DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
ʼPoland in Europeʼ Donald Tusk calls for pro-EU vote at Warsaw rally
114/2019 • 20 MAY, 2019
Austriaʼs Sebastian Kurz calls for snap elections after corruption scandal Footage showed the far-right deputy allegedly offering contracts to a supposed Russian investor
Thousands of people turned up in the Polish capital, Warsaw, on Saturday to show support for the European Union and encourage people to vote in Sundayʼs European Parliament election. Speaking at the rally, EU Council President Donald Tusk encouraged people to vote for pro-EU parties, saying it would be a vote for a "free, democratic, Poland without fear, without constraint, without contempt for others." It was thesecond time within weeksthat Tusk had appeared to criticize the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party for disregarding the countryʼs constitution and to stand up for the EU. "A secure Poland in a strong and united Europe is the most precious political value for Poles today," Tusk said.
Pakistan doctor held after more than 400 children test positive for HIV Sikandar Memon, head of the AIDS Control Program in Pakistanʼs southern Sindh province, said earlier this week that 410 children and 100 adults had tested positive for HIV in Larkana. Pakistanʼs Health Ministry has registered 23,000 HIV cases across the country. Officials said the use of unsterilized syringes causes most HIV infections in the country. The HIV cases in Larkana, a home district of former-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, started emerging in early April. Local physician Muzaffar Ghangharo, who has AIDS, was arrested on suspicion of intentionally infecting his patients.
Austrian Chancellor Kurz has requested new elections after a corruption scandal brought down his vice chancellor. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced on Saturday that the country would have fresh elections in the wake of a major scandal involving now former-Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache. Kurz praised his own Austrian Peopleʼs Party (ÖVP) for seeing through many of its campaign promises with the help of Stracheʼs farright Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), but the chancellor said that "enough is enough" after the latest FPÖ embarrassment. "I promised voters I would remain true to myself, no matter what," Kurz said, declaring that he had withdrawn the ÖVP from the government. "I said I would always do what is right and what is necessary." Kurz went on to describe a string of anti-Semitic scandals committed by FPÖ members, calling them "hard to swallow." He accused the Freedom Party of damaging the good work he had tried to do for the country. "This is not what our country needs. I am not in politics to hold this office...but to work for our beautiful
country," Kurz said. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen later confirmed that there would be a new election, but a date has not yet been determined. Van der Bellen condemned the "bold disrespect to the citizens of our country." "This is not Austria," he added. Thousands of people had protested outside the chancellery in Vienna all day, calling for a new election. Germanyʼs Der Spiegel newsmagazine and daily Süddeutsche Zeitung first published a video on Friday that showed Strache offering to give an alleged Russian investor lucrative contracts in exchange for helping his far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) in the 2017 national elections. The video was taken undercover on the Spanish island of Ibiza in the months before the October 2017 elections that would see the FPÖ become the junior coalition partner to Kurzʼs conservative ÖVP. The seven-hour long tape was released to the German news outlets, but its provenance has not been made public.
Nationalist and far-right parties rally in Milan ahead of EU vote Nationalist and far-right parties from across Europe took part in the rally in the northern Italian city of Milan on Saturday. Austriaʼs Freedom Party (FPÖ) canceled its participation at the rally as Vice Chancellor HeinzChristian Strache stepped downover a corruption scandal. However, Alternative for Germanyʼs (AfD) Jörg Meuthen (photo) confirmed his support for the FPÖ. "The FPÖ is our close partner," Meuthen said at the rally. He added that he would not "stab the FPÖ in the back" due to what he called a "singular issue." Strache resigned after a secretly filmed video from 2017 appeared to show him offering someone posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch government contracts in return for political backing.
Australiaʼs conservatives keep power in ʼmiracleʼ election win Labor party leader Bill Shorten admitted defeat in Australiaʼs national elections on Saturday. The Liberal party-led ruling coalition looked set to win at least 73 seats to Laborʼs 65. "Without wanting to hold out any false hope, while there are still millions of votes to count and important seats yet to be finalized, it is obvious that Labor will not be able to form the next government," said Shorten, conceding the election to incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
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114/2019 • 20 May, 2019
US jails former CIA agent for ʼbetraying colleaguesʼ to China A US court on Friday sentenced a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer to 20 years in prison for spying on behalf of China. The 62-year-old man was found guilty of selling "top secret" defense information to Chinese intelligence contacts when he visited Shanghai in 2017. The defendant was a former US army soldier and later went on to hold several jobs at government agencies and defense contractors in which he had access to sensitive information. "This case is one in an alarming trend of former US intelligence officers being targeted by China and betraying their country and colleagues," said Assistant Attorney General John Demers. At least two other former US intelligence officers and a diplomat have pleaded guilty this year to spying for China. Earlier this month,another ex-CIA officer pleaded guilty to conspiring with Chinese intelligence. His lawyer said there was no evidence that he had handed over classified information to Chinese agents. Officials said the latest conviction formed part of the USʼ response to a worrying trend in the intelligence community.
Airbnb cuts listings in Israeli West Bank settlements Home-rental platform Airbnb announced Monday it would no longer offer its service in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, drawing an angry response from Israel. Israel seized the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War, but most countries consider the Jewish settlements there to be illegal. The company said in a statement the decision would affect about 200 properties "in the occupied West Bank that are at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians." "Our hope is that someday sooner rather than later, a framework is put in place where the entire global community is aligned so there will be a resolution to this historic conflict and a clear path forward for everybody to follow," it added. Palestinian and human rights groups had long called on Airbnb to remove the settlement listings from its site. Waleed Assraf, head of a Palestinian anti-settlement group welcomed the development, saying if more companies followed it would "contribute to achieving peace." Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin condemned the move as "the most wretched of wretched capitulations to the boycott efforts." 2
Stand up to far-right, Germanyʼs Angela Merkel tells Europe Chancellor Merkel spoke out against right-wing populism
The resignation of Austriaʼs vice chancellor led German politicians to warn against alliances with populists. Chancellor Merkel spoke out against right-wing populism as many are now demanding new Austrian elections. Even beforeAustrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for new electionson Saturday, German politicians lined up to say their neighbors to the south should go back to the polls following the resignation of Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), following analleged corruption scandal. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, leader of Germanyʼs conservative
Council of Europe slams Greece over refugee camp conditions The Council of Europeʼs Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) raised concerns Tuesday over the "inhuman and degrading" conditions in Greeceʼs refugee camps. The committeeʼs report said the situation was particularly alarming at the Fylakio camp near the Turkish border — one of the "hot spots" set up with backing from the EU to speed up refugee processing. There was a lack of doctors, medicines, food and drinking water in several camps along Turkeyʼs land border, in Athens, and on the Aegean islands.In the northeastern town of Fylakio, up to 95 migrants were being housed in a single room.People were detained for extended periods
Envoy says US convinced Germany to ban Iranʼs Mahan Air US Ambassador Richard Grenell is claiming a diplomatic victory after German officials decided to ban the Iranian airline Mahan Air from operating within the country. Grenell, who has ruffled a few feathers since President Donald Trump picked him for the post last May, told The Wall Street Journal that the move had come after "months of pressing" from the United States. "I think itʼs a great step by the German government," Grenell told the DPA news agency. "It shows great leadership." He added: "No country where Mahan Air flies should feel safe." The German Foreign Ministry took a different stance on Monday, when it announced that Mahan Airʼs landing rights had been withdrawn because the carrier had transported equipment and troops into war zones in the Middle East, particularly in Syria.
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the favorite to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the scandal showed that far-right populists in Europe were prepared to sell the interests of their country for their own benefit. "These people must not be allowed to take on any responsibility in Europe," KrampKarrenbauer told a local party conference in the northern city of Cuxhaven. of time in inadequate and "dirty" conditions at border patrol stations such as Isaacio and Tychero.Many migrants were suffering from scabies because of the poor state of washing facilities, clogged toilets and dirty mattresses and blankets.Refugees at several camps, including Moria on the island of Lesbos, reported suffering abuse and beatings at the hands of police.Hundreds of unaccompanied minors were being housed with single men and at risk of sexual violence.
Children in Germany worry about poverty and want to be heard Having enough quality time with parents and being able to participate in
school decisions are key concerns of children, initial results of a German study published Tuesday have found. The study "Childrenʼs Worlds+" comes as recent student movements around the world haveraised debate about the political participation and impact of childrenand young adults, and also as Germany worries about rising child poverty. Key survey takeaways 99 percent of all participants were existentially secure, meaning they had enough to eat.More than half of all children worried occasionally, frequently or constantly about their familiesʼ financial situations.German children were overall well provided for materially, and the more material possessions a child had, the less they worried about their familiesʼ finances. More young children felt that their teachers took care of them and helped them with problems, while that was less the case with older children.
114/2019 • 20 May, 2019
The Netherlands wins the Eurovision Song Contest Bookies favorite Duncan Lawrence has won the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv with his power ballad "Arcade." An exclusive performance by a 60-year-old pop diva also ensured the night would never be forgotten. Twenty-five-year-old Dutchman Duncan Laurence won the 2019 European Song Contest in Tel Aviv on Saturday night with his catchy ballad "Arcade." Laurence won 492 points to beat Italyʼs Mahmood and 24 other contestants to take Eurovision glory. Russia, Switzerland and Norway made up the rest of the top five respectively after the votes from judges in 41 countries and viewers were tallied. "This is to dreaming big, this is to music first always," Laurence said as he received
Muslim fashion for women exhibition stirs controversy in Germany Muslim head coverings have always been a controversial topic, as they embody so many issues, whether womenʼs rights worldwide or Western prejudice and discrimination against Muslims. Now that the first exhibition dedicated to fashion consciousness of women in Islam is opening at Frankfurtʼs Museum Angwandte Kunst, the debate surrounding headscarves has been rekindled in Germany. Titled "Contemporary Muslim Fashions" and first shown at the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco, the exhibition, however, does not aim to answer the numerous political and social questions related to hijabs or burkinis. "The focus of the exhibition is really fashionable modest dress and what weʼre trying to show in the exhibition is that there is a lot of choice for the mass of Muslim women," said Jill DʼAlessandro, curator of the "Contemporary Muslim Fashions" exhibition in San Francisco.
the iconic microphone trophy. In the weeks leading up to the competition, the Dutchman had hardly budged as the far and away favorite among bookmakers and experts. The ballad he sang of love and loss was cowritten with his compatriot Wouter Hardy and Joel Sjoo from Sweden. Itʼs a song that moves many to tears, delivered in a bare-bones production: The Netherlands has won the contest four times before, with the most recent win in 1975.
Madonna steals the show at Eurovision — for the wrong reasons
It was a cliffhanger. Madonna had been in Tel Aviv since Wednesday and occupied the entire top floor of one of the cityʼs luxury hotels. Rumor had it that the Russian delegation had to relocate to make room for her entourage of roughly 100 persons. Still, for days, the contract hadnʼt been signed. Would she or wouldnʼt she? Only after midnight Thursday did Jon Ola Sand finally confirm thatthe Queen of Pop would perform at Euro-
vision. In interviews up to that point, the EBU Executive Supervisor had been quiet, but firm: "No contract, no appearance." Jon Ola Sand is perhaps the worldʼs only impresario who could afford not to worry about whether Madonna might appear or not: He is in charge of the worldʼs biggest music show with an estimated 200 million viewers — and there could be no doubt that the show would go on.
France and Italy to celebrate Leonardo da Vinciʼs anniversary together French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a joint French-Italian celebration marking 500 years since the death ofRenaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci. Macron told Italian broadcaster RAI he will host Italian President Sergio Mattarella in the French town of Amboise, where da Vinci died, "in the spirit of reconciliation." Both countries have traditionally claimed the artist, who was born in 1452 in the Tuscan town of Vinci in modern Italy and spent most of his life there.
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114/2019 • 20 May, 2019
Why is Italy still the sick man of Europe? Over the last decade, Italy has often been pinpointed as the "sick man in Europe," a vulnerable economy that is a risk to the European Unionʼs financial stability. Still today, a series of disappointing numbers are alerting analysts to the fact that Italyʼs vulnerability might be increasing.The countryʼs government recently cut its growth forecast for the year from 1% to 0.2%. Eurostat recently confirmed that Italyʼs public debt has reversed its declining trend and has grown almost 1% in 2018, reaching 132.2% of gross domestic product (GDP). In total numbers, Italyʼs public debt is the EUʼs highest, and with the meager growth forecasted for this year, it is expected to rise. Italy is also currently theonly EU member state in a recession. But what brought the country to this point? According to Carlo Alberto Carnevale-Maffe, Professor at Bocconi University School of Management in Milan, the situation is actually worse than the government estimates. He and other analysts expect zero or even negative growth, as internal demand remains low and both public and private investment have dropped. "Our export is robust, but itʼs the only positive component of our GDP," he tells DW. "And it isnʼt able to bear the weight of the national economy on its own."
E-scooters can hit German streets after upper house approval The German Bundesrat has voted to allow electric scooters on the countryʼs roads and bike paths. The UK is now the only major European country yet to approve their use. Germanyʼs upper house of Parliament, the Bundesrat, on Friday voted to allow the use of electric scooterswith a top speed of 20 kilometers (12 miles) per hour on roads and bike paths. The approval by the chamber enables e-scooter sharing firms to offer the vehicles for rent on city streets. Critics fear that this could lead to anoverburdening of cycle lanes and roadsand a high risk of injury both to riders and pedestrians. What was decided E-scooters may use cycle paths, but not sidewalks;The minimum age for using e-scooters is 14;The wearing of helmets is not obligatory;Users will not require a driving license;Scooters will be restricted to a maximum speed of 20 km/h (12 mph) 4
SpaceXʼs Starlink satellites: 7 questions for Elon Musk Starlink is the epitome of a megaconstellation: It aims to provide global internet with a constellation of 12,000 satellites. Its nearest competitor, OneWeb, aims to launch just 600. But what does any of it mean? SpaceX and its celebrity-leader, Elon Musk, have a reputation for being fast and first in all manner of technologies — from digital payments to cars, rockets, hyperloops, energy grids, missions to Mars, and now the internet itself. When it comes to space-based global broadband, however, SpaceX is in second position. The company is kickstarting itsStarlinkproject with 60 satellites. OneWeb, another USbased communications company beat SpaceX to it — albeit with just a tenth of the satellites. OneWeb is in cahoots
Are German businesses ready to swallow a CO2 tax? Slowly but surely the German government is bowing to global pressure to introduce a system to price carbon emissions. It was only around two weeks ago that Chancellor Angela Merkel said the government would make some decisions regarding its CO2 policy by the end of the year. Then suddenly on Sunday, it was reported that the economy minister had finally gotten onboard with ideas first proposed by Environment Minister Svenja Schulze. Why the rush? In many parts of the world 2018 was one of the warmest years on record. Germany was no exception to this and its dependence on heavy industry has led to discussions on eating less meat and even the threat of introducing a speed limit on the famous autobahn. Yet despite growing consensus about global warming, paying for carbon dioxide emissions has been opposed by businesses around the world. German businesses in particular fear extra costs for producing CO2 will hurt their global competitiveness, especially if only certain countries sign up.
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Indian leaders vow to fight poverty to win over poor voters India is in the middle of a rancorous general election season in which economic development has once again turned out to be a major issue. In the runup to the polls, political parties across the country have promised schemes to uplift the lot of the nationʼs poor. While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has tried to present a rosy economic picture, touting its efforts over the past five years to improve the well-being of the underprivileged sections of society, the main opposition Congress party has attempted to portray the BJP as a party for the rich. The BJPʼs manifesto has outlined plans for pulling people out of poverty by promising proper housing by 2022 for those living in mud huts or lacking shelter, and piped water connections to every village household by 2024. The ruling party has also pledged to upgrade rural roads and improve connectivity between Indiaʼs villages and cities.
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with a European aerospace firm, Airbus. Together, they launched their first six space-based internet satellites in February. Their goal is to createa web of 600 satellitesin low-Earth orbit (LEO) — thatʼs anywhere up to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from the ground, but close enough to ensure communication between space and Earth is swift. In February 2018, SpaceX launchedtwo Starlink tester satellites. Musk said his megaweb of broadband would serve those people who were "least served."
How much damage are Trump’s tariffs doing to the Chinese economy?
Chinese exports to the US have been subject to the Trump tariffs since last July. According to the US President, this is wrecking the Chinese economy but does the Asian power ultimately have more stomach for this fight? Growth in the Chinese economy has been slowing steadily for much of the last decade. From a rate of 12% annual GDP growth in 2010, the figure is now little more than half that. Last year, the Chinese economy grew by 6.6%. A rate like that would be cause for huge celebration in practically every major western economy,but it was actually the slowest year of growth China has experienced since 1990. 2018 was also the year in which US President Donald Trump started slapping tariffs on Chinese imports, a practice which he continued in recent days with a fresh wave of levies. A crude calculation might directly connect that fact with Chinaʼs 29-year low growth rate. But is it as simple as that?
114/2019 • 20 May, 2019
K-pop as a route to Japan-South Korea reconciliation? Could this help end acrimonious relations between the two countries?
Japanese teenagers are very attracted by South Korean K-pop and often travel to Seoul to learn the songs, dance moves and the language. Itʼs time for K-pop Yuuka Hasumi (17) is one of the Japanese youth who joined ACOPIA School in Seoul. It is a dance/vocal academy run under the ACOPIA Entertainment division. This division offers not only lessons on how to sing and dance like their favorite stars, but also on the Korean language and culture. K-pop dreams As K-pop star wannabe, Yuka has long hours of vocal and dance training. That also means no privacy, no
boyfriend and no phone, but she does not mind. She says, "It will be good if Japan and South Korea will get along through music." ʼNuts about K-popʼ Hasumi and Ibuki Ito (17) are performing at an ACOPIA School party in Seoul on March 16, 2019. In an interview with Reuters Lee Soo-chul, a board member of Seoul-Tokyo Forum said, "Theyʼre nuts about BTS [a boy band from South Korea] over there in Japan."
The Colombian teen fighting to protect her islandʼs coral reefs Yassandra Marcela Barrios Castro is talking to a small group of fishermen on the shore of Tierra Bomba, an island off the coast of Cartagena in northern Colombia. Sheʼs the only woman in the group, and the men, all around her fatherʼs age, are gesticulating wildly at her. But the 19-year-old remains calm and self-composed, as she explains how destructive their practice of blast fishing is to the reef and its inhabitants. The fishermen of Tierra Bomba have been using dynamite to fish for decades and it isnʼt easy to be told theyʼre doing it all wrong — particu-
larly by a teenager. "It is very easy for men to dismiss me because I am a girl," says Yassandra. "And age is something thatʼs respected here, so for a young woman to stand up and say that an old tradition is wrong, and is damaging the ocean… well thatʼs not an easy task." Yassandra lives in Boca Chica, on the south coast of Tierra Bomba. The island is surrounded by coral reefs and its 9,000 human inhabitants rely heavily on the ocean for food. But blast fishing and trawling are tearing apart the very ecosystems that provide the community with a living.
Fighting the spread of illegal landfills in France as trash piles up in ʼsea of wasteʼ A strong wind ruffles Alban Bernardʼs short, gray hair as he strolls along what looks like an unspoiled path a couple of hundred meters from the town of Carrieres-sous-Poissy. But itʼs not quite as bucolic as it seems at first glance. He is, in fact, walking toward what he has dubbed "the sea of waste." Less than a kilometer away from this Parisian suburb, an estimated 36 tons oftrash have been dumped illegally. In some place, the heaps of sofas, glass, shoes, trash bags and other debris in this otherwise empty field reach the height of two men. Bernard discovered the landfill site while walking his dog in January last year. A resident of Carrieres-sous-Poissy for the past 10 years, it was the first time heʼd noticed thewastehidden behind the foliage. "It was horrifying," he recalled. "I thought I would faint. There was an ocean of waste in front of me, stretching as far as the eye could see."
Budapest cafés welcome the reusable Aussie HuskeeCup
Every year, we use several billion coffee cups to go – before they go to the bin. To help java lovers reduce their ecological footprint, many Budapest cafés have introduced Aussie-created HuskeeCups: reusable, sustainable and easy to clean. The HuskeeCup is made of coffee husk, an organic waste material that’s produced at the milling stage of coffee production. Turning the hundreds of tons of discarded husks, usually dumped near factories and degrading the environment, into reusable coffee cups is a great way to keep Mother Nature just that little bit cleaner.
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Culture
Right here, right now! Fatboy Slim comes to Budapest Akvárium Club BRIGHTON BEATMASTER FATBOY SLIM IS COMING TO BUDAPEST FOR HIS LOCAL CLUB DEBUT AT THE FOCAL AKVÁRIUM ON 25 MAY.
Brighton beatmaster Fatboy Slim is coming to Budapest for his local club debut at the focal Akvárium on 25 May. The veteran of many a festival – Glasto, Exit, Coachella – has played Hungary before but never in the intimate surroundings of a sweaty club. The booking represents a major coup for the Akvárium, whose line-up for 2019 also includes John Digweed and Kruder & Dorfmeister. Tickets have not yet gone on sale for Fatboy Slim in the Main Hall of the Akvárium – but keep an eye on theclub’s websiteas they’re bound to sell out in no time. Slim, who successfully shifted from indie to electronica in the 1990s, reignited his career with the hit Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat, in 2013. The DJ star is currently playing a series of huge arenas in the UK, from London to Glasgow. Akvárium Klub District V. Erzsébet tér 12
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114/2019 • 20 May, 2019
Rory McIlroy still ʼright thereʼ in Wells Fargo Championship
Rory McIlroy believes he remains a leading contender at the Wells Fargo Championship despite falling five shots off the lead at the halfway stage. World number four McIlroy, joint leader after an opening 66, dropped three shots on the final two par-fours and had to settle for a one-under-par 70. Despite the gap, McIlroy is optimistic about his chances at Quail Hollow. "I am still right there, but I get off to a good start on Saturday," the Northern Irishman said on pgatour.com.
Fernando Alonso faces missing a place on Indy 500 grid for race
Fernando Alonso is in danger of failing to make the grid for the Indianapolis 500 after setting the 31st fastest time on the first day of qualifying. The two-time Formula 1 world champion faces a shootout on Sunday with five other drivers for the final three places on the 33-car grid. If it rains as forecast, the shootout will be when weather allows next week. Alonso had five attempts at locking in a place in the top 30 on the grid but the McLaren car was not fast enough. "We didnʼt have the speed," said Alonso, who managed a fastest average over his four-lap run of 227.224mph. 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.
Massimiliano Allegri decision ʼthe most difficultʼ Juventus:
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli says the decision to replace manager Massimiliano Allegri was "the most difficult" of his time at the Serie A club. Juve said on Friday that Allegri, 51, wouldleave at the end of the seasonafter five league titles in five years and 11 trophies in total. Italian Allegri had one year remaining on a contract he signed in 2017. "This has been a decision of a lot of focus and emotions," Agnelli said. "At the end of several reflections and analysis, we identified that this was the best decision to make." Under Allegri, who took over from Antonio
Conte in 2014, Juve reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League in the past two years. "We are all useful but no-one is dispensable, starting from me," Agnelli said. "It is the history of the club that it is bigger than any single individual." Allegri said: "We evaluated the future of Juventus and obviously the club decided to take a direction next year without me, but that doesnʼt change anything.
Manchester United: Louis van Gaal on his sacking, his legacy and life in retirement It is almost three years since Louis van Gaal walked into a Wembley news conference and slammed the FA Cup on to the table. The Dutchman had just completed what he regards as his greatest managerial achievement: "Winning a trophy despite having a noose round my neck for six months." Within minutes of the final whistle of Manchester Unitedʼs victory with 10 men against Crystal Palace, it was reported he
would be sacked and replaced by Jose Mourinho. I met Van Gaal in Portugal last week for his first written interview with a British journalist since that day. He looked well, energised and now free from the stresses of over four decades in professional football. The previous week he had confirmed his retirement. Over the course of a fascinating 90 minutes, Van Gaal, now 67, was his usual charismatic self. He laughed - a lot.