DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Germanyʼs Schlecker bankruptcy children facing jail Meike and Lars Schlecker were each sentenced to jail terms of two years and seven months Thursday over breach of trust and insolvency delay and abetting charges upheld by the Karlsruhe-based court. The terms are slightly less than the sentences of 31 and 33 months imposed respectively on Schleckerʼs adult children in November 2017 by the Stuttgart regional court. At the 2017 trial judges found that in January 2012, just days before one of Germanyʼs most well-known chemist chains filed for insolvency, Anton Schlecker steered millions of euros away from creditors to his children, notably a personnel service subsidiary they ran, LDG. Stuttgartʼs regional prosecutions office said the pair, now in their mid-40s, would begin their prison terms in the coming months, once court sentencing files were delivered.
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Ex-Vice President Joe Biden launches 2020 presidential campaign Biden served as vice president under Barack Obama from 2008 to 2016
Syria: 1,600 civilian deaths in US-led strikes on Raqqa, says Amnesty A two-year investigation into US-led coalition air and artillery strikes has revealed more than 1,600 civilian deaths inthe campaign for Islamic State (IS)-held Raqqaover a period of only three months, according to Amnesty International. The joint investigation with Airwars has been collated into an interactivewebsiterecreating what authors call a "brutally vivid account" of the shelling of populated areas where IS used human shields. Amnesty and Airwars said it hoped to draw attention to what the coalition had claimed to be "the most precise air campaign in history." "Coalition forces razed Raqqa, but they cannot erase the truth. The Coalition needs to fully investigate what went wrong at Raqqa and learn from those lessons, to prevent inflicting such tremendous suffering on civilians caught in future military operations," said Chris Woods, director of Airwars.
Germans increasingly hostile towards asylum-seekers
China tries to allay fears over Belt and Road policy
The veteran politician joins a crowded field of candidates vying to win the Democratic Partyʼs presidential nomination and defeat Donald Trump in 2020.
Chinaʼs finance minister defended Beijingʼs Belt and Road initiative on Thursday, pledging to create a sustainable financing system to pay for infrastructure projects. Critics say the project — which aims to connect Asia to Europe and Africa through huge maritime, road and rail projects — could mire poorer countries in debt. Finance Minister Liu Kun was speaking at the start of the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. Whatʼs happening at the summit? The weeklong forum brings together leaders or representatives of 37 countries seeking to benefit from the projects.Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte are among the headline guests.EU powers Germany and France are sending ministers, but the US has dispatched only a low-level delegation.
Former US Vice President Joe Biden announced his candidacy to stand for the presidency in 2020, in a video posted to Twitter on Thursday. "If we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation," Biden said. "Who we are. And I cannot stand by and watch that happen." Polling shows that Biden, who served as Barack Obama’s vice president for eight years, has a strong chance of eventually being nominated as the Democratic candidate. A survey by polling data aggregator RealClearPolitics reveals him to be the favorite among Democratic voters, on 29.3%, followed by independentSenator Bernie Sanderson 23%t. When making his declaration, Biden said the core values of the US and the nationʼs standing in the world were at stake. In the video, Biden focused on the deadly
2017 clashes between white supremacists and counterprotesters inCharlottesville, Virginia. He was particularly critical of Trumpʼs assertion that there were "very fine people" on both sides. "With those words, the president of the United States assigned a moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it," Biden said. In response to the news, Obama said that selecting Biden had been "one of the best decisions" he had ever made. The former US president is not expected to give any formal endorsement until much later in the nomination process. The announcement marks an unofficial end of the chaotic early phase of the 2020 presidential season. At least 20 Democrats are now in the running for the chance to take on Trump next year, with a possibility that some lesser-known candidates might still join the field.
Right-wing populist attitudes have become "normal" in Germanyʼs mainstream, said authors of a new study presented by the left-wing Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Berlin on Thursday. "The center is losing its footing and its democratic orientation," researchers said. The foundation has released reports on right-wing extremism since 2002. The latest study, conducted by a group of researchers from Bielefeld University, shows that a record 54.1% of the respondents across Germany now hold a negative view of asylum-seekers.
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Protests as far-right AfD wrangles over Europe candidates Five hundred Alternative for Germany (AfD) delegates wrangled via procedural run-offs Saturday over who should fill its tail-end candidacy slots as more than a 1,000 opponents headed for the conference venue, overseen by police. Protesters, organized by local civic groups, had set out from the railway station of the 30,000population Elbe River city of Riesa — once a key metal industry hub in communist former East Germany — bound for the convention center. Read more:EU in 2019, challenges and crisis Placards and banners carried by AfD detractors included the slogan "Racism is no alternative," playing off the partyʼs name. Police said they intervened when a roadside bystander made a Hitler salute. The anti-migrant, euroskeptic AfD, launched in 2013 and now holding opposition seats in all of Germanyʼs 16 regional assemblies as well as the federal Bundestag, had begun its four-day convention on Friday in Riesa to complete its list of party members who could serve in the European Parliament following this yearʼs European elections.
Syrian girls attacked in Berlin, racism suspected A man spouting racist insults allegedly confronted two Syrian teenagers in northeastern Berlin and punched them in the face, authorities said Saturday. He hit the girls, aged 15 and 16, "with his fist several times ... before fleeing into a shopping arcade," police alleged in a statement. Both girls were taken to hospital for treatment. Read more: Racist or Islamist — lone-wolf attackers show similar patterns Hours later, a woman reportedly attacked a 12year-old girl in the southeastern district of Neukölln. Officers alleged the suspect tried to tear off the girlʼs headscarf, pulled her hair and threatened her with pepper spray. The woman also allegedly attempted to stab the child with a syringe filled with what appeared to be blood, police said. Officers from the state security police are investigating the incidents, which took place late Friday. The suspected hate crimes highlight tensions over migration in Germany. Last month, a 50-year-old German man was charged with attempted murder after he deliberately drove his car into foreigners in the western cities of Bottrop and Essen. Eight people were injured in the New Yearʼs Day attack, including a 4-year-old Afghan boy and a 10-year-old Syrian girl. 2
Prince William honors WWI dead in New Zealand on Anzac Day Britainʼs Prince William marked the event in Auckland before heading to Christchurch
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Australia, New Zealand and Turkey to commemorate WWI soldiers killed at Gallipoli. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called for unity at theAnzac Day ceremonyhonoring Australian and New Zealand troops who lost their lives in the 1915 battle on Turkeyʼs Gallipoli Peninsula. "Let us recommit to always remembering our shared humanity, that there is more that unites us than divides us," Ardern said. "Our sense of independence is as strong as our sense of responsibility to
China says Interpol chief Meng Hongwei under investigation for bribery Interpol President Meng Hongwei, who had gone missing in late September, is under investigation for bribery and other crimes, the Chinese Security Ministry announced on Monday. Meng is accused of "accepting bribes and is suspected of violating the law," the ministry said in a statement. It also hinted at a political dimension by stating Meng was being probed because of his own "willfulness and for bringing trouble upon himself." Meng, a senior security official in China as well as the first Chinese head of Interpol, has beenmissing since September 25 while on a trip to his native country. On Sunday, Chinaʼs anti-graft body had said that "Public Security Ministry Vice Minister Meng Hongwei is currently under
each other and not just as nationstates but as human beings. That is part of the Anzac legacy," she added at the event in Auckland, which was also attended by the UKʼs Prince William. The prince did not speak at the ceremony, but he laid a wreath in the name of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. The British monarch formally serves as New Zealandʼs head of state. investigation by the National Supervisory Commission for suspected violations of law," without specifying its allegations. China has been cracking down on corruption under President Xi Jinping. Interpol later said Meng had resigned as president of the international police organization with immediate effect. It named South Korean national Kim Jong Yang, who was Senior Vice-President, as acting president.
Attack on Iranian military parade may harden domestic and regional policies A deadly attack on an Iranian military parade may strengthen hardliners in the country and send al-
Egypt President Abdel-Fattah elSissi takes over chair of African Union Egyptʼs President Abdel-Fattah elSissi took up his chairmanship of the 55-member African Union (AU) at its 32nd ordinary session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Sunday. During his tenure, el-Sissi is expected to concentrate on security and financial reform, but with no great plans to strengthen the AUʼs multilateral powers. Instead, the focus is expected to be on combating illegal immigration while Egypt presents itself as a model for hosting refugees. The summit has been titled: "Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons" presented within a security context. Ahead of the summit, el-Sissi set out his priorities for the year: Building bridges in support of African cultural events.Cooperating with partners regionally and internationally.Peace and security, with a focus on post-conflict reconstruction.Institutional and financial reform of the AU.Expediting the CFTA free trade agreement and infrastructure projects.Providing employment opportunities, increasing the return of African youth, developing manufacturing, agriculture and fishing.
ready heightened tensions across the Middle East soaring, asTehran points its finger at the United States and its Gulf Arab allies. The rare attack claimed by Arab separatists killed 12Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)members and 13 others in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province, which is home to Shiite Iranʼs Sunni Arab minority. It was the deadliest attack in the country in nearly a decade. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed "mercenary terrorists" who carried out a crime in "continuation of the conspiracies by the US-backed regimes in the region," while the IRGC under his command vowed "deadly and unforgiving revenge," if need be abroad. Iran did not name a particular Arab country, but the accusations appeared to be aimed at regional rivals Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
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Putin: Kim needs ʼsecurity guaranteesʼ on nuclear deal The Russian and North Korean leaders have ended their meeting in Vladivostok — the first summit of its kind. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Kim Jong Un was willing to disarm under certain conditions. Russian President Vladimir Putin said after his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday that North Korea would need security guarantees before it could pursue nuclear disarmament. Putin, who did not elaborate on what kind of guarantees Kim wanted, said Russia supported the US call for complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. "This is certainly a common priority," he said.
German export policies threaten European defense projects: French ambassador Franceʼs ambassador to Germany, Anne-Marie Descotes, warned on Monday that German arms export policies and licensing rules threatened future Franco-German defense projects. The remarks come as the two European nations are seeking to form closer defense cooperationand deepen ties between their parliaments. In anessay published by the German militaryʼs Federal Academy for Security Policy, she said Germany had a tendency to see arms exports as a domestic political issue, but that its policies still "have serious consequences for our bilateral cooperation in the defense sector and the strengthening of European sovereignty." An ʼuntenableʼ situation Germanyʼs unpredictable arms export policies and long waiting times for export licenses are a particular problem, Descotes said. This has an impact on major Franco-German projects to develop new tanks, combat jets and drones. "This situation is untenable," she wrote. "Realistic export possibilities on the basis of clear and predictable rules are an essential prerequisite for the survival of our European defense industry."
The Russian president also said he was prepared to discuss what was covered at the summit with the United States. "There are no secrets here, no conspiracies... Chairman Kim himself asked us to inform the American side of his position," Putin said. Earlier, Putin bade farewell to Kim outside the venue of their meeting in Vladivostok, after holding talks that were rounded off with a reception toast.
Deutsche Bank hands over Donald Trump loan documents
Deutsche Bank has begun to provide financial documents to New York state authorities related to loans for US President Donald Trump and his business. In March, New York Attorney General Letitia James subpoenaed the German lender for records on loans it provided to the Trump Organization. The bank is now handing over emails and loan documents re-
lated to the financing of Trump hotels in Miami, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., and to a failed attempt to buy the Buffalo Bills football team in 2014, CNN and AFP reported on Wednesday. James requested the documents from Deutsche Bank after Trumpʼs former lawyerMichael Cohen testified to Congressthat Trump inflated his assets to secure loans.
French boy suspected of reintroducing measles to Costa Rica An unvaccinated French child who went on holiday with his parents to Costa Rica is suspected of reintroducing measles to the Central American country. The 5-year-old boy and his parents entered the country on February 18, Costa Ricaʼs Health Ministry said. Authorities have quarantined the boy in a hospital and are searching for people he may have come into contact with since his arrival.
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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.
Mann+Hummel: Hidden champion fights fine particles It only takes the weather to be unfavorable,and megacities across the world sink into wafts of mist. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some 7 million people die every year partly as a result of inhaling polluted air over longer periods. Increasing traffic has no doubt contributed to creating "thick air." Many nations are in the middle of campaigns to reverse the trend by pushing e-mobility, arguing that electric vehicles donʼt have exhaust pipes as sources of poisonous nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. But a closer look reveals that fine particulates cannot be reduced drastically through electric cars. "Irrespective of a carʼs transmission system, it will always produce a lot of particulate matter," says Jan-Eric Raschke, who heads the fine particulates/filtration division at the German company Mann+Hummel. He explains thatroughly 90 percent of all particulate emissions in cars stem from tire wear and the braking system. 4
After the tragedy, Sri Lankan tourism braces for impact More than 350 people lost their lives in terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka on Sunday. The attacks struck at the heart of the countryʼs vibrant tourism industry, a sector of importance to the country’s fragile economy.
Ifo study casts doubt on electric vehiclesʼ climatesaving credentials
When the ifo institute released its findings shortly before Easter, its verdict amounted to no less thanthe slaughtering of a sacred cow of German climate policy: electromobility. The claims made by former ifo president Hans-Werner Sinn, physics professor Christoph Buchal and ifo energy expert Hans-Dieter Long could deal a big blow to this countryʼs efforts to reduce traffic-related CO2 by 40% over the next decade. Germany is heading down a blind alley, the authors boldly state, because electric vehicles will "barely help to cut emissions" as battery-powered cars emit between 10% and "up to a quarter" more CO2 than a conventional diesel car. The research trio compared the CO2 footprint of a Tesla Model 3 with those of a Mercedes 220d diesel car and a Mercedes C Class model converted from petrol to liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Hotel Palazzo Zichy H-1088 Budapest, Lőrinc pap tér 2. T.: +36 1 235 4000 reservation@hpz.hu www.hotel-palazzo-zichy.hu/
This week, Sri Lankans are trying to come to terms with the appalling tragedy that struck their country on Easter Sunday. At least 359 lives were lost in a series of terrorist attacks that took place across the island nation.Tuesday was declared a day of national mourning and already, communities and families have begun burying their dead. As many as 45 of the dead were children. As the nation grieves, the Sri Lankan government must now grapple with several troubling questions relating to Sundayʼs
events. One concerns how the attacks might affect the countryʼs fragile economy, which has seen steady progress since the end of the countryʼs long civil war in 2009. Tourism has been a central driver of Sri Lankaʼs rising GDP growth figures over the last decade. Since the end of the civil war, the number of tourists visiting the country has gone from less than 500,000 in 2009 to just under 2.5 million in 2019, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
Japanʼs Nikkei plunges after US economic turmoil
Ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn released on bail
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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Carlos Ghosn has been released on bail after a Tokyo court rejected a prosecutorʼs appeal. The embattled former executive has been in detention since early April. Carlos Ghosn, the former chairman of Nissan Motors, was released on 500 million yen bail (€4.04 million / $4.5 million) on Thursday after the Tokyo District Court rejected a prosecutorʼs appeal to keep him in detention. Prosecutors forcefully argued that Ghosn — who is accused of underreporting his pay as well asdiverting Nissan fundsto his personal bank accounts — could engage in witness and evidence tampering if released. Ghosn, who claims he is innocent, was arrested last November and released on $9 million bail in March only to berearrested on fresh charges in early April. He has beenin detention since then. The former executive posted his bail. He will be barred from leaving the country and will be subjected to surveillance. Ghosn is reportedly also required to give advance notice of all contact withhis wife, Carole, who Japanese media reported had been in contact with persons involved in the allegations against her husband. Ghosn led Nissan for almost 20 years and is credited with orchestrating the companyʼs alliance with French carmaker Renault and the smaller Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi.
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8 record-breaking books for World Book Day How big is the worldʼs smallest book? And which novel has been read the most?
For UNESCOʼs World Book Day on April 23, we take a look at some quirky and impressive literary achievements. Nowadays, books are increasingly read on screens rather than paper. But for centuries, they have not only served as a means of communication, but have also been status symbols, works of art and collector items. To promote the written word, UNESCO initiated World Book Day in 1995. Its date, April 23, goes back to a Spanish tradition.
Strolling down the Bonngasse, the street where the Beethoven House is located, one could easily overlook the humble facade were it not for the tourist groups that cluster outside. For many, treading the squeaky wooden floors that were once walked upon by Ludwig van Beethoven himself is an emotional moment, particularly when they gaze into the cordoned-off "birth room," empty save for a bust of Beethoven on a pedestal. From February 28, the room where the infant Beethoven is said to have entered the world — probably with a loud cry — and the house his family lived in wonʼt ever be the same. The Beethoven House is closing for several months, the permanent exhibition being given a thorough workover and the facilities expanded.
Hungary promises help for Notre-Dame reconstruction
On the name day of Saint George, roses and books are given as presents in Catalonia. April 23 is also the day William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, two of the most significant writers in the world,passed away. To celebrate World Book Day, click though the gallery above for some astonishing record-breaking books.
What Hollywood movies do to perpetuate racial stereotypes In recent years, there has been increased attention onracismandsexismin Hollywood films, which can be reflected in who acts in front of the camera, who directs behind it and how people are represented on-screen — and often all three. To illustrate how stereotypes have developed in Hollywood, DW analyzed tropes used in more than 6,000 Oscar-eligible movies since 1928. Hollywood history provides many examples of racist caricatures. Black and Asian people have been repeated targets. Take the 1961 Audrey Hepburn movie Break‐ fast at Tiffanyʼs and the bucktoothed Mr. Yunioshi, whosestereotypical "Engrish" accent was intended to mock Japanese people. He is notori-
Beethoven House closes ahead of composerʼs anniversary year
ous, and there are so many more examples. "Racism, in the form of job exclusion and racially stereotyped roles, has defined the Hollywood film industry since its birth in the early 1900s," the sociologist Nancy Wang Yuen writes in her book, Reel Inequal‐ ity: Hollywood Actors and Racism. Indeed, Asian characters in the early days of Hollywood mostly appeared in the form of racist cliches — either as mysterious, menacing villains or as laughable caricatures such as Mr. Yunioshi. In addition to everything else, that character is played by the entirely white American actor Mickey Rooney, thus making it an example of yellowface: a non-Asian person impersonating an Asian person.
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The grass is always greener – the National Museum garden reopens AFTER A MAJOR REVAMP, THE GARDENS AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM HAVE REOPENED, PROVIDING THE PERFECT SPOT TO BASK IN THE FIRST RAYS OF SPRING SUNSHINE. NEW BENCHES AND WATER FEATURES SIT AMID URBAN GREENERY, FIVE MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN TRAFFIC HUB ASTORIA.
Hungary is showing support and solidarity as Paris prepares to rebuild Notre-Dame following the horrific fire that swept through the iconic cathedral on Monday. While the mayor of Budapest has promised funds for its reconstruction, the southern city of Szeged, devastated by floods in 1879, pledged €10,000 and set up a donation initiative. After the promise by French president Emmanuel Macron to rebuild NotreDame within five years, big names such as Apple, L’Oréal, Chanel and Dior have all chipped in to a fund so far totalling a billion dollars. Hungarians have also showed themselves more than willing to be involved.
After a major revamp, the gardens at the National Museum have reopened, providing the perfect spot to bask in the first rays of spring sunshine. New benches and water features sit amid urban greenery, five minutes from downtown traffic hub Astoria.In addition to its historical importance as the gathering place for Hungary’s 1848 Uprising against its Habsburg overlords, the garden at the National Museum is a popular hangout for lunch breaks, lazy afternoons and dates. By the summer, small fountains and water features will complete the picture, while two drinking fountains are already in place. Renovation is not yet officially over, as the side nearest Pollack Mihály tér is still being worked on, with a café due to open soon.
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Virgil van Dijk votes for rival Raheem Sterling as PFA player of the year
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has voted for Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling as his PFA player of the year, and said title rivals City had several candidates for his vote. Van Dijk has been a key part of a Liverpool side boasting the divisionʼs best defensive record this season. Meanwhile, 24-year-old ex-Reds forward Sterling has scored 15 times for City. "I did what I thought and I thought he deserves it," said Van Dijk, with players unable to vote for team-mates. "Heʼs had a fantastic season. I could have voted for Bernardo Silva as well, and another couple of players from City.
Man Utd 0-2 Man City: Pep Guardiola urges side to stay calm
Manchester Cityʼs players must remain calm after their derby victory if they are to retain the Premier League title, says manager Pep Guardiola. Goals from Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane gave City a 2-0 win at Manchester United to move above Liverpool at the top of the table. City will retain the title if they win their last three league matches. "Weʼre still not champions with three games left," said Guardiola, whose side have one point more than Liverpool. "I told the players donʼt read tomorrow, donʼt watch the television, just rest and sleep a lot and go in there against Burnley [on Sunday]. "We go to Burnley and we know how tough it will be. Itʼs important to be calm." 6
Aleksandar Kolarovʼs free kick stunner secures Serbia win over Costa Rica A brilliant second half free kick from captain Aleksandar Kolarov led Serbia to a deserved win over Costa Rica. Serbia were wasteful in front of goal but did enough to secure three vital points in Group E. Another World Cup day, another sublime freekick. If Cristiano Ronaldo’s ice-cold effort tosnatch a point against arch-rivals Spain on day two was the current goal of the tournament 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.
Naomi Osaka beats Hsieh Suwei to reach quarter-finals Stuttgart Open:
World number one Naomi Osaka began her clay-court season with a straight-set victory over Hsieh Su-wei at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. World number one Naomi Osaka began her clay-court season with a straight-set victory over Hsieh Suwei at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.The Japanese, wholost to Taiwanʼs Hsiehat the Miami Open in March, won 6-4
6-3 to reach the quarter-finals. The victory ensures Osaka will retain the world number one ranking for at least another week. Osaka will face Donna Vekic next after the Croat overcame Russiaʼs Daria Kasatkina 6-1 7-5.
Mo Farah & Haile Gebrselassie in dispute over alleged theft Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah and Haile Gebrselassie are involved in a dispute over an alleged theft at a hotel belonging to the Ethiopian athletics great in Addis Ababa. The Briton said he had money, a watch and two phones taken from his room, and that Gebrselassie did not help him. "I was just disappointed with Haile," said 36-year-old Farah. Gebrselassie, 46, responded by accus-
ing Farah of "blackmail" and "defaming" his reputation and business. Farah made the claims at the media preview event of Sundayʼs London Marathon. "Just to be honest, itʼs Haile who owns the hotel and when you stay for three months in that hotel, it was very disappointing to know that someone who has that hotel and that kind of support couldnʼt do nothing," said Farah, who had been training in Ethiopia.