La bruyre

MADRID: Zinedine Zidane claims he has not even thought about the criticism aimed at him in recent weeks as Real Madrid look to build on Sunday's (Sep 22) morale-boosting win away at Sevilla. Madrid eased the growing pressure on their coach with a determined performance at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan after they had been beaten 3-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League four days before. That loss was Madrid's worst during Zidane's two spells as coach and prompted questions about the Frenchman's future, with Jose Mourinho among those linked with taking charge. Madrid play newly-promoted Osasuna on Wednesday and could go top of La Liga with a victory. "It's always the same, there has always been criticism and there always will be," Zidane said in a press conference on Tuesday. "I don't even think about it. It is what it is, it happens. When we lose, I'm going to get sacked and when we win, I'm the best. You just have to keep working. "I feel strong but I feel the … [Read more...] about Football: Zidane brushes off criticism as Madrid look to continue recovery

BEIJING: When Ren Zhengfei went to America for the first time, he prepared well. With US$10,000 sewn into the lining of his jacket, the founder of Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei set off to explore the country he saw as the gateway to the global market for his young company. It was 1997. Mr Ren, a former People’s Liberation Army officer, was 53 years old, and Huawei just 10. After first selling foreign telephone exchange switches in China and then reverse-engineering its own, the company was expanding abroad. Mr Ren’s journey included visits to Bell Labs and IBM, where he marvelled at the power of engineering and at modern management methods, and a stop in Las Vegas to wander around the casinos. The fact he had managed to carry his hidden cash through US customs unnoticed remained one of his favourite anecdotes much later. Those memories may now acquire a bitter aftertaste. The US authorities are coming after Huawei with a vengeance. Meng Wanzhou, Mr Ren’s daughter … [Read more...] about Commentary: Ren Zhengfei, Huawei’s general musters for a fight

(CNN) Few people will envy the man elected to be the new president of FC Barcelona . The upcoming election -- to be held on Sunday, just days after four senior officials were arrested -- is arguably the most important in the club's history and comes at a time of crisis that appears to be deepening by the day . Historic debts, reported by Spanish newspaper El Mundo to be more than one billion dollars, forced Barcelona into a fire sale of some of the most important figures in its playing squad during the summer transfer window. The rebuilding of its decimated squad, proven once again in the recent 4-1 hammering against Paris Saint-Germain to be well below the standard of its European rivals, is one of just many headaches facing the incoming president. Top of the list, however, is the future of club talisman Lionel Messi. The Argentine made public his desire to leave Barcelona last summer and it looks increasingly unlikely he will sign a new contract, meaning the … [Read more...] about Chaos, scandal and anger: Barcelona faces seminal presidential elections

(CNN) Cristiano Ronaldo wrote his name into football's record books once again on the occasion of his 600th league game. When he netted Juventus' third goal in a 3-0 victory against Spezia on Tuesday, Ronaldo became the first player to score at least 20 goals over 12 consecutive seasons in Europe's top five leagues. Alvaro Morata and Federico Chiesa scored Juventus' first two goals before Ronaldo, who had hit the post in the first half, finished off a counterattack in the game's final minutes. The result leaves Juventus third in Italy's Serie A, seven points behind league leader Inter Milan. READ: Diego Maradona's Porsche is up for sale Read More Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 20th Serie A goal of the season. "We didn't make a brilliant start, which is normal when you're playing every three days," said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo as it took his side an hour to open the scoring. "We tried to manage the game and also created some … [Read more...] about Cristiano Ronaldo breaks another record during his 600th league game

LA PAZ: Water resources are running dry in the world's highest-elevation capital due to the combined effect of the Andean glaciers melting, drought and mismanagement. But instead of surrendering, the locals in Bolivia's capital La Paz are finding new ways to tackle the changing climate. The sky-high metropolitan area's 2.7 million people have already been jolted by climate change: a severe drought that lasted for several months from 2016 into 2017 was Bolivia's worst in 25 years, leading to water rationing and widespread protests in several cities. In a sign of possibly worse to come, the Andean snowcaps - which have been relied on to fill the city's reservoirs - are disappearing at a rate that has alarmed scientists. In a gray and misty Valle de las Flores district in the east of the city, people are beginning to adapt to disappearing water resources. There, Juana and her colleague Maria wash clothes for a living at a municipal wash-house, which is fed by spring water. … [Read more...] about Melting snowcaps spell water trouble for world’s highest capital