Frankfurt

It is known as Denglisch, a hybrid of Deutsch and English, and cultural purists say it is an insult to the language of Goethe and should be purged from the vocabulary. Denglisch has spread steadily as Germans adopted United States phrases in business, advertising, technology, and everyday speech.

Police in the German city of Aachen received an unusual call for help late on Wednesday when a woman telephoned to complain her husband was not fulfilling his sexual obligations. After the couple had been sleeping in separate beds for several months without intimate contact, the 44-year-old woman woke the husband (45) in the middle of the night and demanded he satisfy her needs.

Traditional soccer powers from Europe and South America are back on top and the rest of the world has fallen short. Four years ago, half of the quarterfinalists at the World Cup were from nations with no history of major soccer success. Turkey, South Korea, Senegal and the United States gave the tournament a truly global look and two of them made it to the semifinals.

Ahn Jung-Hwan scored the winning goal in the 72nd minute on Tuesday to give South Korea a 2-1 win over Togo and their first World Cup victory away from home. Ahn, who also scored the winner against Italy four years ago to send the Koreans into the World Cup semifinals, sent a 25m shot past Togo goalkeeper Kossi Agassa.

World Cup organisers on Tuesday revealed a plan to use so-called ”human barriers” to prevent pitch invasions at next month’s finals. Last year’s Confederations Cup, also held in Germany, saw several matches interrupted by pitch invasions, and the organising committee wants to ensure there is no repeat at the World Cup.

They sacrifice their holiday time but they don’t get a single cent. They come from all social classes and corners of the world, but the 15 000 volunteers have one thing in common — their enthusiasm for the World Cup spectacle. ”The volunteers will be the smiling faces of the World Cup,” says Theo Zwanziger, president of the World Cup organising committee.

No other subject has generated such fever among football fans and officials over the past few months as the sale of 3,7-million tickets for the World Cup’s 64 matches. And the problematic issue looks set to occupy the public right up to the tournament final on July 9.