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Showing posts from March, 2018

Germany can improve despite 'high-quality' Spain draw - Joachim Low

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Joachim Low has no doubt there is more to come from both Germany and Spain after the two World Cup hopefuls played out an entertaining 1-1 friendly draw in Dusseldorf. In a mouth-watering showdown between the two most recent world champions, Spain took an early lead through Rodrigo before Thomas Muller smashed home an unstoppable equaliser 10 minutes before the break. Germany had the better chances to win the game in the second half, but Spain goalkeeper David De Gea produced brilliant saves to deny Julian Draxler and Ilkay Gundogan while Mats Hummels sent a looping header against the crossbar. Spain also went close through Isco, who was denied at point-blank range by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and Diego Costa as honours finished even at a sold-out Esprit Arena. Germany coach Low was satisfied with the night's work from his side, but believes the defending world champions and 2010 World Cup winners Spain still have room to improve. He said in quotes reported by www
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Alexis Sanchez creating problems not solutions at Manchester United

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The number conveys greatness at Old Trafford. George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo were Manchester United's great No. 7s. More recently, Angel Di Maria and Memphis Depay were great disappointments. The temptation to put Alexis Sanchez into the same bracket should be resisted. Yet, 10 games into his Old Trafford career, what can be said is that the Chilean is United's great complicator. Complications have abounded since he and Henrikh Mkhitaryan swapped clubs in January, and not just because his sizeable salary could mean future recruits demand similar remuneration and even United's huge budget gets stretched. Those complications are rarely Sanchez's fault, but they are a consequence of his arrival. Jose Mourinho resolved them for 90 minutes against Brighton by reverting to the recent past. He benched Sanchez and named the sort of side he might have picked two months ago. Anthony Martial started and Marcus Rashford
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West Ham give lifetime bans to pitch invaders at Burnley game

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West Ham United have given lifetime bans to five supporters who invaded the pitch during the team's 3-0 defeat by Burnley at London Stadium. Several fans have also been banned for life for throwing coins or objects "with intent to injure or harm". Hammers joint-owner David Sullivan was hit by a coin as fans protested in front of the directors' box. The club said it had taken "swift and decisive action" after acts of "severe violence and physical aggression". It expects to issue further bans for attempted pitch invasions and violence before the next home game against fellow Premier League strugglers Southampton on 31 March. Vice-chairman Karren Brady apologised for the events on 10 March, calling it "one of the most painful days" in the club's history. "We take a zero tolerance approach to any form of violence that endangers the welfare of others, and we are committed to ensuring a safe and comfortable environment
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Rwanda Seventh-Day Adventist churchgoers killed by lightning

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A lightning strike killed at least 16 people and injured dozens more at a Seventh-Day Adventist church in Rwanda on Saturday, an official said. Most of the victims died instantly when lightning hit the church in the southern district of Nyaruguru, local mayor Habitegeko Francois told AFP. Two people died from their injuries, and 140 people were rushed to hospital and health centres. Lightning also killed a student in the area on Friday, the mayor said. The weather accident in the mountainous region near the border with Burundi took place around midday on Saturday while parishioners of the town of Gihemvu were at a church service. "Doctors say that only three [more churchgoers] are in critical condition but they are getting better," Mr Francois told AFP on Sunday. He said that in Friday's incident, lightning struck a group of 18 students in the area, killing one. Three of the students remain in hospital while the rest have been able to return home, repor
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Arsenal show sense of desperation, ease pressure on Arsene Wenger with win in Milan

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Three quick thoughts from the San Siro on Arsenal's 2-0 first-leg win over AC Milan in the Europa League round of 16. 1. Arsenal finally deliver a win to ease pressure on Wenger Don't say your farewells to Arsene Wenger just yet. The Arsenal boss was granted a stay of execution as his Gunners finally produced the kind of performance that indicates there may be hope for this team yet. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Aaron Ramsey scored first-half goals to finally put at least a temporary end to Arsenal's recent struggles, ending a four-match losing streak and putting Arsenal one foot into the Europa League quarterfinals. It also keeps hope alive of winning this competition, which seems the only way for Arsenal to salvage what has been a mightily disappointing season and possibly save Wenger's job. The Frenchman had been in danger of losing five straight games for the first time in his 21-year Arsenal career but instead finds himself with at least a slimmer of h
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Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un to hold 'milestone' meeting

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has invited Donald Trump to meet him, an unprecedented overture which the US leader has said he will accept. The shock announcement that a meeting could take place as early as May was made by South Korean officials in Washington. They passed a verbal message from Mr Kim to Mr Trump and said North Korea's leader "committed to denuclearisation". South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said it was "a milestone for peace". "If President Trump and Chairman Kim meet following an inter-Korean summit, complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula will be put on the right track in earnest," he said. South Korean National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong, who earlier this week met Mr Kim in Pyongyang, announced the development after briefing Mr Trump at the White House. North Korea has not yet issued any official comment on the week's developments. Mr Trump said the development was "great progress&qu
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Mauricio Pochettino's delayed adjustments hold Spurs back in loss

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Two goals against the run of play within three minutes midway through the second half handed Juventus a 2-1 win -- 4-3 on aggregate -- to help the Italian champions past Tottenham and into the last eight of the Champions League on Wednesday. Spurs had dominated the first 45 minutes and -- though fortunate not to concede a penalty -- had enough good chances to go into the break more than a single goal ahead. In the end Tottenham's profligacy in front of goal -- combined with a little naivety, as they lost concentration at a crucial time -- cost them dearly, as Juventus scored twice on the break. Spurs pressed hard for the equaliser that would take the game into extra-time and came close in the dying minutes when a Harry Kane header hit the woodwork. By then it was too little, too late. For Tottenham it was so near, yet so far. Spurs can take some comfort from the fact that they dominated play for long periods of the game and showed they could compete with one of the
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Japan's gripping manhunt ends in capture

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Japanese police have captured a fugitive who had eluded authorities for weeks in a bizarre drama that gripped the country. Tatsuma Hirao, 27, had made a run for it from an open prison in the town of Imabari. Police deployed more than 6,000 officers on the small island of Mukaishima, using everything from dogs to helicopters and drones. He was caught at a train station in Hiroshima, about 50km (30 miles) away. Hirao was not considered a dangerous criminal. Serving five and a half years for theft, he was being held at a facility where inmates are free to walk about without walls or fences. The system did not work in the case of Hirao. The first clues following his getaway were on Mukaishima. On the face of it, the 57 sq km (22 sq mile) island of 22,000 people should not have been an easy place to hide. Yet despite using helicopters, sniffer dogs and drones, Hirao kept eluding his pursuers. All the police found were small clues: fingerprints, items like socks or mobil
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Woman trapped in billionaire's New York lift all weekend

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A woman has been rescued after spending an entire weekend trapped in her billionaire employer's lift, authorities said. The woman, reported to be 53-year-old Marites Fortaliza, entered the elevator at the Manhattan townhouse owned by investment banker Warren Stephens on Friday evening. Firefighters responded to an emergency call at 10:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Monday and forced the lift open. Ms Fortaliza is recovering in hospital. According to a family statement reported by the Associated Press Ms Fortaliza was dehydrated but in a stable condition at Weill Cornell Medical Center. She has been "a valued member of the Stephens extended family for 18 years" and a family member accompanied her to the hospital, they are quoted as saying. Mr Stephens is the head of Stephens Inc, an investment bank based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Authorities said Ms Fortaliza was trapped between the second and third floors of the house, on the Upper East Side of the city nea
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Governor jailed for sexual assault

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A former South Korean governor and one-time presidential contender has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for rape, five months after he was controversially acquitted for the same crime. Ahn Hee-jung was jailed by an appeals court Friday for the rape and assault of Kim Ji-eun, his former assistant, Kim's lawyer Jung Hye-sun told CNN. Speaking after the verdict, Kim thanked her lawyers and witnesses who supported her case. "I can say goodbye to my torturous time when I was forced to live feeling like a witch to be burnt," she said. "I'd like to share all the help I received with other victims who still have to prove everything in their lonely fights. I'd like to send my solidarity to all the victims of sexual crimes whether they spoke about their cases but were ignored or couldn't speak about their issues and quietly watched my trial." Kim came forward with the allegations during an interview with South Korean
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