of Malaysians out of poverty."
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The CFA franc in West Africa: Time for a change? "7 minutes contre le CFA" ("7 minutes against the CFA franc") — this is the
title of a new rap song which was officially released on Wednesday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. Ten musicians from seven African countries are mobilizing opposition to the common currency of a total of 14 countries in West and Central Africa. Their main criticism: the currency is a remnant of the French colonial era and is an affront to the sovereignty of African states. "Put a stop to the blah-blah. Away with the CFA. History goes on…A loud cry on our streets…" The song has certainly
caused a stir. The participating artists are well known in their countries of origin. Their young audience also lends them a lot of street credibility. "Put a stop to the blah-blah.
Away with the CFA. History goes on…A loud cry on our streets…" The song
has certainly caused a stir. The participating artists are well known in their countries of origin. Their young audience also lends them a lot of street credibility.
Hotel Palazzo Zichy H-1088 Budapest, Lőrinc pap tér 2. T.: +36 1 235 4000 reservation@hpz.hu www.hotel-palazzo-zichy.hu/
The EU Customs Union - What is the EU Customs Union? It is atrade agreement between member states to abolish tariffs on the goods they trade with each other and create a common tariff on products that enter from nonEU countries that arenʼt in the customs union. - Who is a member of the EU Customs Union? All 28 EU member states are in the Customs Union. Turkey, Andorra and San Marino are partial members. They have separate agreements with the EU that do not cover trade in certain areas such as agriculture or services. - When was the Customs Union created? The six
founding members of the EU — Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands — agreed to form a customs union in the 1957 Treaty of Rome. They completed it in 1968. - What makes the Customs Union different from a standard free trade agreement? Free trade deals do not include an agreement on a common tariff on third-country goods. - Do customs unions in other regions exist? Yes. Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya formed an East African customs union in 2005. Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan formed a Eurasian customs union in 2010.
Turkish economy facing major challenges
OPEC to raise production as Saudis break Iranian resistance
When President Recep Tayyip Erdogan came to power back in 2002, the Turkish economy was in a miserable state and had just received a badly needed bailout from the International Monetary Fund. Thereʼs no denying that the Turkish economy made huge strides on Erdoganʼs watch, be it during his years as prime minister or later as president of the country, with lots of towns, production sites and businesses experiencing nothing short of a boom. However, since the July 2016 coup attempt, things have changed for the worse. Political uncertainties and the creeping erosion of democratic institutions havenʼt immediately ruined growth rates, though. In fact, Turkeyʼs economy expanded by a staggering 7.4 percent in the first quarter of 2018, confirming the presidentʼs often-cited claimthat his nation is among the worldʼs fastest growing economies.
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OPEC representatives and a Russian-led group of oil producers overcame Iranian and Venezuelan resistance and agreed to raise global oil output by 1 million barrels per day (mbd) from July at an OPEC meeting in Vienna on Friday. The 1-percent hike in production ends the oil cartelʼs 18-month agreement with Moscow to limit production and boost prices. The Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the move was aimed at lowering prices, but will also provide needed backup in the event of supply deficit of 1.8 million bpd in the second half of 2018. The minister in the past warned OPEC about repeating the oil shortage of 2007-2008, when oil was close to $150 (€133) a barrel. The 14 OPEC and 10 non-OPEC countries involved in the discussions have since been participating since January 2017 ina pact to cut output by 1.8 million bpd, though outages inVenezuela, Libya and Angola have brought supply cuts to around 2.8 million bpd in recent months.
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Koko, the gorilla who mastered sign language, dies aged 46 On hearing of her death, fans took to social media to describe the impact she had on humanity
German foods that are tastier than they sound Dogs donʼt usually land on plates in Germany – except for dessert. At least figuratively speaking. Known as "Kalter Hund," or cold dog, this simple no-bake dessert is made by layering butter cookies and chocolate frosting. When it cools in the fridge, the surface is said to "sweat" like a dogʼs nose. But the form also resembles a mine trolley, which, in old minersʼ speak, was also called a dog. Would you eat a cold dog or spaghetti ice cream? And "Muckefuck" canʼt possibly be edible, can it? Actually, these are all names of German food items that are arguably more delicious than they sound – whether or not theyʼre your cup of tea. Click through the gallery above for more German food with funny names. In the gallery below, youʼll find a German classic that has a standard name, but can be eaten countless ways.
Purple paradise: check out this lavender field just outside Budapest The western lowland gorilla appeared in many documentaries showing her mastery of 1,000 words of sign language. Followers of Koko, the gorilla who captured the hearts of millions by mastering sign language, mourned her passing on Thursday at the California-based Gorilla Foundation where she lived. Born Hanabiko (Japanese for "Fireworks Child") at San Francisco Zoo in 1973, Koko became one of the most famous research subjects into how apes use language. She reput-
edly learned more than 1,000 words in American Sign Language, and became the subject of many books and television shows. Icon for interspecies understanding "Koko touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and an icon for interspecies communication and empathy," the foundation said in a statement on its website.
Questions of home and identity in Global Family A family spread out all over the world after the Somalian Civil War has forced them out of their homeland is the focus of the documentary Global Family. A central protagonist of the film is Yasmin, who has lived in Germany since the age of three. Shaash, Yasminʼs father, was apparently the most famous man in Somalia, a well-known footballer who could have been the countryʼs sports minister today, if he didnʼt have to flee the war-torn country
three decades ago. At the time, he went in a different direction than his brothers and his mother. When 88year-old Imra, Yasminʼs grandmother, is no longer able to live in exile in Ethiopia, her family is left to find a new home for her. A transnational search for a new place to call home begins, and Yasmin and Shaash, neither of whom has seen Imra in 30 years, set off for Addis Ababa to bring the aging woman to her new home.
Forget Provence. A sweeping perfumed purple lavender field awaits just outside of Budapest. Hues of indigo and mauve mingle in the rolling rows, where an afternoon stroll is a special experience. This splendid place is by the foot of Nagy-Kevély Hill at Pilisborosjenő, half-an-hour from the capital. While Hungary’s number one lavender destination is Tihany by Lake Balaton, this fragrant field is a close second best to treat your senses to this year’s epic bloom. And if you take a few examples home, you’re only helping out a friendly family. But if you can’t be here, enjoy our lovely photo gallery.
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Culture
Events Horizon: what’s happening in Budapest – June 2018 There are so many major things going on in June that you shouldn’t miss. In this events round-up, we bring together all of the important happenings taking place in and around Hungary’s capital in the upcoming weeks, so you can plan the month ahead. Get out there and enjoy everything that Budapest has to offer! Brain Bar Generali Childrenʼs Island Lenny Kravitz Downtown Beer Festival Danube Carnival A38 concerts Etyek Summer Picnic Budapest Summer Festival Kolorádó Festival Billy Elliot – The Musical Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Night of the Museums Red Bull Air Race The Red Bull Air Race fills Budapest’s skies with extreme aerobatic stunts performed by some of the world’s most daring pilots right above the river, using the fastest, most agile and lightweight racing planes. This air show generally exceeds any expectations, because in addition to flying between floating checkpoints, the planes pass beneath the Chain Bridge, amazing the crowd of spectators lining the length of the riverside. A combination of high speed and extreme manoeuvres make this race an unparalleled visual spectacle that everyone can enjoy between June 23rd and 24th, over the Danube in the city centre.
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Kevin Kuranyi: ʼJoachim Löw must find the right wordsʼ
Onto planes, off planes, flights here, flights there — Iʼve traveled a lot aroung Russia over the last few days. No matter where Iʼve been, be it Sochi, Moscow or St. Petersburg, Iʼve met locals who are proud of this World Cup. Everyone is happy that the games are finally taking place and that the Sbornaja (Russiaʼs national team) had such an excellent start with that 5-0 win against Saudi Arabia.
World Cup 2018: FIFA to investigate homophobic chants in Germany-Mexico game
FIFA, footballʼs governing body, announced on Monday that it has opened an investigation into homophobic chants from Mexico fans during their sideʼs match against Germany. Mexico topped Germany 1-0in Moscowʼs on Sunday in a match withplenty of Mexican support. An official anti-discrimination observer reported hearing shouts of "Puto" in the Luzhniki Stadium — a homophobic insult in Mexican Spanish aimed at opposition, usually at a goalkeeper when he takes goal kicks. The Mexican football federation, Femexfut or FMF, has urged traveling fans to stop using the chant, saying: "Think about the fact that you are a representative of the best fans in the world." 6
Aleksandar Kolarovʼs free kick stunner secures Serbia win over Costa Rica A brilliant second half free kick from captain Aleksandar Kolarov led Serbia to a deserved win over Costa Rica. Serbia were wasteful in front of goal but did enough to secure three vital points in Group E. Another World Cup day, another sublime freekick. If Cristiano Ronaldo’s ice-cold effort tosnatch a point against arch-rivals Spain on day two was the current goal of the tournament frontrunner, the Portuguese may have just met his match. Aleksandar Kolarov, take a bow. A combination of poor finishing and sublime goalkeeping had kept the scores level until Serbia’s no.11 produced his moment of magic. Kolarov’s powerful left foot is no secret, but few inside the stadium would have expected such a thunderous strike when the Roma defender stood over a free kick midway through the second half. His shot was unstoppable; a side-footed missile which screamed into the top corner of the Costa Rica net. Kaylor Navas, who kept his team in the game with several crucial saves either side of half time, was nowhere near it.
Lewis Hamilton wins in France, retakes driverʼs championship lead F1:
Lewis Hamilton is once again atop the driverʼs standings after cruising to victory in France. Sebastian Vettel finished fifth after colliding with Valtteri Bottas at the start of the race. Defending driversʼ champion Lewis Hamilton led Sundayʼs French Grand Prix from start to finish to pick up his third race win of the season. The victory placed Hamilton back atop the drivers standings on 151 points, five points ahead of Ferrariʼs Sebastian Vettel. Vettel finished the race fifth after picking up a fivesecond penalty for colliding with Hamitonʼs Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, on the opening lap. The Ferrari driver recovered well
after the incident, climbing to as high as fourth, but couldnʼt manage to return to the podium. Red Bullʼs Max Verstappen, Hamiltonʼs only serious challenger throughout the race, finished in second place. Vettelʼs teammate Kimi Raikkonen rounded out the podium in third. The race was the first French Grand Prix in a decade and the first at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, a city on Fracneʼs southern coast between Marseille and Toulon, in nearly 30 years.
Toni Kroos and Marco Reus help Germany rediscover winning mentality It was far from a perfect performance against Sweden, but the reigning champions have finally arrived at the World Cup. Toni Kroos and Marco Reus answered those critics who had questioned the German playersʼ hunger. Laid out in a line, the column inches written about Germanyʼs failings in the last week would have stretched from Berlin to Moscow and then south to Sochi. After defeat to Mexico in their opening game, there was hardly an aspect of Germanyʼs game which wasnʼt questioned and criticized by fu-
rious media back home. Some of the criticism was tactical: The midfield was absent, the full-backs were illdisciplined and the center-backs were exposed. Others singled out individuals. Coach Joachim Löw was accused of showing too much loyalty to his World Cup winners and Mesut Özil was a popular — or rather populist — target. Even the fans were said to be too quiet. Others criticized the mentality of a generation of players who, having already reached the very top in Rio four years ago, were apparently no longer as hungry for success.