DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Germany: 14,000 illegal immigrants crossed border by bus and train German federal police caught more than 14,000 people entering the country illegally on buses and trains in 2018, regional newspaper Rheinis‐ che Post reported on Monday. An internal federal police document seen by the newspaper showed just under 8,000 migrants entered Germany on buses and slightly more than 6,000 on trains. Most of the migrants were from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. Some 6,000 entered on buses and trains from Austria, the border with the highest number of illegal crossings. The next highest number of illegal crossings was on the border with France and Switzerland. Passport checks on buses are set to become more difficult after the European Court of Justice ruled that Germanyʼs membership of the Schengen area prohibits bus companies from checking passenger identity papers.
German government rules out autobahn speed limit Germany confirmed on Monday the country will not beintroducing a speed limit on its autobahnroad network anytime soon. "There are more intelligent control mechanisms than a general speed limit," Government spokesman Steffen Seifert told reporters in Berlin. Proposals by agovernment-appointed committee on the future of mobilityto impose a 130 kph (80 mph) limit were recently leaked to the media. Seibert pointed out that the panel had not finished yet. Its proposals are to be finalized by the end of March.
24/2019 • 29 JANUARY, 2019
Israel has ʼrightʼ to defend itself against Iran in Syria Angela Merkel:
German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed support for Israelʼs policy of targeting Iranian forces in Syria. She told Israeli radio that Germany was working to keep Iranian military units away from the Israeli border. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Israeli public radio that it was "important and right" that Israel defends itself from Iranian forces in Syria. "Iran has policies that are threatening to Israel," Merkel told Kan Reka radio. Askedabout recent Israeli airstrikes against Iranian targetsin Syria, she said "Israel must secure its existence." Germany was also working to ensure that Iranian forces do not approach the Golan Heights near the Israeli border, she added. Israel, which rarely comments on its military operations in Syria, admitted last week that its warplanes had struck elite Iranian troops in Syria. After the strike, the head of Iranʼs air force reportedly said his soldiers were ready to "wipe Israel off the Earth." Israel fears that Iran, which, along with Russia, is allied with Syrian President Bashar Assad, could build up
a military presence near its border. Following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in June, Merkel said Germany would use all diplomatic measures to "push Iran out of the [Syrian] border region with Israel." With Russian and Iranian help, Assadʼs loyalist forces have retaken large areas of Syria in recent years. Despite their unified stance against Iranian activity in Syria, Israel and Germany disagree on an EUbacked nuclear deal with Iran signed in 2015. Israel says the deal, which lifted Western sanctions in exchange for restrictions on Iranʼs nuclear program,threatens its security. Germany says the deal is the best way to avoid Iran developing a nuclear weapon. The dealʼs future is uncertainafter the United States withdrew from it in May 2018.
Germany aims to revamp crisis-hit care industry amid worker shortage Three German cabinet ministers appeared in Berlin on Monday to offer an update on the governmentʼs effort to improve working conditions for Germanyʼs chronically underpaid care workers. Health Minister Jens Spahn, Family Minister Franziska Giffey, and Labor and Social Affairs Minister Hubertus Heil launched their "Konzertierte Aktion Pflege" ("Concerted Action Care," or KAP) last summer, in an attempt to recruit more people to a deeply unattractive industry that for years has been dogged by reports of mistreatment by overworked care workers. The German government is pushing hard to make care work an attractive career prospect. As Spahn put it: "Today itʼs clear if a young person goes to their parents and says: ʼfather, mother, I want to become a care worker,ʼ then a lot of them would say, ʼoh God, how do we talk them out of it.ʼ Because the image out there is of work conditions that really are difficult."
US: Russiaʼs INF rhetoric a ʼlaughableʼ fraud The United States has warned that unless Russia abides by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) by February 2, Washington will withdraw from the agreement. The INF treaty forbids Russia and the U.S. from possessing any medium-range nuclear weapons. US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs Andrea L. Thompson talked to DWʼs Zhanna Nemtsova about the U.S. position and the possibility of the new arms race.
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24/2019 • 29 January, 2019
Pakistan: Imran Khan promises change amid rigging complaints In his"victory speech" on Thursday, Prime Minister-elect Imran Khan promised wide-ranging reforms to build a "new Pakistan." He touched upon a number of pressing issues, including better governance, security affairs and ties with global powers and neighboring countries. Khan spoke from the heart during the speech. He promised to end rampant corruption, nepotism, and pledged that economic benefits would trickle down to the masses under his government. Khan spoke from the heart during the speech. He promised to end rampant corruption, nepotism, and pledged that economic benefits would trickle down to the masses under his government.
Ceasefire on Israel-Gaza border largely holds as UN warns sides are on ʼbrink of warʼ
A ceasefire announced by Hamas largely held along the Israel-Gaza border on Sunday, a day after the most intense exchange of fire between Israel and the Palestinian group since the 2014 Gaza war. Israeli warplanes carried out dozens of airstrikes in the densely populated Gaza Strip on Saturday on what it said were Hamas military, training and supply targets, while Hamas and Islamic Jihad fired nearly 200 rockets and mortars at Israel. Read more: Israel and Gazaʼs militant groups agree to ceasefire The Israeli airstrikes wounded more than 20 people and killed two teenage boys, Palestinian health officials said, while a Hamas rocket injured four Israelis. Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, and Islamic Jihad announced the Egyptian and UNbrokered ceasefire late Saturday. The Israeli military said its response would depend on the situation on the ground. After the ceasefire announcement, four mortars were fired into Israel early Sunday. In response, Israeli planes destroy at least one launch site. Israel also carried out three airstrikes later in the day on what it said were Hamas squads launching incendiary balloons and kites across the border. 2
AfD demands radical EU reforms to avoid Germanyʼs ʼDexitʼ Germany would have to leave the EU
The AfD blasted the "privileged" members of the European Parliament while campaigning to join that very body. Germany would have to leave the EU if the bloc is not reformed, the partyʼs election manifesto says. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) called for the country to leave the euro and the dissolution of the European Parliament in its European election manifesto on Sunday. But party delegates decided to water down a proposal calling for Berlin to exit the European Union by 2024. Hardliners at the convention in the eastern state of Saxony had pushed to include language calling for Berlin to leave the EU within the next five years if the bloc failed to enact reforms, a stance opposed by party leaders Alexander Gauland and Jörg Meuthen. The final version of the manifesto passed on Sunday evening
Germany: Auditors slam pricey naval ship repairs "Severe" mismanagement within the German navyand Defense Ministry led to massive cost overruns in restoration work on a naval training ship, according to a confidential report seen by Der Spiegel magazine. Repair estimates on the Gorch Fock were originally priced at under €10 million ($11.5 million), but skyrocketed to €135 million last year, the 39-page report from the National Audit Office found. The agency blamed military officers for inadequately examining the sailing shipʼs deficiencies, ignoring information vital for the repair work and failing to fully inform Defense
Iraq braces for more unrest as Basra protests gather pace An estimated 200 protesters gathered on Monday morning at the main gate leading to three of Iraqʼs major oil fields in the southern oil-exporting city of Basra. Protests in Basra, Iraqʼs second-largest city, started last Tuesdaywhen security forces opened fire, killing one person and wounding five. They soon spread to other provinces. Read more: Iraq hangs 13 ʼISʼ prisoners as PM Haidar al-Abadi calls for ʼjust retributionʼ The oil hub of Basra and other parts of the Shiʼite south have long been neglected, first by Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein and then by Shiʼite-led governments. But an ongoing political crisis and the recent rhetoric of Grand Ayatollah alSistani, the top Shiʼite cleric in the country have also clearly aggravated the situation.
retained the threat of a "Dexit," but jettisoned any concrete timeframe. While granting that the EU was "sick in the head and limbs," Gauland said that the party would need to consider the consequences of Germanyʼs exit. "Whoever toys with the idea of a Dexit, also needs to ask themsleves if this not a utopia and should we be more realistic," he said. The party also slammed the "751 privileged members" of the current European legislature in their election manifesto, which is set to guide their campaign to join the body. "We see nation-states as having the exclusive competence to make laws," the party said. Minister Ursula von der Leyen. Work on the shipʼs hull and renewal of its upper and middle deck began in 2015 without an economic feasibility study, and without considering the case for constructing a new ship, auditors said. A Defense Ministry spokesperson said the ministry would submit a formal reply to the Federal Audit Officeʼs accusations by April.
UK reveals fighter jet ʼTempestʼ for post-Brexit era Williamson said the "world-beating" jet can be used unmanned, as a drone, or with pilots. It is scheduled to be operational by 2035. The UK is to invest 2 billion pounds ($2.7 billion, €2.3 billion) to 2025 in the stealth
warplane, which will involve British companies BAE Systems and RollsRoyce as well as Anglo-Italian Leonardo and pan-European MBDA. Aiming to ensure UK leadership in defense Williamson said the program was designed to ensure Britainʼs continued leadership in fighter technology and control of airspace in future conflicts. Last year,France and Germany signed an agreementto develop Europeʼs next-generation fighter jet to replace the aging Rafale and Eurofighter jet by 2040, involving Europeʼs Airbus and Franceʼs Dassault Aviation. Following the 2016 Brexit referendum, Airbus moved to partner with Dassault at the expense of Britainʼs BAE Systems. There are concerns in Britain that its defense industry may be shut out from EU plans for next-generation fighter jets, although, officially, both projects have invited other companies to join.
24/2019 • 29 January, 2019
Emmanuel Macron pushes for human rights in Egypt Franceʼs president Emmanuel Macron reminded his Egyptian counterpart Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi that crackdowns on human rights hurt Egyptʼs image abroad. Macron denied that France sought to sell more weapons to Egypt. Following ameeting with Egyptʼs president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron sent a strong message in support for human rights and civil liberties. "Stability and durable peace go together with respect for individual dignity and the rule of law and the search for stability cannot be dissociated from the question of human rights," the French president said during a joint press conference. "Things havenʼt gone in the right di-
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.
rection since 2017. Bloggers, journalists are in prison and because of that Egyptʼs image can find itself suffering," Macron emphasized. El-Sissi has been in power since 2014, just a year after leading the overthrow of Egyptʼs first democratically elected and controversial president, Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. A crackdown on Islamists and opposition figures followed elSissiʼs ascent to power, with hundreds of them detained and sent to jail.
Data of 14,200 HIV patients leaked in Singapore
The confidential medical records of 14,200 people diagnosed with HIV in Singapore, the countryʼs Health Ministry announced on Monday. Authorities in Singapore said a US man is believed to be behind the leak, saying he published the data after obtaining the HIV registry records from his partner, a Singaporean doctor. What we know so far: The leaked records included 5,400 Singaporeans who were diagnosed with HIV up to January 2013, as well as some 8,800 foreigners who were diagnosed up until December 2011.The pa-
tientʼs names, contact information, ID numbers, HIV test results and identification numbers as well as the personal information of 2,400 of their medical contacts was published online."We are sorry for the anxiety and distress caused by this incident," the Health Ministry said. "Our priority is the well-being of the affected individuals."Authorities have blocked online access to the information, but warned that the data is still in the possession of the person who leaked it — and who could possibly publically release it again.
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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24/2019 • 29 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
Global trust in ʼmy employerʼ hits new high Thereʼs no doubt the level of trust that people have in institutions and firms has a direct impact on how successful the latter are. A fresh survey reveals a lot about the sensitivities of people across the globe. Peopleʼs trust in governments, institutions and companies seems hard to gauge, but itʼs exactly what US-based marketing consultancy Edelman has been doing for almost two decades. Over the past 19 years, the communications firmhas studied and documented some vital opinion shifts in its annual Trust Barometer. The 2019 edition of the global survey emphasizes once more that trust is a critical asset for any organization. And it has a strong message for the business world. "Weʼre observing fascinating parallels between the level of trust a
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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company enjoys and its long-term performance in the marketplace and on the stock market." Here are some major takeaways from the 2019 poll. Perhaps the most astonishing result of the survey is that people hold more trust in their own employers than in any single institution around them. A staggering 75 percent of respondents globally have expressed confidence in their respective employers — thatʼs 19 points more than trust in business in general and a whopping 27 points more than trust in governments compared with last yearʼs results.
Eurozone banks stop issuing €500 notes, but cashloving Germany delays
Germans love their cash and many were not happy when the European Central Bank decided to stop issuing the €500 note. As the rest of the eurozone says goodbye, Germany is delaying its final farewell until April. Central banks in 17 of the eurozoneʼs 19 economies stopped issuing €500 ($570) notes on Sunday, butcashloving Germany and Austriaare delaying the move until later this year. The German Bundesbank and Austriaʼs Österreichische Nationalbank said they needed more time to "ensure a smooth transition" toward a system in which €200 will be the largest denomination note. The European Central Bankstopped producing the large, violet-colored €500 note in 2016, citing its use in "illicit activities" such as money laundering, tax evasion and terrorism financing. The note is known as the "bin Laden," in reference to the former head of the jihadi terrorist group al-Qaida, because of how easily it enables criminals to transport large amounts of money in a compact space.
24/2019 • 29 January, 2019
African swine fever: What you need to know Hereʼs more
Book shows Hitlerʼs Holocaust plans for Canada, US A Canadian archive has acquired a book previously owned by Adolf Hitlerwhich contains detailed Jewish population data, as well as information on key organizations and media for Canadian and American Jewish communities. Library and Archives Canada said the 137-page Germanlanguage book, Statistics, Media, and Or‐ ganizations of Judaism in the United States and Canada, demonstrates that the
Holocaust was not purely a European event, but rather an operation that was stopped before it reached North America. The bookplate bears a stylized eagle, swastika and the words "Ex Libris Adolf Hitler" indicating it came from Hitlerʼs personal library.
Record traffic and new terminal at Budapest Airport Itʼs a virus that kills pigs and stays contagious in the ground for years. Those are two of the most important facts about African swine fever. By the end of 2019, there will bea new fence along the German-Danish border— 70 kilometers from one end to the other and one-and-a-half meters high — just to stop wild boar. Itʼs said the fence will prevent the spread ofAfrican swine fever virus (ASFV)in Denmark. Thatʼs the plan, anyway. The Danish government says it wants to protect the pig farming in-
dustry, which is extremely important for the country. But environmentalists say the border fence is costly, ineffective and will merely serve as a symbol. They also say it will have negative effects on other animals living near the border — even if the fence has holes, measuring 20 x 20 centimeters, every hundred meters, to allow small animals to get through.
Painting stolen from Moscow gallery as witnesses watch A 20th century mountain landscape painting by Russian artist Arkhip Kuindzhi has been stolen from Moscowʼs Tretyakov Gallery during an exhibition, police said Sunday. Video surveillance footage showed the thieves simply took the painting, titled "Ai-Petri. Crimea," off the wall and made their escape, police said. Confused onlookers watched as a young man removed the painting from the gallery wall, only realizing later that they had witnessed a brazen theft, Russian television network RT reported. The Russian Culture Ministry said the artwork is val-
ued at 12 million rubles (€160,000/$182,000). The Tretyakov Gallery, one of Russiaʼs leading art museums, has been targeted by criminals several times in recent years. Read more: Art, what is it good for? Top German court set to decide Kuindzhi is known for his landscapes. His 1881 work "Birch grove" was sold at auction house Sothebyʼs for more than $3 million in 2008. In May, one of Russiaʼs most treasured 19th century artworks, which depicts Czar Ivan the Terrible cradling his dying son,was damaged by a man with a metal rod.
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Renovated Museum of Fine Arts to Open on 31 October AFTER MORE THAN THREE YEARS OF RENOVATION, THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BUDAPEST WILL OPEN ON 31 OCTOBER. NOW OPEN TO PUBLIC
Budapest Airport has just announced a double-digit rise in passenger numbers for 2018. Hungary’s major international transport hub registered 14.8 million travellers last year, a 13% jump when compared to the numbers logged in 2017. This record increase has prompted further investment plans for the near future, including the construction of a new terminal building by 2024. Budapest Airport has been given the go-ahead for a €700 million extension and modernisation project, the news following a recent official report showing a considerable growth in passenger numbers. For 2018, the airport handled close to 14.9 million travellers flying in and flying out, a 13.5% increase in comparison with 2017. This makes Budapest the fastest-growing air-travel hub in Central and Eastern Europe.
Thanks to the largest-scale and most comprehensive reconstruction project in the museum’s history, the museum building has been renewed, and, returning to the collection’s first concept, the museum’s permanent exhibitions will also be rearranged. Besides the new permanent exhibitions, the revamped museum will welcome visitors with a chamber exhibition titled Leonardo & the Budapest Horse and Rider. The museum reconstruction, implemented within the framework of the Liget Budapest Project, included the restoration of the Romanesque Hall, which sustained severe damage in World War II and since then had been only partially renovated and used as a storage area, along with the modernisation of the building’s obsolete heating system, the installation of air conditioning in some of the exhibition halls, the renewal of a large part of the roof structure, as well as the addition of new exhibition spaces, visitor areas and modern storage facilities.
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24/2019 • 29 January, 2019
Mixed messages on Bayern Munichʼs Bundesliga title credentials
"Weʼre not in a position to talk about the title at the moment. We simply arenʼt good enough." In a world of bland, non-commital statements from footballers, Arjen Robbenʼs words to German public broadcaster ARD rang out louder than most. The veteran has won seven Bundesliga titles in his nine full seasons with the Bavarian club and Bayern have won each of the last six. In several of those seasons, Bayern have overcome points deficits to emerge victorious, including last season where they trailed Borussia Dortmund by five points early on. While the gap this year is bigger, seven points in November looks far from insurmountable and disregards the fact that Bayern were heavy title favorites coming into the current campaign. Robbenʼs teammate Sandro Wagner certainly has no such misgivings.
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 front-runner, the Portuguese may have just met his match. Aleksandar Kolarov, take a bow. A combination of poor finishing and sublime goalkeeping had kept the scores level until Serbia’s no.11 produced his moment of magic. Kolarov’s powerful left foot is no secret, but few inside the stadium would have expected such a thunderous strike when the Roma defender stood over a free kick midway through the second half. His shot was unstoppable; a side-footed missile which screamed into the top corner of the Costa Rica net. Kaylor Navas, who kept his team in the game with several crucial saves either side of half time, was nowhere near it.
Djokovic crushes Nadal at Australian Open final No other player in history has claimed seven titles in Melbourne
n a brief and brutal performance, menʼs number one tennis player Novak Djokovic defeated his closest rival Rafael Nadal to claim the Australian Open. Serb Novak Djokovic bulldozed past Spaniard Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final on Sunday, winning all three sets with the score of 6:3, 6:2, and 6:3 in the duel between two best players in the world. In his celebratory speech, Djokovic reflected on his recovery following an elbow injury and a drop in form. "To be standing now in front of you today and managing to win this title and three out of four Slams is truly amazing," Djokovic
said. "Iʼm speechless." He also complimented his rival saying that Nadal demonstrated "the definition of the fighting spirit and resilience." "An amazing level of tennis," Nadal said of his opponent after the match. "Even if tonight was not my night, for it is so important to be where I am today," he told the audience in Melbourne. This is Djokovicʼs third Grand Slam title in a row, following histriumphs at Wimbledonand the US Open.
Australian Open: Angelique Kerber cruises into second round
Naomi Osaka wins against Petra Kvitova at Australian Open The 2016 champion needed just 72 minutes to beat the Slovenian and talked about being in the groove after getting off on the right foot down under. Read more: What will 2019 bring for Angelique Kerber? "Iʼve played a lot of matches here already in Australia ... I have my rhythm," said Kerber, who played lead-up events in both Perth and Sydney. 6
Japanʼs Naomi Osaka has claimed victory over Czech Petra Kvitova to win the Australian Open, earning Osaka the first top ranking in her career. The win also means back-toback Grand Slam titles for the 21year-old Osaka. With a two sets to one victory against Czech Petra Kvitova on Saturday, Japanese Naomi Osaka snatched her first-ever victory at the Australian Open in a tense battle of wills. Osaka served first in Melbourne and managed to claim the first set after a win-
ning the tiebreaker 7-6 (7-2). She appeared on track to a quick victory in the second set of the match, with the Czech making costly mistakes around the midpoint and handing Osaka a 5-3 lead. However, Kvitova then managed to stave off three championship points and eventually won the set 7-5. In the deciding set, Osaka regained her composure and clinched victory by snatching six games to Kvitovaʼs four. "I felt like I was in a state of shock through the entire trophy presentation," Osaka told reporters.