DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Barcelona boosts security after US warns of possible attack Catalan police were checking coaches, buses, and minibuses in Barcelona on Monday, after the local media reported on a possible terror plot involving a 30-year-old Moroccan. The man is reported to have a bus driver license. The daily El Period‐ ico de Catalunya said that the police had circulated an internal note saying that the man could drive a bus into civilians. The authorities also boosted police presence at popular tourist landmarks, including the Sagrada Familia Cathedral and the Las Ramblas Boulevard, according to the Spanish daily El Pais. In 2017,a 22-year-old Moroccan drove a van into crowds at Las Ramblas, killing 16 and injuring 131 people. He was killed several days later. On Sunday, the US State Department unexpectedly tweeted a terror warning to travelers in Barcelona. The message advises visitors to exercise "heightened caution" around vehicles "including buses" in the Las Ramblas area.
German police find ʼIslamic Stateʼ flag after suspected attack on Berlin railway track German police said on Tuesday they had recovered a flag of the "Islamic State" (IS) group and a text in Arabic close to a railway track in Berlin where an overhead power cable was found to be damaged on Sunday. Investigators are trying to ascertain if the propaganda objects were linked to the damage caused to the overhead contact wire. They are also examining if the perpetrators had any political motives. "Since the beginning of the investigation, several pieces of evidence have been secured," police said, adding that investigators found a torn steel cable and the damaged overhead contact wire at the train track on Sunday.
1/2019 • 2 JANUARY, 2019
Will 2019 be the year of the crash? Thereʼs good reason to believe so
Teen gets stuck in chimney while ʼplaying Santaʼ in Austria Austrian firefighters managed to extract a 14-year-old from a chimney in the city of Linz, after the boy spent around three hours inside the vent. The boyʼs 49-year-old neighbor, Muharrem B., heard him calling for help early on Sunday, according to Österreich daily. "Iʼd watched television a bit longer than usual and was just about to go to sleep, when I suddenly heard loud cries for help around 3:30 a.m.," the man told the paper. The neighbor first alerted the police. Before they arrived at the scene, however, he climbed to the attic to look for the source of the noise. While searching the attic, he put his ear to a disused fireplace and determined that someone was stuck in the chimney on the other side. "I told this person not to be afraid and that I will get help," Muharrem B. said.
An exciting year is behind us in terms of economic developments. And the new year wonʼt be dull either. But will we finally see the end of the long upswing? Crash prophets tend to have it easy. Year in, year out, they have worstcase scenarios in store for us. And, should the worst really happen, they rejoice, saying "we told you so all along." Those prophets donʼt tire of touring the country, spreading fear, selling their books or touting their own funds as a form of life insurance. When you look at the current state the global economy is in, one might indeed believe that 2019 will be the year of the crash. There are unresolved problems everywhere.Thereʼs the Brexit chaos, Italyʼs populists, the US-China trade conflict and a lot more. The odd ray of hope is overshadowed by bad news elsewhere. I donʼt even want to think about what another recession in Europe would be like. The guardians of the euro at the European Central Bank (ECB) have shot their bolt and sit in Mario Draghiʼs trap of a zero-interest policy. The bank presidentʼs inaction has prepared the ground for the next big crisis. Itʼs somehow alarming that the worldʼs largest asset management firm,BlackRock, is warning
it clients against investing in European stocks, saying the risks of doing so are too highand that the bullish period is most likely over on the Continent. Thereʼs also cause for concern, seeing investors increasingly putting resources into US sovereign bonds in pursuit of a safe yield. And itʼs a warning signal when yields on longer-term bonds are lower than those on bonds with a shorter maturity. Such an inverse yield curve has more often than not served as a harbinger of a downturn. But what should worry us most is the huge amount of debt the world has accumulated. Debt levels have risen by 42 percent since 2007 when the last global financial crisis started, and today weʼre talking about the incredible sum of $237 trillion (€208 trillion). Sure,central banks have been flooding markets with cheap money, meaning that borrowed money has been used to build homes or buy shares. Wall Street investors alone owe a total of $670 billion while speculating with borrowed money. Itʼs a time bomb!
Heidi Klum gets engaged to musician Tom Kaulitz Supermodel, TV personality and businesswoman Heidi Klum announced in an Instagram post on Monday that she was engaged to musician boyfriend Tom Kaulitz. "I SAID YES," the 45-year-old German model commented on the picture, along with a heart emoji. The post featured a black-and-white photo of the couple, with Klum showing her diamond ring.
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1/2019 • 2 January, 2019
New US Congresswomen carry hopes of Native Americans Native Americans have had scant representation in Congress throughout US History, and they are one of the most marginalized groups in the country. At the federal level, there are only two representatives in the US House of Representatives who identify as indigenous, and none in the US Senate. But come January, indigenous people in the US will have two new seats at the table in Congress: Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids made history when they became the first two Native women elected, as part of what became known as the "pink wave" — the record number of women who won races during the 2018 midterm elections. "(On election night) I was very excited for them," said Ruth Buffalo, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation in North Dakota, and herself a part of the pink wave: Buffalo will become the first Native American woman to be seated in the North Dakota state legislature, after winning her race as Democrat against an incumbent Republican.
Pope slams ʼinsatiable greedʼ Pope Francis used the Christmas Eve Mass to condemn the pursuit of riches on Monday, and urged Christians to consider Jesusʼ humble birth story. According to the New Testament, Christ wasborn in a Bethlehem stableand was then placed in a manger. "Standing before the manger, we understand that the food of life is not material riches but love, not gluttony but charity, not ostentation but simplicity," the pope told the worshipers gathered in the Vatican. "An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when, paradoxically, a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive," he added. The 82-year-old pontiff led the midnight mass before nearly 10,000 people gathered in St. Peterʼs Basilica, the biggest Christian church in the world. Since becoming the Churchʼs leader in 2013, Francis has focused on the issues of poverty and inequality. "An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when, paradoxically, a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive," he added. The 82year-old pontiff led the midnight mass before nearly 10,000 people gathered in St. Peterʼs Basilica, the biggest Christian church in the world. 2
News Thailand legalizes medicinal marijuana in New Yearʼs ʼgiftʼ The country had a tradition of using marijuana to relieve pain and fatigue until the 1930s
Thailand has become the first Asian country to legalize medicinal marijuana after parliament voted to amend a narcotics law. Thailandʼs parliament unanimously approved the use of medicinal marijuana on Tuesday, becoming the first Asian country to do so. The junta-appointed parliament voted 166-0 to amend the Narcotic Act of 1979 which will see marijuana available for research and medical purposes. "This is a New Yearʼs gift
Sudan protesters march on presidential palace Police used tear gas and fired in the air on Tuesday to disperse thousands of protesters as they threatened to march on the presidential palace to demand the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir, who has been in power since 1989. The protesters sang patriotic songs and chanted "freedom," ʼʼpeaceful, peaceful against the thieves" and "The people want to bring down the regime" as they attempted to march on al-Bashirʼs palace on the bank of the Blue Nile in the heart of Khartoum. Organizers said they intended to hand in to the presidency a memo calling for al-Bashir to step down immediately. The march follows nearly a week of protests initially sparked by thegovernmentʼs decision to triple the price of bread.The protesters are also enraged over shortages of basic goods and a cash crisis.
from the National Legislative Assembly to the government and the Thai people," Somchai Sawangkarn, chairman of the drafting committee, said during a televised extra parliamentary session. He added that the amended legislation will allow for more opportunities to help patients suffering from chronic illness. Official estimates say eight protesters have been killed in the demonstrations, but rights group Amnesty International has put the death toll at 37. "With further protests planned tomorrow (Tuesday), the fact that the security forces are using lethal force so indiscriminately against unarmed protesters is extremely troubling," Sarah Jackson, Amnesty Internationalʼs deputy director for East Africa, the Great Lakes and the Horn, said in a statement on Monday.
France sentences British drug kingpin to 22 years A French court on Friday jailedBriton Robert Dawesfor 22 years over cocaine trafficking. Dawes, 46, was accused of being a major drug kingpin in Europe. While he maintained his innocence in his final statement to the
Suicide bombers attack Libyaʼs foreign ministry Libyaʼs internationally recognized unity government said on Tuesday that two suicide bombers blew themselves up as they targeted the Foreign Ministry in Tripoli. At least three people died and ten were injured. Witnesses reported seeing plumes of smoke rising from the building. A third bomber was reportedly killed by security forces before he could detonate his vest. The Foreign Ministry in Tripoli issued a statement: "The Libyan people are fighting a war against terrorism on behalf of the world." The Tripoli government is recognized by the United Nations. Its rival administration is centered on the eastern city of Tobruk. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the violence, but assailants loyal to the "Islamic State" (IS) have carried out similar suicide attacks In Libya before. Libya has been locked in conflict since 2011, whenan uprisingsaw longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi overthrown and killed. Since then, rivals factions and militias have engaged in both long-term and sporadic fighting. While there is now ostensibly one central government in Tripoli, Libya remainsplagued by sectarian violence.
court on Friday, Prosecutor Isabelle Raynaud said Dawes was "far from a small-time fall guy," but rather from the "highest ranks of organized crime." The head of Britainʼs National Crime Agency, Matt Horne, hailed the verdict and added that "Dawes was prepared to use extreme levels of violence in order to further his reputation and take retribution against those who crossed him." He was convicted over one of the most brazen trafficking incidents seen in Europe in recent years, in which 1.3 metric tons of cocaine were smuggled in an Air France plane from Venezuela to Paris in 2013. The drugs, which had a street value of around €240 million ($275 million), were stuffed into 30 unregistered suitcases. Dawes wasarrested at his luxurious villa in southern Spainin 2015 after Spanish police were able to record him bragging about the cocaine. Several of Dawesʼ associates who were responsible for transporting the drugs throughout Europe were arrested in similar operations.
1/2019 • 2 January, 2019
Frank-Walter Steinmeier: Our democracy is as strong as we make it German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has urged the people of Germany to address tensions in society by engaging with each other. The country must not be allowed to drift apart, he says in his annual Christmas speech. Political and societal dissent in Germany have grown louder and more intense in 2018. There is much talk of social division, of alienation between politicians and ordinary people. Many express anger, especially on so-called "social" media, where thereʼs often no real interest in debate or a genuine exchange of views. In his Christmas address, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier refers to the increased bitterness of
Reform Germanyʼs welfare state, urges communal association A simplification of Germanyʼs welfare state is wanted by its Association of Towns and Municipalities (BStGB). Only then, it says, will communities be able to cope with demographic aging and future economic strains. Germanyʼs11,054 communal authoritieswere overburdened with complicated welfare delivery and needed "de-bureaucratization" to stay within budget in the future, asserted association chief executive Gerd Landsberg on Tuesday. "Every problem is met with the promise that there is more money and naturally more personnel," he said, adding that, longterm, Germanyʼs highly legislated welfare state would not function, given finite taxation revenues, populations withmore elderly, and regions facing loss of industry and jobs. Landsberg told newspapers run by the Funke MedienGruppe (media group) – which is based in Essen in the once coal and steel-dominated Ruhr region – that the reform should start with the reexamination of welfare grants and tax relief for families.
this discourse. "Wherever you look — especially on social media — we see hate; there is shouting and daily outrage," he says. "I feel that we Germans are spending less and less time talking to each other. And even less time listening to each other." Steinmeier urges people to keep on talking to each other, even if others espouse different views and it leads to arguments — because thatʼs part of what constitutes democracy.
Britainʼs Queen encourages respect for each other
Britainʼs Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday stressed the importance of treating those with opposing views with "respect and as a fellow human being," in an apparent reference to the bitter political fallout over the countryʼs withdrawal from the European Union. The UK monarch told viewers of her annual Christmas message on televi-
sion that courtesy is vital to overcome the "most deeply-held differences." The comments were made asBritish politicians remain at loggerheads over Prime Minister Theresa Mayʼs Brexit deal, which is in danger of falling apart at the finish line, and could see the country crash out of the EU.
German utilities call for more water infrastructure investment Karsten Specht, vice-president of Germanyʼs VKU local utilities association, said Tuesday that costly investments were needed to develop instrastructure for water supplies and treatment. The VKUʼs 1,460 members — largely consortia owned by local authorities — were already investing €6 billion ($7 billion) annually, Specht said. He added that while people took it for granted that taps brought water, they forgot that elaborate infrastructures were needed to get it there — and also for subsequent waste-water disposal. Politicians, must recognize this "long-term task."
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1/2019 • 2 January, 2019
German firms warned about Chinese ʼcloud hopperʼ hackers Germanyʼs BSI information security agency, tipped off by America, has identified small weak-link service firms as the gateways used to hack German industry, Germanyʼs Süddeutsche Zeitung daily newspaper said on Wednesday. Referring to US President Donald Trumpʼs trade row with China and citing the "well-informed"website Axios, the paper said the BSI "acted promptly." Their actions in late November came after the US, via diplomatic channels, named German firms apparently targeted by "cloud hopper" hackers — allegedly from China. German mechanical engineering and material research concerns were targeted in particular, the Munichbased newspaper said. Cyber experts have long warned that Germany, with its high level of manufacturing and engineering expertise, would be keenly targeted for industrial secrets by hackers. The BSI - in a5 December press release — said the worldwide-circulating malware (malicious software) "Emotet," with the potential to paralyze enterprise networks, had led to a "heap" of severe incidents in Germany. Categorized as Advanced Persistent Threats (APT), these were "highly professional" attacks adapted and automated the use of Emotet within infected networks, said BSI president Arne Schönbohm.
Bangladesh — a small tiger economy with big plans Bangladesh has been making progress and the country is so successful in many areas that it is a "role model for South Asia." These are not the words of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but the British business magazine Econo‐ mist. Bangladesh is going to the polls on December 30 to elect a new government and PM Hasinaʼs Awami League (AL) party is pulling out all the stops to secure victory and retain power. During the election campaign, ruling party members have repeatedly pointed to Bangladeshʼs robust economic development under the incumbent government and promised that, should they win, this trend will continue in the coming years. The economy of the Muslim-majority nation, with a population of over 165 million inhabitants, has grown by an average of over six percent per year since 2008. 4
South Korea to fine BMW $10 million over engine fires BMW has recalled millions of cars worldwide with a faulty exhaust gas recirculation cooler. South Koreaʼs Transport Ministry accuses the automaker of dragging its feet on the recall. South Korea said Monday that it will fine BMW 11.2 billion won ($9.9 million, €8.8 million) and file a criminal complaint with state prosecutors over an allegedly botched response to dozens of engine fires in the country. BMW made headlines in South Korea earlier this year after 40 car engines caught fire. The company recalled some 172,000 vehicles of 65 different models in July and October with a faulty exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler, which it blamed for the fires. After a five-month review,
2019: The year after peak global growth After boom comes bust — few economists would disagree that this eternal rule of free market-based or capitalist economies is as true today as it was, say, 150 years ago. A similar consensus seems to be emerging in the profession about the current business cycle, which many say is nearing its end — in 2019, or 2020 at the latest. At the time of writing though, the post financial crisis economic boom still seems well set on becoming the longest expansion in many countries. If the American economy, for example, makes it past June 2019 without a recession, the recovery will exceed 120 months and become the longest expansion since US economic records were first taken in 1857. Yet, global data trackers, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), are less optimistic about ongoing growth in the rest of the world.The IMF, for example, thinks global growth plateauedat 3.7 percent in 2018.
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Japanʼs Nikkei plunges after US economic turmoil Japanʼs Nikkei index closed on Tuesday after tumbling by an unusually large 5.1 percent. Stocks in Shanghai and Taiwan also tumbled following heavy losses on Wall Street over PresidentDonald Trumpʼs attack on the US central bank. Tokyoʼs benchmark stock index hit a 20-month low as worries mounted over the US economy during a government funding crisis. On Monday evening, Trump shocked investor confidence by hitting out at the Federal Reserve, tweeting: "The only problem our economy has is the Fed. They donʼt have a feel for the Market, they donʼt understand necessary Trade Wars or Strong Dollars or even Democrat Shutdowns over Borders." Although the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, was nominated by Trump, the Fed is not under the control of the White House, much to Trumpʼs consternation. The US economy has also been suffering from trade disputes Trump has started with China.
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South Koreaʼs Transport Ministry concluded that the BMW deliberately tried to cover up technical problems and was slow to recall the vehicles. "BMW announced earlier that it had become aware of the connection between the faulty EGR cooler and the fire only on July 20 this year," the ministry said in a statement. "But we discovered that ... BMWʼs German headquarters had already formed a special team in October 2015 tasked with solving the EGR cooler problem."
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) applies for German banking license
Royal Bank of Scotland Group has applied for a German banking license so it can maintain access to European markets after Brexit. The owner of ABN-AMRO will upgrade its Frankfurt branch. Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS)has applied for a banking license in Germany. An RBS spokeswoman told DW the move was part of the bankʼs planning for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. RBS plans to replace its existing Frankfurt branch with a newly licensed unit that will act as a regional "payments hub." It is the bankʼs first acquisition since the financial crisis in 2008. The new unit will process and settle eurodenominated payments, manage euro liquidity, and offer services to large German clients. It should allow RBS to continue to benefit from passporting rights for cross-border access to EU clients.
1/2019 • 2 January, 2019
German cities urged to ban polluting fireworks DUH says six cities are exemplary in banning
Is Israel interfering in German cultural policy? The German government has been asked in an anonymous letter to reconsider its support for NGOs such as "Brot für die Welt" (Bread for the World) and to cut funding to the Jewish Museum Berlin. What is going on? "The German promotion of nongovernmental organizations that intervene in Israelʼs internal affairs or promote anti-Israel activities is unparalleled," says the letter, which was sent without sender and signature to the German daily taz, most likely from Israel. "We would like the Federal Government to tie its further financial support to the complete halt of such activities." The author demanded that the federal government "review its funding guidelines." In concrete terms, the financing of a total of twelve NGOs with their partners in Israel and Palestine, is being questioned. This includes organizations such as Brot für die Welt and Misereor, as well as various political foundations such as the Green partyaligned Heinrich Böll Foundation, the Jewish Museum Berlin and the Berlinale film festival.
Sting to return to Budapest for summer 2019 Taming firework pollution at New Year is the latest campaign of a German environmental group already pursuing diesel carmakers. For most of the year in Germany, fireworks are not publicly available and are only supposed to be used with a license. But on the last three working days of each year, shop shelves bulge with various rockets, Catherine wheels and Roman candles — ready for a mass amnesty on New Yearʼs Eve. Most of these firework displays are of an informal nature and are impromptu events.
They typically involve people rushing onto the street outside their homes or the bars they were frequenting around midnight, and letting fly. However, the state-funded environmental watchdog Environment Action Germany (DUH) is calling on cities to consider banning members of the public from setting off their pyrotechnics in areas struggling to meet air quality guidelines.
Celebrating 200 years of Silent Night The lyrics of "Stille Nacht," known in English as "Silent Night," were written by assistant pastor Joseph Mohr (1792-1848) in Mariapfarr, in the Austrian state of Salzburg. Two years later, Mohr was transferred to another parish, Oberndorf, where he asked the local school teacher and organist Franz Xaver Gruber (1787–1863) to compose music for his poem. As Austrian art historian and director of the Salzburg Museum Martin Hochleitner points out, "Silent Night" has since become "one of the most famous
pieces sung by Christians around the world." The lyrics were translated into nearly 300 languages and dialects, demonstrating that "the song works everywhere," added Hochleitner. He sees "Silent Night" as "an overarching brand." Austrians are undoubtedly proud that this early international hit was written in their country, even though it should be noted that Salzburg, its region of origin, moved during that period back and forth between the empire of Austria and the Kingdom of Bavaria.
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 Grammywinning 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 Vintage Budapest baths reopen
BATHERS IN BUDAPEST NOW HAVE ONE MORE THERMAL SPA
Deep distant District XX, south Pest, an old pool complex has just reopened to welcome soakers with medicinal waters containing salt and iodine. Currently operating in an initial test phase, the modernised wing of this complex features four pools, saunas and steam rooms. According to plans, a public lido with swimming and wave pools will be added next summer. Bromide, salt and iodine provide healing effects at a spa in Pesterzsébet that has just reopened to the public. These natural remedies help improve circulation, reduce inflammation and soothe the senses. Built in 1936 on a mineralrich spring, this Turkish-style site always featured indoor and outdoor facilities, including a wave pool. Financial woes forced the baths to close in 2005. Renovations began earlier this year, allowing for the reopening of four indoor pools of distinct temperatures ranging from 34°C to 40°C. Ongoing modernisation also includes the outdoor area. If all goes to plan, bathers can enjoy seven additional pools for swimming and recreation from May 2019. The spa is open every day of the week from 9am to 7pm and admission is 1,900 forints, with various discounts. You can reach the baths by taking tram 2from the Pest riverbank to the terminus at Közvágóhíd, then change to suburban railway line H6. Alight two stops later at Pesterzsébet felső, before a five-minute walk to the spa. Pestszentérzsebet Iodine-Salt Baths Address: District XX. Vízisport utca 2
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1/2019 • 2 January, 2019
Bayern Munich coach Kovac deserves a fresh start
Bayern Munich are not used to being in the Bundesligaʼs second spot going into the leagueʼs midseason break. They had been Herbstmeister (the term given to the Bundesliga leader after the first half of the season) for the previous seven seasons, a title whichBorussia Dortmund stole this year. It is perhaps not a coincidence that Bayernʼs fall from grace this term has come with Niko Kovac at the helm. The former Bayern star has had difficulties getting the best out of his players this season. In league play, his side is scoring at a rate 22 percent lower than last season and allowing goals 28 percent more frequently. On several occasions, his team has run out of ideas going forward and been completely undisciplined at the back.
LeBron James apologises for ʼJewish moneyʼ Instagram post
Toni Söderholm takes charge of German national ice hockey team Weeks after Marco Sturm left to pursue an opportunity in the NHL, the German ice hockey team have a new coach. Finnish coach Toni Söderholm has signed a contract that will take him through the 2022 Winter Games. The German Ice Hockey Association (DEB) confirmed on Thursday what had been widely rumored for days;Toni Söderholm is the national teamʼs new head coach. "The decision was an easy one for us," DEB President Franz Reindl told a press conference in Munich. "He knows the system, he is predestined for international ice hockey. I am proud and am 100 percent certain that it will work out well with Toni." For his part, said he was "very happy" to have accepted the post. "The No. 1 job is to make the national team better and better. Söderholm, a former defenseman, is a relatively inexperienced coach, having only retired as a player in 2016 following a season at Red Bull Munich. Before turning professional, Söderholm spent four years playing US college hockey with the University of Massachusetts. As a pro he spent the bulk of his career at the club of his youth, Helsinki IFK, but also had spells in the top leagues in Sweden and Switzerland – where he learned to speak German.
Franck Ribery double lifts Bayern Munich over Frankfurt Bundesliga:
Bayern Munich have vanquished Eintracht Frankfurt in a rematch of last seasonʼs German Cup final. Franck Ribery scored twice, once in each half, and Rafinha added a third in a spectacular finish. Franck Ribery was the star of the show as Bayern Munich defeated Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. The Frenchman found the back of the net in each half, giving him four goals in his last four league games. Rafinha added a third before the final whistle to finish off the dominant Bayern performance. Ribery got the start on Saturday in large part due to the injury of Serge Gnabry, who picked up a knock in Bayernʼs 1-0 victory over Leipzig on Tuesday. But the veteran forward rose to the challenge, using his skill on the ball to cause problems
for the Frankfurt defense. The 35year-old was set up perfectly for his first goal, with Thomas Müller finding Robert Lewandowski in the box from the right before the Polish striker slid him the ball for an easy tap-in. Ribery deserved more credit for his second, combining with Joshua Kimmich on a quick one-two before slotting a shot past the dive of Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. Ribery was only a gleeful spectator for Bayernʼs third as Rafinha chipped a fantastic lob over Trappʼs head and over the goal line.
Johanna Konta: British number one hopes to be ʼbetter equippedʼ Basketball star LeBron James has apologised after sharing a lyric about "Jewish money" on social media saying he thought it was a compliment. James was called out over the lyric - which comes from a song by US rapper 21 Savage - after he shared it with his 45.8m followers on Instagram. US journalist Darren Rovell was among those drawing attention to the post, saying it was "offensive". But James said it was not his intent "to hurt anyone" with Saturdayʼs post. 6
British number one Johanna Konta hopes she will be "better equipped to deal with challenges on court" after linking up with new coach Dimitri Zavialoff. Konta hired Zavialoff on a permanent basis after reaching the Kremlin Cup semi-finals in October while working with him on a trial. She says they have had a "very strong pre-season" which leaves her positive about her chances in 2019. "He is teaching me to be quite self-sufficient on court," said Konta, 27. "It is much more of a partnership than I have had in previous coaching re-
lationships." Konta, who parted company with American coach Michael Joyce in October, reached a career-high ranking of fourth in 2017 but goes into the new year 37th. "I think last season I didnʼt have many quarter-final or semifinal opportunities so getting to the end of a tournament was definitely a good feeling to have in the last tournament of the year," she said. "Weʼve been in this place many times, and it doesnʼt always guarantee that it kicks off well, but I definitely feel Iʼve had a very strong pre-season so that has given me a good chance to have a good overall 2019."