DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
ʼIRAʼ claims bombing in Northern Irelandʼs Derry A group calling itself the "IRA" claimed credit for placing thecar bombwhich detonated in front of a courthouse in Northern Irelandʼs Derry (Londonderry) earlier this month. In a statementsent to the Derry Journal on Tuesday, the group said it would "continue to strike at crown forces and personnel and their imperial establishment." The town of Derry was once a flashpoint in fighting between Irish nationalists, who want to unite Ireland, and Unionists, who want to keep Northern Ireland within the UK. The nationalist fight was spearheaded by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which ended its armed campaign against Britain in the 1998 Good Friday peace accord. Small splinter paramilitary groups are still active. Northern Irish police said following the January 19 explosion that the focus of their investigation centered on a militant group known as the New IRA.
Poland: Miner missing after copper mine earthquake The seven hospitalized miners do not have life-threatening injuries, Polandʼs PAP news agency reported. Eight miners were rescued after they were reported missing. A total of thirty-two miners had been at the Rudna site when the quake occurred at a depth of 770 meters (2,520 feet) shortly before 2 p.m. local time (1300 UTC). The Helmholtz Center in the German city of Potsdam said it recorded a 4.6-magnitude earthquake in the vicinity. Rudna began operations in 1974 and is one of the largest copper mines in Europe, extracting an average of 12 million tonnes of cooper ore a year. A 4.4-magnitude quake in 2016 killed eight Rudna miners.
25/2019 • 30 JANUARY, 2019
Manfred Weber: EU response to Venezuela ʼa tragedyʼ Manfred Weber is the favorite to become the next president of the European Commission
The German conservative told DW about his disappointment with the blocʼs response to the Venezuelan political crisis. The head of the biggest political grouping in the European Parliament on Tuesday slammed theEuropean Unionʼs slow response to Venezuelaʼs power strugglein an interview with DW. "It really was a tragedy to see that Europe was not able to act in a quick and appropriate manner," Manfred Weber said. Weber, who is favored to take over at the European Commission after elections in May, said the bloc needed to revamp the way it voted on foreign policy positions. Currently, all member states have to unanimously agree on a position for the EU to adopt it. The bloc should change to a majority vote system, Weber said. "Otherwise we will always be weak and not capable to deliver," he said. The EU made no joint declaration on behalf of its 28 member states to indicate support for either President Nicolas Maduro or opposition leader Juan Guaido. Instead,it released a statementcondemning violence and calling for free elections to be announced "over the next days." Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom have, however, said they would be ready to recognize Guaido as in-
terim president unless Maduro agreed to hold free elections by February 3. Veteran German politician Manfred Weber was nominated last November as the European Peopleʼs Partyʼs (EPP) candidate for European Commission President. The EPP is the largest political group in the European Commission and is predicted to win the most seats in elections scheduled for May. As lead candidate, Weber is favored to take over as EC president from Jean-Claude Juncker. This means changes to bloc decision-making on foreign policy could be on the cards. The current unanimity system slowed down a combined EU response to Maduroʼs re-election in 2018 amid divisionsover whether to pursue diplomacy or impose sanctions. The elections were widely criticized as being unfair, but sanctions were only imposed on Maduro and his closest officials over a month after the election date. "We as Europeans have a common value base," Weber told DW. "We have to show on a global level that we are willing to defend these principles, also with our friends for example in South America."
German military lacks equipment and recruits, says damning report German soldiers sometimes have to rely on civilian helicopters to transport them around in Afghanistan, while vital equipment such as body armor has to be borrowed, according to the parliamentʼs new Bundeswehr report presented to the government on Tuesday. The annual study also detailed a rise in reports of sexual harassment and some instances of farright extremism among soldiers. "Iʼd like to report: Itʼs spring, everything will be new. But the truth is: Itʼs still winter," the reportʼs author, Bundestag military commissioner HansPeter Bartels, said as he presented the document at a press conference in Berlin. The biggest problem that Bundeswehr soldiers complained about was the lack of equipment, despite repeated government promises, dating back to a 2014 NATO summit, of a change in direction.
Germany: 38,000 illegal immigrants caught by Federal Police More than 38,000 people were caught entering Germany illegally between January and November 2018, German Federal Police have told DW. Over 28,000 people entered Germany by land, with most — some 10,300 — entering from Austria. By comparison, some 9,270 people arrived illegally at airports and more than 1,120 people at sea ports. Read more: How do refugees in Germany view Seehoferʼs tougher migration plan?
weather today BUDAPEST
1 / 3 °C Precipitation: 0 mm
25/2019 • 30 January, 2019
ICC acquits former Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo Judges at The Hague-based court delivered the eagerly awaited decision on Tuesday morning, clearing 73-year-old Gbagbo of all charges of crimes against humanity over post-electoral violence. Head judge Cuno Tarfusser said the court granted "the defence motions for acquittal for all charges for Mr Laurent Gbagbo," as well as his co-defendant, Charles Ble Goude. Tarfusser said that a majority of the three-judge bench found that "the prosecutor has failed to satisfy the burden of proof" against both men. Lawyers for the pair had asked judges to acquit them both over a lack of evidence at the end of the prosecution case in their trial that began just under three years ago. The 73year-old Gbagbo was the first former head of state to go on trial at the court in The Netherlands. His case was seen as a milestone in efforts to bring high-ranking leaders accused of atrocities to justice.
US and Turkish presidents discuss safe zone in northern Syria Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, took to the telephone to discuss the situation in northern Syria on Monday. "The president expressed the desire to work together to address Turkeyʼs security concerns in northeast Syria while stressing the importance to the United States that Turkey does not mistreat the Kurds and other Syrian Democratic Forces with whom we have fought to defeat ISIS," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement, referring to the "Islamic State" (IS) extremist group. The Turkish presidency said the two men discussed the creation of a safe zone in northern Syria cleared of militia groups. It did not provide any other details. Thedisagreement between the NATO alliesis the latest consequence of Trumpʼs December 19 decision to withdraw US military personnel from Syria. This could leave the Kurdish militia under threat should Turkey start a new offensive. Over the weekend, Trump had taken to Twitter to threaten he would"devastate" the Turkish economyif Ankara sent its forces to attack the Kurds in northern Syria. 2
ʼCrisis of democracyʼ and corruption go hand in hand Transparency International:
A fresh Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index has been released, revealing less than enthused attitudes toward the state of global corruption. Turkey and Hungary are among those falling down the list. A collective global failure to control corruption is contributing to a crisis of democracy across the world — thatʼs the verdict of the latest Corruption Perceptions Index,published by nonprofit NGO Transparency International. "With many democratic institutions under threat across the globe — often by leaders with authoritarian or populist tendencies — we need to do more to strengthen checks and bal-
Berlin AG wants to get rid of fines for fare evaders Authorities in Berlin view fare dodging as a criminal offense punishable by a €60 ($68.6) fine. Local police filed 12,000 complaints over the issue in 2017 and more than 300 people are imprisoned every year for not being able or willing to pay the fines. The left-leaning mayorand other top officials have recently called for less drastic regulations, with some proposing to downgrade fare dodging to a mere administrative offense. Now, the Berlin attorney general wants to go a step further and "completely abolish" the crime of fare dodging. "We shouldnʼt waste resources for criminal
2018: The year Trumpian disruption rocked German politics The image that sticks most in my mind from the uniquely disruptive political year that was 2018 is of Angela Merkel with Horst Seehofer on the balcony of the Chancellery building. The chancellor, a glass of white wine in her hand, has turned her back and is stalking away from her rebellious interior minister, as though he were a dog sheʼd just caught going through the kitchen garbage can. The wind has ruffled her normally perfectly styled hair. She looks unhappy, tired, old. To be fair, Merkel had every reason to be a tad disheveled, having spent many a late night negotiating with Seehofer and her other coalition partners over one-stop holding centers for migrants, so-called "Anker" centers, versus transit centers —an issue that threatened for a few summer weeks to bring down her government and was immediately forgottenwhen a suitably face-saving compromise was found. Nonetheless, this press photo was a disconcerting sight for anyone who has ever come close to the chancellor in person. Iʼve witnessed her testify for five straight hours in front of a parliamentary investigative committee only to decline with a confident smile when asked if sheʼd like a break. For Merkel stress was always like water off a duckʼs back.Until 2018.
ances and protect citizensʼ rights," said Patricia Moreira, managing director of Transparency International. The annual report ranks countries according to perceptions of public sector corruption rather than documented evidence of corruption, and grades countries on a scale from zero to 100, with zero denoting a "highly corrupt" country and 100 meaning a country is "very clean." offenses where criminality is highly questionable," Attorney General Margarete Koppers told Berliner Morgen‐ post. Koppers is one of the most senior judiciary officials in Berlin, a 3.6million-strong city which is also considered one of Germanyʼs 16 federal states. Talking to the local daily, Koppers said downgrading the offense would pose "no relief for the judiciary."
Belgium vows to amplify EU voice on UN Security Council Belgiumʼs foreign minister says his country will use its temporary UN Security Council seat to make the EU
more influential on the global stage. Belgium and Germany are to scheduled to take up their seats on January 1. Belgium will use its two-year seat on the United Nations Security Council to bolster the European Unionʼs influence within the global body, Belgiumʼs foreign minister has said. Didier Reynders told Germanyʼs Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung news outlet that Belgium aims to help harmonize each EU member stateʼs diplomacy so that they "send the same message with different voices." Belgium will take up its temporary seat on the Security Council,the UNʼs highest decisionmaking body, along with Germany on January 1. "We have an important role to play in supporting multilateralism," Reynders said. "There is no better place for it than in the United Nations Security Council."
25/2019 • 30 January, 2019
Iran satellite Payam fails to reach orbit Iran has said a satellite launched to gather environmental information has failed to reach orbit. Washington had expressed concern that Tehranʼs satellite program could help it in developing ballistic nuclear weapons. Iran announced on Tuesday that one of its satellites had failed to reach the "necessary speed" to achieve orbit. Telecommunications Minister Mohammed Javad Jahromi told Iranian state television that the rocket carrying the satellite had passed the first and second launch stage, but that it had developed problems in the third phase. "Payam satellite was successfully launched this morning with the Basir satellite carrier. But the satellite unfortunately failed to be placed in the orbit in the last phase," said Jahromi. The country had plans to send two satellites, Payam, meaning "message," and
German train-delay scarf sells for thousands at auction A scarf knitted by a German woman to represent how long she was delayed on trains run by German rail company Deutsche Bahn sold for €7,550 ($8,660) on eBay on Monday. There were 134 bids from 45 bidders for the 1.5-meter (5 foot) scarf, which was knitted over the course of 2018 and features stripes in different colors, to represent different-length delays. Read more: Deutsche Bahn flaws prompt calls for basic railway reform Journalist Sara Weber, the scarf makerʼs daughter, said her mother was a commuter in the Munich area and had knitted two rows per day: Gray for under five minutes, pink for 5-30 minutes, and red for delays of more than 30 minutes or when both of her trains were running late. Weber posted a photo of the scarf on Twitter and the response was so enthusiastic that she and her mother decided to auction it and give the proceeds to the charity Bahnhofsmission, which assists people in need at railway stations across Germany. On Monday, Weber tweeted that the scarf had been sold for €7,550. "My mum is very happy — and so am I. We never would have expected that would happen," Weber wrote.
Doosti, meaning "peace” into orbit. State television said the two satellites would be used to gather information on the countryʼs environment. Read more: Iran deal — The European Unionʼs ugly options Iran normally shows off its achievements in space in February, when the country marks the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In the past decade, Iran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit, and haslaunched a monkey into space. However, the US and its allies have expressed concern that the space program may be being used as a foil for Iranʼs nuclear ambitions.
Brexit showdown in UK parliament
MPs are voting on competing proposals about what to do next following the rejection of the British PMʼs Brexit deal earlier this month. Theresa May said she wants a "significant and legally binding" change to the socalledbackstop arrangementto guarantee an open Irish border after Brexit.Brussels, however, has insisted it will not reopen talks to amend the deal which has already been signed off by the other 27 EU member states. 21:09 MPs have voted on five amend-
ments andAmendment J is the fifth to be rejected. 322-290. Two more left to vote on, the first of which has been proposed by Conservative MP Caroline Spelman and supported by lawmakers from most political parties: Amendment I seeks to rule out a no-deal Brexit. 20:55 MPs vote against Cooperʼs Amendment B 321-298, a victory for Prime Minister Theresa May who opposed the plan. Next up is Amendment J, which also seeks an extension to the Article 50 deadline of March 29.
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."
3
25/2019 • 30 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.
US sanctions Venezuela state oil firm PDVSA The US said on Monday that it would impose sanctions on Venezuelaʼs state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), as it ramps up pressure on the countryʼs president, Nicolas Maduro. The move followsWashingtonʼs public backing of National Assembly leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself interim president last week. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sanctions were meant to prevent Maduro from diverting more resources from the crisis-hit country, until control in Caracas could be transferred toGuaidoʼs interim governmentora new democratically elected government. Mnuchin specified that PDVSAʼs US-based subsidiary Citgo could continue operations, so long as its earnings are deposited into a blocked account in the US. Maduro accused the US of attempting to steal Citgo, saying the state oil firm will seek legal action against the US. Washington was "holding accountable those responsible for Venezuelaʼs tragic decline," Mnuchin told reporters. 4
Facebook unveils new tools to fight EU election interference With European Union elections months away, Facebook has announced new measures to stop election meddling across the bloc. The measures include bolstering ad transparency and establishing regional defense centers. Facebook on Monday unveiled tools aimed atclamping down on political interferenceahead of key 2019 elections, including the European Parliament vote slated for May. TheUS technology giant has come under immense pressuretotighten ad rules and counter disinformation campaignson its platform, most notably after Russian actors were linked to a successful cam-
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.
Thermal Hotel Visegrád****superior 2025 Visegrád Lepence-völgy, hrsz.: 1213 Phone: +36 26 801 900 Fax: +36 26 801 918 info@thv.hu www.thv.hu
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.
Published by: Mega Media Kft. 1075 Budapest, Madách I. út 13-14. +36 1 398 0344 www.hotelujsag.hu
paign to sway the 2016 US presidential election in favor of Donald Trump. Starting in late March, political ads will have a "paid for by" disclaimer, which will link to a public searchable database that shows who paid for the ad, how was much paid and who viewed the ad according to age, gender and location. The information will be stored for seven years.
US charges Chinaʼs Huawei with fraud, theft
The charges against Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and its CFO, Meng Wanzhou, have been unveiled in two unsealed indictments. China has urged the US to "stop the unreasonable crackdown" on its companies. The US Justice Department unsealed two indictments against Chinaʼs Huawei Technologies Co Ltd., several of its subsidiaries, and its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Monday. Meng was arrested in Vancouver and released on bail in December. She faces extradition to the United States. The case has strained Chinese relations with both the US and Canada. In a 13-count indictment from prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York, Huawei has been accused of misleading banks and US authorities about the relationship between Hong Kong-based shell corporation Skycom Tech and Huawei Device USA Inc. to sell equipment in Iran, a violation of US sanctions.Prosecutors also accused Meng of committing fraud and misleading banks into believing Skycom and Huawei were separate.
25/2019 • 30 January, 2019
What too much traffic does to our environment — and to us
As Game of Thrones teaser drops, ʼUnseen Westerosʼ revealed in Berlin Another dark, somewhat foreboding teaser trailer for the delayed final‐ Game of Thrones installment wowed expectant fans early Monday. But some will be able to get their fix a few months early at the "Unseen Westeros" show in Berlin. Showcasing never-before-seen places from the world of ice and fire originally conceived by George R.R. Martin in his best-selling book series, the exhibition of artwork is a rare collaboration between Game of Thrones artists, and others not directly associated with the series. Running January 23-27 at the Umspannwerk, a vast former factory in Reinickendorf, Berlin, the exhibition and book of the same name was created with the permission and cooperation of Martin and his publisher.
Hungary’s best craft beers created for the winter season
Youʼll save fuel after 20 seconds of standing still already. Letting your engine run while your carʼs idling burns one liter of fuel an hour, according to Germanyʼs technical inspection agency TÜV Süd. A higher fuel consumption rate means that more CO2 is blasted into the atmosphere, which we should avoid if we want to fight global warming.
Indian scientists slam ancient Hindu ʼstem cellʼ claim Organizers of the Indian Science Congress have dismissed claims by some prominent academics at the event, saying they had "serious concerns." The gathering has enjoyed a distinguished reputation in the past, but recent years have seen faithbased assertions and Hindumythology given greater prominence by speakers. One speaker, a vice chancellor from a western Indian university, said Indian literary epics revealed that people in ancient India had aircraft, in vitro fertilization and stem cell research. Vice chancellor
G Nageswara Rao, of Andhra University, said stories from Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata showed that such technology "was done in this country thousands of years ago." Rao, a professor of inorganic chemistry, said that 100 descendants of a legendary king had been born from one mother "because of stem cell and test tube technology." He also said that a "demon king" from a separate epic had two dozen aircraft, along with a network of landing strips on the island of Sri Lanka.
1/5
Fri
Sat
0/5
-1 / 6
Hungary Budapest: Debrecen: Eger: Hévíz:
0/3 2/3 1/1 2/3
Athens: Berlin: Bratislava: Bucharest: London: Madrid:
3/6 5/9 1/2 1/6 0/3 2/7
Kecskemét: Keszthely: Siófok:
1/3 0/2 0/5
Europe Moscow: Paris: Prague: Rome: Varsaw: Vienna:
-4/6 1/4 1/4 1/3 0/8 1/4
Culture
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.
Traffic jams are bad for the environment, the economy and our health. Here are the worst consequences due to traffic congestion — and the places where people suffer the most. Getting into a traffic jam is every driverʼs nightmare. Endless minutes (or worse: hours) in which nothingʼs moving forward can turn what should be a short car-ride into a seemingly never-ending odyssey. But congested streets arenʼt just annoying for commuters — they have far-reaching consequences. Turn off your engine when you get into a traffic jam!
Weather
Thu
Budapest’s booming craft-beer industry has long gone seasonal, but this particular winter sees a rare crop of quite excellent brews. From Russian imperial stout to barley wine matured in Tokaji wine barrels, we sip and assess our favourites. HORIZONT: NIGHTSHIFT BÉKÉSSZENTANDRÁSI SZENT ANDRÁS: ESTHAJNAL ’18 HORIZONT & MAD SCIENTIST: RICE RICE BABY FEHÉR NYÚL: BARLEY WINE/LIEZON MONYO BREWING CO: BLÖFF SERIES HOPTOP BREWERY: TENNO MAD SCIENTIST: COOKIE MONSTER FEHÉR NYÚL: RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT MONYO BREWING CO: HUNGARIAN TERROIR SERIES 2018 – BLAUFRÄNKISCH RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT MAD SCIENTIST: OLD KING CLANCY BÉKÉSSZENTANDRÁSI SZENT ANDRÁS: BLACK ROSE (2015-18) MONYO BREWING CO: THE BOUNTY HUNTER KILLED MY BABY COCONUT HORIZONT: PILOT SERIES #14 FIRST THE CRAFT BEER CO: CHOCOLATE VANILLA IMPERIAL STOUT
NOW OPEN TO PUBLIC 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.
5
25/2019 • 30 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.
Mesut Özil facing career crossroads at Arsenal
Mesut Özilʼs glittering career is in danger of hitting some bum notes when it should be reaching its crescendo. The 30-year-old will undoubtedly have been hoping a New Year would bring with it new fortunes, but 2019 is following the same disappointing narrative. Read more: Mesut Özil under fire from critics Arsenal head coach Unai Emeryʼs comments on the clubʼs biggest earner remain coy and absent of positivity. The excuses for his absence from the starting line-up continue to flow freely, while postmatch comments after bit-part performances have only stoked an already roaring fire. 6
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.
Australian Open: Andy Murray conjures up magic in first round loss Andy Murray bowed out of the Australian Open with a roar, not a whimper. The former world No. 1 battled hard in the loss to Roberto Bautista Agut, which may have been the last match of his professional career. An ultimate fighter throughout his career, the Scot demonstrated the qualities that not only led to him winning three Grand Slam titles, two Olympic titles and a Davis Cup, but also endeared him to tennis fans around the world. Despite losing the opening two sets and his limp
becoming more pronounced with every passing point, in typical fashion, Murray managed to muster up willpower to fight back. He won tiebreaks to take the third and fourth sets, while his roars, drenched in emotion, ensured the arena in Melbourne rose to fever pitch. He fought to the bitter end, but the wave of euphoria and momentum werenʼt enough to carry Murray to victory as Bautista Agut clinched the fifth set, securing his place in the second round. After the game, Murray stopped short of calling time on his career.