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147/2018 • 30 JUNE, 2018 WEEKEND ISSUE

DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Polandʼs Jaroslaw Kaczynski renews call for German WWII reparations His comments come two days after his government watered down a controversial Holocaust law

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of the ruling party in Poland, has again demanded Berlin pay Warsaw World War Two compensation.

In an interview with Polish public radio on Friday, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the de facto senior politician in Poland, renewed demands for Germany to pay compensation for Polandʼs war time losses incurred by Germany. "This is a PolishGerman issue. It was Germany who invaded Poland, murdering millions of people, destroying material goods and we must be compensated for this," he said. Kaczynski has been calling for financial reparations from Germany for more than a decade. Read more: German President FrankWalter Steinmeier stresses rule of law on Polish visit In March two PiS politicians said that Poland should demand reparations worth $850 billion (€780 billion) for destroyed property and people killed. "For many, many years, there has been a defamation campaign offending Poles, completely altering the sense of World War II," Kaczynski went on. "Today we have started on a route in the opposite direction and I think this road will be difficult and steep ... If we did nothing, we would get nothing." Kaczynskiʼs revival of war reparations demands follows Poland watering down acontroversial law criminalizing any comments suggesting some Polish people might have helped Germans during the war.The threat of jail terms has now been removed but the law has faced considerable criticism from the US and Israel. Kaczynski said on Wednesday that the move was because Israeli authorities had "fully

confirmed Polandʼs position" on Germanyʼs responsibility for the Holocaust. Fridayʼs comments also come as Berlin-Warsaw relations remain fraught over the EUʼs migration policy andEU disquiet over the Polish governmentʼs judicial reforms. They also coincide with rumors that Kaczynskiʼs recent illness has led to infighting within the party and the governmentover who could succeed the 69-year old. However, the Polish government has said it doesnʼt want its demands to affect cooperation within the EU and its relationship with Germany and hasnʼt yet filed any official claims. The German government has meanwhile dismissed previous demands, referring to a Polish renunciation of claims in 1953.German parliamentary legal expertssaid last year that Warsaw had no right to demand reparations. Polandʼs then Communist government waived its right to German post-war compensation in 1953, but in 2017 several government ministers refuted the validity of the waiver. World War II started with the German invasion of Poland in 1939 and led to deaths of nearly 6 million Polish citizens by the warʼs end in 1945, about half of them Jewish. A survey published this week by Körber-Stiftung said that 76 percent of Germans think Berlin should not pay WWII reparations, while Polish opinion on the issue is split, with 40 percent saying Warsaw should not demand compensation from Germany and 46 in favor.

German court rules police in North Rhine-Westphalia must be 163 cm tall

Rescuers lower food, maps for missing children in Thai cave

EU leaders reach migration deal

Police officers in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia must meet the minimum height requirement of 163 centimeters (5 feet and 3.5 inches in imperial measurements), a regional court ruled Thursday.Three female police recruits, who were 161.5 cm, 162 cm and 162.2 cm tall, had argued the regulation was discriminatory, as it was less likely that women would reach the minimum height requirement.

US suspect in ʼCapital Gazetteʼ shooting charged with murder A man who killed five people at "The Capital Gazette" newspaper office in the US state of Maryland has been charged with murder. The man had a bitter history with the paper and police said it was a targeted attack. he suspect ina shooting rampage carried out at a newspaper in the US state of Marylandwas charged with five counts of first-degree murder on Friday. Five people were killed and two injured in what police said was a "targeted" shooting at the offices of The Capital Gazette newspaper on Thursday.

As rescue teams struggle to track down 12 boys and their football coach in a Thai cave, authorities have started sending in care packages into the crevice. The rescuers hope the children would stumble upon the boxes. Thailandʼs soldiers were searching for alternative entrances into Tham Luang Nang Non cave on Friday, as the search for 12 children and their football coach entered its seventh day.

EU leaders have ended 12 hours of "virulent" talks in Brussels with a deal on migration. German Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs future in office had been tied to whether she could come up with an "acceptable" EU agreement. European Union leaders reached a breakthrough dealon migration after all-night talks in Brussels, European Council President Donald Tusk announced on Friday. The agreement has been billed as"make or break" for German Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs future .


147/2018 • 30 June, 2018 Weekend issue

Sex workers leave Twitter for Switter after controversial US law

Sex workers have been a mainstay on social networks for more than a decade. Twitter in particular handed escorts a number of tools that allowed them to protect themselves ― a way to screen clients, anonymity, the ability to find customers without taking to the streets or working for a pimp. But since April, sex workers have almost completely vanished from Twitter, instead flocking to the Austrian domain Switter.at. Why? Because that was the month the US Congress passed a bill known as FOSTA/SESTA (short for Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act and Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, respectively) which is aimed at curbing underagesex traffickingand holds internet service providers liable for what users might create on their platforms. However, the controversial law has had a series of negative consequences for adult escorts who are plying their trade willingly.

Bali: Volcano eruption forces closure of international airport, hundreds of flight cancellations Thousands of travelers are stranded on the Indonesian resort island of Bali after a volcanic eruption forced authorities to shut down its main international airport in the early hours of Friday. Nearly 450 flights have been canceled, affecting more than 75,000 passengers, and the airport will remain closed until 7 p.m. local time (1100 UTC), a spokesman for the disaster mitigation agency said. Airlines that have canceled flights include Air Asia, Jet Star, Qantas and Virgin. Authorities acted after Mount Agung in northeastern Bali erupted on Thursday, spewing a 2,500-meter (8,200-foot) column of ash into the surrounding air. Ash can damage aircraft engines and cooling systems and reduce visibility. Officials, who have not raised their warning alert to the maximum level, established a 4-kilometer danger zone around the volcanoʼs crater and helped evacuate some 300 nearby residents. Ash can damage aircraft engines and cooling systems and reduce visibility. Officials, who have not raised their warning alert to the maximum level, established a 4-kilometer danger zone around the volcanoʼs crater and helped evacuate some 300 nearby residents. 2

Unknown story of the Holocaust brings forgotten camp ʼback into Europeʼs conscienceʼ Belarus:

A memorial has opened at one of the largest Nazi concentration camps within the former Soviet Union. German President Steinmeier has described the tribute to the forgotten victims as "invaluable." Almost forgotten by history, the Nazi concentration camp Maly Trostenets became the largest Nazi concentration camp in the territories of the former Soviet Union. Between spring 1942 and summer 1944, between 60,000 and 200,000 people were murdered at the camp, according to different estimates. Jews from Western Europe were the largest group among the victims, with an estimated 22,000

Deutsche Bank fails US Federal Reserve stress test The US Federal Reserve said on Thursday that Deutsche Bank US operations had failed the central bankʼs annual stress test due to "widespread and critical deficiencies" in its risk management. The Fedʼs yearly stress tests are meant to determine if big banks are strong enough to sustain a major economic downturn. Thursdayʼs qualitative test looked at capital planning, including share buybacks and dividend payments. While the bank passed an earlier set of tests, itʼs not the first time that the German banking giant has been unable to pass a US annual stress test, having failed similar tests in 2015 and 2016. Deutscheʼs negative result came after the Federal Reserve carried out its second round of annual stress tests,

Malaysian anticorruption agency freezes political party bank accounts The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said on Friday it had frozen the bank accounts of the opposition United Malays National Organization (UMNO) as part of a money laundering probe into the 1Malaysia Development fund, more commonly known as 1MDB. "The 1MDB taskforce confirms it has frozen a number of accounts owned by individuals and organizations, including UMNO and other political parties believed to be involved in the misappropriation of 1MDB funds," the task force said in a statement. According to local media, the commission informed Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, acting leader of the UNMO party, of the move on Thursday. New Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reopened a probe into Najib and some of his associates at 1MDB after his four-party alliance against the Barisan Nasional coalition won theMay 8 elections.

German Jews among them, according to the Dortmund-based International Education and Exchange Center (IBB. But the camp, located only 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Minsk, was virtually unknown on both sides of the Iron Curtain during the Soviet era. Until 2002 there was not even a commemorative plaque acknowledging the mass murder that took at the place at the site during World War II. where it found that 32 out of the 35 major banks in the US had passed the test. As a result, the banking authority gave the approval for these financial institutions to raise dividends and buy back shares.The US regulator gave conditional approval to Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley whose capital levels were adversely affected during the test by changes to the US tax code.

Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev: EU accession talks a ʼhistoric decisionʼ Mr. Prime Minister, there are different in‐ terpretations of the EUʼs decision to start membership talks with Macedonia and Al‐ bania. Your government claimed it as a historic success, but critics say it is an‐ other postponement and disappointment

for the country. How do you see the deci‐ sion? Zoran Zaev: It is a great day for

the Republic of Macedonia. A great acknowledgment for our country. The European Union and the leaders of all member states recognized the Republic of Macedonia as a country of positive changes, of dynamic reform process, inclusiveness and of open dialogue. There is no other description for this decision: It is a historic one. We have a date for negotiations: June 2019. Until then, together with our friends and partners from the European Commission, we will work on accomplishing the criteria, or in other words, implementation of the phases in the agreement with Greece and finalizing of the reforms. We are very close to our goal of reaching the EU standards. We have a clear goal ahead of us. We have our last homework assignment to finalize — the last phase of the reforms. Then, we can proudly enter through the gates of Europe.


147/2018 • 30 June, 2018 Weekend issue

ʼYou are a woman, a mother, a sister and a daughter; dare to be yourself with Celeniʼ A line born in Budapest embracing the female body through precised tailoring to achieve effortless sophistication together with timeless classics. Look inside the pieces to discover our story hidden in the details!

Celeni is a lifestyle brand designed for educated and powerful, yet feminine women, who love art and culture. It focuses on everyday luxury, creating classic, but modern pieces season after season highlighting womenʼs natural beauty. Celeni’s pieces are wearable and versatile

transitioning from daywear to evening-wear with just the change of accessories. All of Celeniʼs products are proudly crafted in Hungary. End of season sale has kicked off in our showroom. Grab your favorite unique pieces at unbelievable prices until stock lasts. If you can’t find what

you are looking for, we design it for you. Our showroom is situated in the very heart of Budapest. Book an appointment today. Contact us at: info@celeni.hu +36-70/670-0116 Metropolitan Store 1054 Budapest, Aulich utca 4. Enjoy wearing Celeni!

Deutsche Bank fails US Federal Reserve stress test The US Federal Reserve said on Thursday that Deutsche Bank US operations had failed the central bankʼs annual stress test due to "widespread and critical deficiencies" in its risk management. The Fedʼs yearly stress tests are meant to determine if big banks are strong enough to sustain a major economic downturn. Thursdayʼs qualitative test looked at capital planning, including share buybacks and dividend payments. While the bank passed an earlier set of tests, itʼs not the first time that the German banking giant has been unable to pass a US annual stress test, having failed similar tests in 2015 and 2016. Deutscheʼs negative result came after the Federal Reserve carried out its second round of annual stress tests, where it found that 32 out of the 35 major banks in the US had passed the test. As a result, the banking authority gave the approval for these financial institutions to raise dividends and buy back shares.The US regulator gave conditional approval to Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley whose capital levels were adversely affected during the test by changes to the US tax code.

Best ice-cream spots in Budapest A good ice cream is worth going the distance for. We prefer natural, traditionally made, quality types and we have created a selection of the best Budapest has to offer. Enjoy rose-petal shaped inventions at Gelarto Rosa, superfood variations at popular Fragola, lactose- and sugar-free options, or taste extravagant dill-cucumber yoghurt, salty caramel or matcha. Fans of classic flavours will also find the perfect summer companions, such as vanilla, chocolate, pistachio and lemon. Erdős és fiai Damniczki Budapest Cioccolatte Gelarto Rosa Artigiana Gelati Fragola Nándori I love Gelato Dolce Intervallo Hisztéria Cremeria MAMO Gelato Gelateria Pomo Dʼoro Sütizz Málna the pastry shop

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147/2018 • 30 June, 2018 Weekend issue

EU firms worried about Chinaʼs tough business environment, trade tensions 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.

Daimler, Volvo: Tariffs threaten earnings and jobs The US-China trade row has seen carmakers worrying about their exports to the worldʼs second-largest economy. German auto manufacturers are particularly concerned and suggest removing industry tariffs completely. German luxury carmaker Daimler has cut its profit forecast for 2018. One would think this was because of its involvement in the Dieselgate emissions-cheating scandal, with the company ordered to recall 774,000 vehicles across Europe for installing what authorities have called illegal defeat devices to rig emissions tests. But it appears that Daimler is more worried about the long-term impact of the current trade spat between the United States and China. Last week, US President Donald Trump announced 25-percent tariffs on $50 billion (€43 billion) in Chinese im-

The never-ending story of Germanyʼs ghost money Nostalgia can be a powerful temptation. But the dozens who line up each morning at Germanyʼs central bank, the Bundesbank, are perhaps among the less sentimental. A smorgasbord of the elderly, young mothers with children in tow and students, they have one thing in common and more often than not itʼs hidden inside a heavy bag. Nearly 28 years after the complete demise of the East German mark and 16 years after the introduction of the euro, these people are patiently waiting to hand in some of the billions of old deutschmarks still in circulation. Read more: German banker takes 6 months to count 1.2 million inheritance pennies by hand Today German marks are travel souvenirs, bits of history forgotten at the back of a drawer or still stashed in safety deposit boxes. Most assuredly, marks are not an old-fashioned alternative to cryptocurrencies. Yet with so much of the cash still out there, many more Germans are holding onto the old currency than will probably ever own bitcoin, the most famous digital asset. It is no secret thatGermans love carrying and paying with wads of cash, and despite being branded with a dark history of super inflation they are also hoarding a currency that no store or taxi driver will accept. Amazingly, its limited practicality doesnʼt seem to bother Germans. It is no secret thatGermans love carrying and paying with wads of cash, and despite being branded with a dark history of super inflation they are also hoarding a currency that no store or taxi driver will accept. Amazingly, its limited practicality doesnʼt seem to bother Germans. 4

Instagram launches video streaming service to rival YouTube

Facebook-owned social networking platform Instagram unveiled a new video mobile app on Wednesday designed to allow for longer usergenerated videos. The new app, dubbed IGTV, will increase Instagramʼs video time limit from one minute to 10 minutes for most viewers. Accounts with larger audiences will be allowed to post videos up to an hour long. "Teens are now watching 40 percent less TV than they did five years ago," Instagram chief executive Kevin Systrom said at an event to announce the launch in San Francisco. "Itʼs time for video to move forward and evolve." Instagram, which was founded as a photosharing app in 2010 and was bought by Facebook for $1 billion in 2012, has surpassed 1 billion accounts, Systrom said.

Hotel Palazzo Zichy H-1088 Budapest, Lőrinc pap tér 2. T.: +36 1 235 4000 reservation@hpz.hu www.hotel-palazzo-zichy.hu/

EU top court: Germany failed to curb nitrate levels in groundwater The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday that the German government had not taken sufficient action to curb high nitrate levels in groundwater in accordance with EU-wide directives. Nitrate pollution is caused by the overuse of fertilizers in agriculture. When too much is used, its residue can seep into groundwater and water systems. Read more: Almost all German lakes and rivers face ecological crisis High levels of nitrate and its component nitrogen in drinking water can be dangerous to the health. Nitrates can also damage rivers, streams, lakes and oceans by creating algae blooms and low oxygen levels in water, which threatens some aquatic species.

Published by: Mega Media Kft. 1075 Budapest, Madách I. út 13-14. +36 1 398 0344 www.hotelujsag.hu

ports,prompting Beijing to retaliate by matching duties on US goods, including cars. Asset mangers AllianceBernstein (AB) pointed out in a recent study that German carmakers with big US operations such as Daimler and BMW would be hit hardest by Chinese import tariffs on cars, much harder than American firms like Tesla. "Fewer-than-expected SUV sales and higher-than-expected costs not completely passed on to customers must be assumed because of increased import tariffs for US vehicles into the Chinese market," Daimler concluded.

EU to impose countertariffs on US products as of Friday

A raft of retaliatory tariffs from the European Union on US products will come into effect on June 22. The EUʼs list of targets reads like a summary of emblematic American exports, including motorbikes and jeans. EU countertariffs on a list of US products would come into force on Friday, the European Commission said Wednesday. The retaliatory measure comes in response to US tariff hikes on steel and aluminumthat were imposed on EU member countries on June 1, with the White House citing grounds of national security. "We did not want to be in this position," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a statement. "However, the unilateral and unjustified decision of the United States to impose steel and aluminum tariffs on the EU means that we are left with no other choice." ʼDoing nothing no optionʼ The agreed EU countermeasures will initially target a list of US goods worth $3.2 billion (€2.8 billion), most of which will be hit with import duties of 25 percent.


147/2018 • 30 June, 2018 Weekend issue

Tigers prowl Texas backyards Itʼs a major challenge for tiger conservation

A couple of thousand tigers — many owned as pets — live in Texas. That gives the US state the second-largest population of the endangered species in the world, after India. Texas is well-suited to keeping a pet tiger. Its hot climate means a tiger can live outside year round, while the amount of cheap ranching land provides plenty of space for a big cat to roam. "Youʼre not going to have a tiger in New York as easily," says John Gramieri, general curator at Austin Zoo, which has a 17-yearold Bengal male tiger given to the zoo as a four-month-old cub by a truck driver who bought it just off the highway. In Texas, it is easier to

We recently met with Dr. Sunday Ekesi from the center to discus their sustainability push throughout tropical Africa. The instituteʼs work is modeled around integrating human, animal, plant and environmental health issues. Its mission is to "help alleviate poverty, ensure food security and improve the overall health status of peoples of the tropics, by developing and extending management tools and strategies for harmful and useful arthropods." Sunday Ekesi: There are certain insects that are parasitic and live on invasive ones. And by bringing in some of the parasitic ones that attack the bad ones — that is one very important aspect of what we call classical biological control to bring an insect that is damaging to a very minimal level by reuniting the good and the bad one in the environment so that the population is kept at the very very minimal level without harming our crops or without harming our livestock. Insects contribute in all these ways to help improve our economy.

Purple paradise: check out this lavender field just outside Budapest

own a tiger than a dog thatʼs been labeled as dangerous. Itʼs estimated there could be from 2,000 to 5,000 tigers living in this southern state of the United States — meaning Texas could have more tigers than the roughly 3,800 tigers living in the wild globally. At the heart of Texasʼ surprising tiger situation is a very American notion of it being an individualʼs right to own any pet — a right the government should not interfere with.

Susan Sarandon arrested at antiTrump protest alongside 500 others US Capitol Police said that 575 people who had been conducting a sitdown protest in the atrium of a Senate office building in Washington, DC, on Thursday had been arrested, charged with unlawfully demonstrating, and then released. The protestersʼ demonstration was aimed at Trumpʼs "zero-tolerance" border policy, which calls for anyone caught crossing the border to be arrested. The policy led to the separation of over 2,000 children from their migrant parents since the ad-

Working with insects in Africa

ministration introduced the new stance in early May. Actor Susan Sarandon was among them, tweeting throughout the rally. "Arrested. Stay strong. Keep fighting," the Hollywood star wrote as the arrests took place. Pramila Jayapal, a democratic member of the House of Representatives from the state of Washington, was also among those arrested. "The women arrested today understand that this is far beyond politics, this is about right and wrong," she tweeted.

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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Hungary Budapest: Debrecen: Eger: Hévíz:

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Athens: Berlin: Bratislava: Bucharest: London: Madrid:

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Europe Moscow: Paris: Prague: Rome: Varsaw: Vienna:

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Culture

From capers to yuzu – Budapest’s best gin and tonics A G&T is always a good idea. It’s a drink with a long and interesting history: alcohol flavoured with spices and juniper berries was first created in the Low Countries and conquered today’s Holland and Belgium. In the 1700s, the English took a shine to it and there were times when gin consumption in London was out of control. Prohibited in the past, gin is an indispensable part of modern bar culture today. Gin is best mingled with tonic, but more spices and a sprinkle of magic make it it the perfect summer drink. See where to find the best G&Ts in Budapest. Barside BeefBar Budapest Bestia GoodSpirit Whisky & Cocktail Bar Impostor & Baotiful St. Andrea Wine & Skybar St. Andrea goes hand in hand with premium wines and top-notch gastronomy, but here we focus on its bar culture. In the repertoire of the Wine & Skybar on Vörösmarty tér, the cocktails, premium drinks and the best wines and champagnes share equally importance. You might be offered a mixed drink first blessed with a touch of Kaiken malbec wine before it is poured into a big glass, augmented with ice then drowned in BCN gin and Peter Spanton lemongrass tonic. The whole concoction is made complete with some rosemary in the end. The colour is pretty pink and the flavour divine.

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147/2018 • 30 June, 2018 Weekend issue

Wayne Rooney: Everton striker completes move to MLS side DC United

Everton striker Wayne Rooney has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Major League Soccer club DC United. He will officially complete his move when the US mid-season transfer window opens on 10 July. There is no transfer fee but it is understood DC United have agreed a compensation package with the Toffees. The 32-year-oldʼs deal is worth £10m, meaning he becomes the highest paid player in DC Unitedʼs history. EvertonandDC Unitedmade the announcement simultaneously on Thursday afternoon. Rooney will make his debut when the club open their new 20,000-capacity Audi Field Stadium on 14 July.

Lewis Hamilton fastest in Austrian GP first practice

Is eSports about to be recognized as a sport in Germany? Politicians in Germany are mulling recognizing eSports as a sport. Their decision would have wide-ranging repercussions in the gaming industry in the country and further legitimize the digital sport phenomenon. eSportsʼ continued growth has pushed competitive gaming ever-more into the public eye. This has sparked a debate about gaming’s role within German society, and whether eSports should be officially classified as a sport. And it is looking increasingly like it will. Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs grand coalition of her Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) agreed to recognize eSports as a sport as part of the coalition agreement they reached earlier this year. However, the legislation necessary to do so has not yet been passed. "eSports were long considered a niche topic, generally only discussed by experts. It has now reached a tipping point where it has become a meaningful topic to all of society and cannot be ignored," Konstantin von Notz, deputy chair of the opposition Green Party in the lower house Bundestag said.

Germany’s World Cup midsummer nightmare Its World Cup exit is part of an increasingly familiar picture

The ex-football and export champion now seems passive and indecisive, while others dominate the game. It is partly a leadership issue, says Joscha Weber. On July 13, 2014 two top German managers met in the bowels of Brazilʼs Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, better known as the Maracana stadium. They laughed and hugged and had a beer together. In retrospect, we can see that, at that moment, they were each at the pinnacle of their career. One was the coach of the German national football team, Joachim Löw, whohad just secured a fourth star for Germany in the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro. The other was the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, who had recently started her third term in office buoyed up by the best election

result her CDU party had achieved in more than 20 years; she was held in high esteem around the world, and according to some polls, her popularity with the German people had also reached an all-time high. Germanyʼs national football team, their coach and entourage were celebrating their victory in the teamʼs white mosaictiled dressing room, and naturally Angela Merkel — accompanied by the then-German president, Joachim Gauck, had come to join them. Since taking office she had always sought the proximity of the national team, well aware that this constituted good PR.

Wimbledon 2018: Andy Murray to play Benoit Paire in first round if fit to play Lewis Hamilton headed a Mercedes one-two in first practice at the Austrian Grand Prix. The world championship leader was 0.127 seconds quicker than team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who in turn was 0.107secs quicker than Red Bullʼs Max Verstappen. Hamiltonʼs title rivalSebastian Vettel was fourth quickestin his Ferrari, 0.341secs behind the Briton. Haasʼ Romain Grosjean was seventh, behind Red Bullʼs Daniel Ricciardo and Ferrariʼs Kimi Raikkonen. 6

Two-time champion Andy Murray will play Frenchman Benoit Paire in the first round at Wimbledon next week if he decides he is fit enough to compete. Murray, 31, has still not confirmed he will play in the Championships, which start on Monday, following long-term injury. British number one Kyle Edmund opens against Australiaʼs Alex Bolt. In the womenʼs singles, Johanna Konta - who reached the semi-finals in 2017 plays Natalia Vikhlyantseva. Seventime champion Serena Williams, who has been seeded 25th following

her return from maternity leave, plays Arantxa Rus while 2017 Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza will face Britainʼs Naomi Broady. Defending menʼs champion Roger Federer - who will play in his 20th Wimbledon Championship - faces Serbiaʼs Dusan Lajovic, while world number one Rafael Nadal will take on Dudi Sela of Israel. Meanwhile, three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, now ranked 225th in the world after knee surgeries, meets sixth seed and current ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov.


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