Issuu

304/2017 • 30, DECEMBER 2017 WEEKEND ISSUE

DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

NATO chief predicts increased dialogue with Russia in 2018 Towards normalization?

Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance supports improvements to "political dialogue" and "military lines of communication." NATO-Russia relations reached a post-Cold War low after Moscowʼs illegal annexation of Crimea.

Gunmen launch deadly attack on Coptic church At least 10 people have been killed in the attack, including two police officers who tried to stop the men. Islamist militants have increasingly targeted the Coptic Christian community, carrying out attacks on churches. Two gunmen on Friday opened fire outside a church on the outskirts of Cairo before attempting to storm the building, leaving five people dead, including two police officers. Egypt has witnessed a massive spike in attacks against the countryʼs Coptic Christian community and its places of worship over the past year.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday told Germanyʼs DPA news agency that he expects increased dialogue between Russia and the transatlantic alliance in 2018. Relations between NATO and Russia deteriorated in the wake of Moscowʼs annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. After Russiaʼs illegal annexation of Crimea, NATO suspended "all practical cooperation" with MoscowIn 2016, the transatlantic alliance resumed direct talks with Russian ambassadors and a year later with high-ranking military officialsThe US State Secretary Rex Tillerson warned that increased dialogue does not mean ties will be fully restored after Germany pushed for further talks. In the interview, Stoltenberg told DPA news agency: "We are moving forward both on the political dialogue and the military lines of communication, and the whole alliance is behind that.""We need to address the fact that we see a more assertive Russia to the east. At the same time NATOʼs message is that we donʼt want a new Cold War. We donʼt want a new arms race and we want political dialogue with Russia." However, amid a push from Germany to foster communication with Russia, the USʼ top diplomat Tillerson told NATO ministers in December: "I think there is broad consensus among all the NATO members that there is no normalization of dialogue with Russia today." Does NATO view Russia as a threat: This is a tricky question: While

Deadly fire sweeps Drunken Ukrainian truck driver rams Bronx apartment German police car building in New One German police officer has been York killed and two of her colleagues injured A fire in a New York apartment building killed at least 12 people with many more seriously injured, US officials said. The fire broke out in a fivestory story building in the Bronx. The death toll is expected to rise. At least 12 people were killed in the New York blaze that started on a cold Thursday night, marking the "worst fire in several decades" in the metropolis. The fire originated on the first floor of a five-floor building in New York Cityʼs Bronx borough. A oneyear-old child was among the victims.

after their car was rammed by a Ukrainian truck. The driver, who was drunk when the accident occurred, is in police custody. A 48-year-old Ukrainian truck driver rammed a German police car that was waiting for him on the shoulder of the A61 freeway after being alerted by Dutch police, killing one officer and seriously injuring two more. The driver was later apprehended and is currently in police custody according to the Mönchengladbach police department in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

themilitary alliance does not believe a traditional offensive is imminent, it sees Russiaʼs annexation of Ukraine and military build up on its eastern flank as aggressive posturing and apossible threat to neighboring member states, such as Estonia and Lithuania. What happens next: With 2018 around the corner, both sides are likely to continue using various channels of communication for practical military coordination and political dialogue, mostly to avoid an escalation of tensions. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday told Germanyʼs DPA news agency that he expects increased dialogue between Russia and the transatlantic alliance in 2018. Relations between NATO and Russia deteriorated in the wake of Moscowʼs annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. After Russiaʼs illegal annexation of Crimea, NATO suspended "all practical cooperation" with MoscowIn 2016, the transatlantic alliance resumed direct talks with Russian ambassadors and a year later with high-ranking military officialsThe US State Secretary Rex Tillerson warned that increased dialogue does not mean ties will be fully restored after Germany pushed for further talks. In the interview, Stoltenberg told DPA news agency: "We are moving forward both on the political dialogue and the military lines of communication, and the whole alliance is behind that.""We need to address the fact that we see a more assertive Russia to the east.

Mumbai: Fire engulfs office building, several killed A fire in Indiaʼs financial capital of Mumbai has killed at least 14 people. According to authorities, most of the casualties were part of a group celebrating a birthday in the buildingʼs rooftop restaurant. Indian authorities said the fire had erupted at around 12:30 a.m. local time (1900 UTC/GMT) on Friday morning in a restaurant in Mumbaiʼs Lower Parel area. At least 14 people are reported to have died in the blaze with more than a dozen were injured and taken to a hospital.

304/2017 • 30, December 2017 Weekend issue

Russia vetoes last-ditch bid to save probe into gas attacks in Syria Russia used its veto twice in 24 hours to deny a new mandate to the UN team looking into chemical weapon attacks in Syria. Moscow said it would not extend the mandate of the probe without fixing its "fundamental flaws." Tensions were running high in the UN Security Council on Friday after Russia vetoed a last-ditch motion by Japan to continue the UN-led investigation into chemical weapons use in Syria. The move comes only a day after Russiavetoed a separate US draft resolutionto extend the probe, and its own draft was in turn rejected by the US, UK, and France. Moscow has repeatedly criticized the findings of the UN-backed investigative body, dubbed Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) as biased and inaccurate. Last week, JIM released a report blaming the Syrian regime for the chemical attack which killed around 100 people in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in April. Russia rejected it as "invented" and insisted that the body needed to reform.

Ousted Venezuelan opposition leader escapes house arrest, flees to Spain Ousted Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma has likened his escape to a film. He plans to take the fight against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro abroad. The ousted opposition mayor of Caracas arrived in Spain on Saturday after orchestrating a daring escape from house arrest in Venezuela. Antonio Ledezma landed in Madrid from Bogota, Colombia, where he arrived a day earlier after slipping across the border. He was greeted by his wife and two daughters who live in Spain. Ledezma said he planned to organize resistance from abroad to President Nicolas Maduro, under whose rule millions of Venezuelans have suffered from shortages of food and other basic supplies. "I am going to travel the world to spread the hope of all Venezuelans to escape this regime, this dictatorship," Ledezma said. The 62-year-old opposition figure was removed as mayor of Caracas and arrested in 2015 on allegations he sought to topple Maduro. He was later put under house arrest due to health issues. Ledezma was one of the opposition leaders who led protests against the government in 2014, which also resulted in the arrest of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. He remains under house arrest. 2

Vladimir Putin calls St. Petersburg supermarket blast a terrorist attack The toll of 13 injured could have been much worse, Putin claims, as another attack was thwarted

The Russian president said a supermarket explosion in the countryʼs second-largest city was an "act of terror." Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said a bomb that went off in aSt. Petersburg supermarket on Wednesdaywas an act of terrorism. "You know that yesterday in St. Petersburg a terrorist act was carried out," Putin said, referring to the explosion that injured at least 13 shoppers in a branch of the Perekrestok supermarket chain. Putin made the comments at an awards ceremony in the Kremlin for Russian personnel who had served in Syria. He told the audience security forces should take no chances with their own lives if

confronted by terrorist suspects. Putin also said that the security situation in Russia would be much worse if thousands of Russian citizens who fought with "Islamic State" (IS) in Syria had been allowed to return home. Russian intelligence, the Federal Security Service, had "recently thwarted another attempted terror attack," Putin added. He did not provide further details but the Kremlin said earlier this month that a US tipoff had helped thwart a planned attack on St. Petersburgʼs Kazansky Cathedral. Valdez peninsula, bore no results, Argentina said it was stepping up its search efforts and calling on allies for help. "We have not been able to find, or have visual or radar communication with the submarine," navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters at a news conference. "I donʼt want to dramatize the issue. Weʼre lacking communication and donʼt know what happened." The incident has formally been upgraded to a "search and rescue" operation, Balbi added.

Cambodia charges 2 journalists with espionage The arrests are the latest in a widening crackdown on media and the opposition in Cambodia ahead of elections next year. The move further

Australia shutters Papua New Guinea detention center Around 600 asylum seekers have refused to leave the facility, citing fears of attacks from locals. Australian lawmakers have warned of a "humanitarian emergency" when authorities in Papua New Guinea shut off the water. Private security staff at a controversial Australian detention center in Papua New Guinea left the facility for the first time in years on Tuesday ahead of its expected closure. The facility formed an integral part ofAustraliaʼs expensive offshore detention programknown as "Sovereign Borders." However, Papua New Guineaʼs Supreme Court ruled that the facility is unconstitutional and needed to be closed. Some 600 asylum seekers residing at the facility have refused to leave, saying the alternatives provided are less secure. Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the campʼs closure would proceed, and that the asylum seekers have access to temporary residences nearby. "All have been informed for a considerable period of time that there is safe and secure alternate accommodation where health and other services will be maintained," Dutton told Reuters news agency in an emailed statement.

strains ties between the United States and Cambodia. Two Cambodian journalists who worked for a US-funded radio station were charged with espionage on Saturday, the latest move in a widening crackdown on critics of authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Uon Chhin and Yeang Socheameta, former journalists of the Washington-based Radio Free Asia, were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly providing information to a foreign power. The offense carries up to 15-years in prison. Radio Free Asiaʼs Phnom Penh bureau closed its office in September, citing "intimidation" and threats that it was violating tax and registration regulations. The Cambodia Daily newspaper reported the two journalists were accused of setting up broadcasting equipment in the capital and sending news reports to Radio Free Asiaʼs Washington bureau.

304/2017 • 30, December 2017 Weekend issue

YOUR JOURNEY TO TOTAL RELAXATION AND WELLBEING BEGINS AT HARMONY SPA BUDAPEST The Harmony Spa welcomes local guests as well as hotel guests for treatments, relaxation and wellness usage as a DaySpa. Aria Hotel Budapest’s spa offers 35 Feet Indoor Heated Pool and Jacuzzi, Finnish and Infrared Sauna, Aromatic Steam Bath, Gym and private rooftop yoga sessions, all in the heart of Budapest, just a few steps away from St. Stephen’s Basilica. 35 Feet Indoor Heated Pool, lounge space with Private Cabanas, and indulging Jacuzzi – Harmony Spa is truly a place for total relaxation in the heart of Budapest, which was also honored as the Europeʼs Best Wellness Spa 2015 at the World Boutique Hotel Awards. There is so much to love about Harmony Spa at Aria Hotel Budapest, but what the judges said put the Aria on top was the unique experience of musically inspired spa treatments and the option to book a private Harmony Rooftop Yoga to take in the morning glow of the beautiful and majestic city around you while taking time to reset, relax and restore. The Harmony Spa welcomes local guests as well as hotel guests for treatments, relaxation and wellness usage as a DaySpa. Harmony Spa offers lounge space with Private Cabanas, 35 Feet Indoor Heated Pool and Jacuzzi, Finnish and Infrared Sauna, Aromatic Steam Bath, Hydro Rider Aqua Bicycles and a wellequipped Gym. Private rooftop yoga and aquafitness sessions can be booked on request, as well as the Harmony Rooftop Yoga classes organized on every second Sunday with

breathtaking views to the St. Stephen’s Basilica. Discover the haven of wellness and beauty, with an orchestra of sensory experiences to indulge in. Harmony Spa at the Aria Hotel Budapest provides a unique fusion of spa and state of the art wellness for an integrated experience to help you relax, revitalize, re-energize and rejuvenate. From innovative antiageing and lifting facials to tranquilizing beauty and spa treatments, massages, manicure and pedicure are all available to our guests. Local guests who book a treatment also enjoy a complimentary half day pass to the Wellness and Gym. More on treatments: Enjoy our all natural approach to beauty and well-being with exclusive body treatments and rituals, benefit from high performance ingredients, Hungarian thermal water, natural herbs and vitamin extracts for exceptional results, leaving your skin healthy and glowing. Throughout the treatments you will have our therapists’ undivided attention as they ensure your comfort with warmed beds and heated towels, and anything you need to feel completely at peace. Guests may choose from one of

Aria’s most simple treatments or one of the intensive treatments such as structured detox or anti-aging nourishment. One can also enhance their experience with a wide range of spa, well-being, and anti-aging services. More on the Gym: Treat yourself to some "me" time that will benefit your life long after your holiday ends. The guests of the Aria Hotel Budapest and local visitors are welcome to arrange for personal training sessions or physical therapy sessions to help them start on a path to wellness and recovery. Guests enjoy access to an array of high performance equipment to enhance their strength and stamina, including Cardio Machines with treadmill, elliptical, bicycle from Technogym, Kinesis Wellness Ball and free weights. Two Aqua bicycles are available to enjoy in the heated indoor swimming pool. Enjoy swimming, private or group aqua fitness classes, as well as our unique Harmony Rooftop Yoga sessions. Every treatment at the Aria comes with a complimentary pass to the Harmony Spa Fitness and Wellness. We wish you a great relaxation! See you there!

Argentina navy loses contact with submarine with 44 crew on board No one has heard from an Argentinian submarine for at least two days. While authorities initially insisted it wasnʼt missing, Argentinaʼs navy has stepped up its search efforts. Argentinaʼs navy lost contact with one of its submarines and its 44 crew members, it announced on Friday. Although the German-built ARA San Juan has been out of contact for two days, the navy initially did not consider it lost. "Itʼs not that itʼs lost, because to be lost, you have to look for it and not find it," the navy told a local broadcaster. However, after an initial search operation in the submarineʼs last known position, around 430 kilometers (267miles) off the southeastern Valdez peninsula, bore no results, Argentina said it was stepping up its search efforts and calling on allies for help. "We have not been able to find, or have visual or radar communication with the submarine," navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters at a news conference. "I donʼt want to dramatize the issue. Weʼre lacking communication and donʼt know what happened." The incident has formally been upgraded to a "search and rescue" operation, Balbi added.

35th Hungarian Press Photo Exhibition at Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center The previous year’s best Hungarian press photos were chosen for the thirty-fifth time - a celebration of photo reporters and photography across the country. Capa Center exhibits camera-captured fates, relationships and humanity for two months.

304/2017 • 30, December 2017 Weekend issue

What to do when you break a tooth Can it be saved? In some cases it can, under certain conditions

Mourning geckos donʼt need males Some animal species can do very well without male partners. Mourning geckos are just one of many examples. Their reproduction method — known as parthenogenesis — is our natural phenomenon of the week. More or less once every two to four weeks over her five-year lifespan, the female mourning gecko goes through the same ritual: The reptile begins the search for a well-protected place to hide one or two of her eggs. Fifty to 75 days later, new geckos hatch from these eggs. Not very spectacular, right? But the nocturnal climbers look

exactly like their mother. And if they lay egg, once they reach maturity after eight months, their offspring will look exactly like them. Thatʼs because mourning geckos clone themselves — and all of them are female. No males are required to reproduce. That reptiles do not need males is not totally unusual in nature and various other species do the same. Some crabs, snails, and plants as well as komodo dragons and single-celled organisms — all of them come into the world alive and well without a male. The process behind this is called parthenogenesis which means something like "virgin birth."

Accidents can happen suddenly, and a tooth can be chipped or broken off. In most cases, itʼs the upper incisors that are chipped, broken or knocked out. A dentist can try to reattach a chipped-off fragment of a tooth if it still exists, but it has to be intact. If nothing is done, broken-off fragments of teeth dry out within a few minutes. Their cells die off. After only a short time, the tooth becomes unsalvageable and canʼt be repaired. Broken-off tooth fragments can be preserved for about 30 minutes in saliva, plastic foil or long-life milk. Then go as soon as

possible to your dentist or a dental clinic. If youʼve lost the fragment that has broken off and the damage to whatʼs left of the tooth in your mouth is not too great, the dentist can replace the fragment with a filling. More severely damaged incisors may be repaired with dental veneers, wafer-thin shells of porcelain bonded to the teeth. If the tooth has been lost or destroyed completely, it will have to be replaced by a denture, a bridge or an implant.

ESA launches new Sentinel-2B satellite to monitor Earth

White rhino killed by suspected poachers at French zoo

The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched the newest addition to its multi-billion-euro Copernicus program. The monitoring network aims to track pollution, deforestation, weather, and other changes on Earthʼs surface. The Sentinel-2B satellite entered orbit on Tuesday afterblasting off from ESAʼs launch site Kourouin French Guiana. Its twin, Sentinel-2A, was launched in 2015. Both of the satellites are a part of a fleet set up for ESAʼs Copernicus Earth Monitoring program, which is the worldʼs largest environmental monitoring project, according to the agency. The two orbiters are set to monitor the globe from the opposite sides of the planet and send outhigh-resolution color and infrared imagesof the surface. By doing so, the satellites will help scientists track changes in forest cover and water pollution. 4

The break-in at the Thoiry wildlife park near Paris is suspected as poaching. Rhino horns fetch thousands on the black market. Zookeepers at the Thoiry zoo and wildlife park made the grisly discovery on Tuesday after an overnight attack. "Staff left the rhino enclosure on Monday. When they returned on Tuesday, an animal had been killed and its two horns had been sawn off," a police spokeswoman told news agency AFP.

Smartphones - not so smart for the planet

Since then, nearly 7 billion smartphones have been sold around the globe - not without an impact on the planet. Itʼs eight in the morning, the train is crowded with people heading to work - and it is hard to find anybody who is

not staring at their smartphone. Then, a Twitter message pops up. It comes from Greenpeace. "Think twice about the impact your beloved gadget is having", is the reminder. Since the first Apple iPhone appeared on the market in 2007, more than seven billion smartphones have been produced around the world - that more or less equals the number of people on the planet. Now it might sound very romantic if everyone kept one phone for life. But that is far from being the case. Greenpeace says an average phone in the United States is only used over two years. Most of the time, phones are not replaced because of some irreparable technical problem. It is rather just the desire to have the latest model, with some new innovative features - or because it is easier and less expensive to buy a new one.

304/2017 • 30, December 2017 Weekend issue

France faces challenges as it embraces offshore wind power Winds of change:

France has launched its first offshore turbine to curb reliance on nuclear and reach climate goals — France could become Europeʼs second-largest wind energy producer after Germany. But the transition brings problems. Offshore wind energy produces more — and more reliable — energy than previously thought, a new study shows. Offshore wind facilities in the North and Baltic seas generate energy on 363 days of the year — more than the 340 days previously indicated, says the study commissioned by the BremenbasedFraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology. This amounts to a nearly constant source of energy from offshore wind, the study points out. The wind energy industry sees this as a clear

sign for building out offshore capacities, also to carry forward the ongoing transition to renewable energies to reach climate protection goals. Conservationists continue to harbor concerns over theimpact of offshore wind development to both birds and marine species. And in the meantime, France is moving forward with building out its offshore wind capacity, having recently launched the Floatgen turbine — a three-year, €25-million ($29-million) pilot supported by a European consortium of businesses and research groups.

Teachers for AI — can robots create more jobs than they retire? While headway in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry has many worried about potential jobs losses, others see this as a perfect opportunity to nurture an economy that is completely human-based. Workers can spend anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 hours a week going through simple tasks on a smartphone, making AI all over the world more intelligent and efficient. By building platforms and crowd sourcing a large supply of workers, the companies that train AI were smart to realize the data needed could be processed by anyone with steady access to the internet. From this developed companies like Clickwork, Neurala,

and Alegion Inc., which utilize "human taggers" to push AI education. With over a million "clickworkers" signed up, thereʼs an estimated 100,000 people logged on at this very moment, sifting through droves of information and lending a human touch to robot training. "Staring at security cameras or an airport scanner, remote-controlling a robot, driving trucks up and down a mine did not exist as jobs until recently," says Massimiliano Versace, CEO of Neurala, "and will probably not exist as jobs occupying a full-time human as they are today. Humans were created to do much more complicated and elevated tasks than watching videos 24/7."

Weather

Germany must allow third gender in registry of births, court rules An intersex person has won a court case to allow them to enter a third gender into the registry of births. The case was appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court after failing at lower levels. Germanyʼs Federal Constitutional Court on Wednesday called for a third gender option in the registry of births. Intersex people, who are neither male nor female, should be able to register their sexual identity as such, the Karlsruhe court ruled. The court found that the general right to the protection of personality in Germanyʼs Basic Law meant the register had to be altered to allow a third gender. The court ruled seven to one that lawmakers must create new legislation by the end of 2018 to allow for a third sex, providing the examples of "intersex," "diverse" or another "positive designation of sex." Another possibility raised was to scrap gender entries altogether. "Assignment to a gender is of paramount importance for individual identity; it typically plays a key role both in the self-image of a person and in the way in which the person concerned is perceived by others. The gender identity of those persons who are neither male nor female is protected,"the court ruled.

Advent Feast at the Basilica November 24 - January 1

One of the ‘Best European Christmas Markets’ is a must-see event in the heart of Budapest Discover Hungary’s most acclaimed Christmas market: The Advent Feast at the Basilica is blending Central European traditions and modern attractions, turning the iconic St. Stephenʼs square into 3D cinema. For more details and information about the Advent Feast’s event schedule, check out thewww.adventiunnep.hu/enwebsite. Budapest 1051, Szent István tér Opening hours: MondayFriday: 11 am – 10 pm, SaturdaySunday: 10 am – 10 pm, and 10 am – 2 pm on December 24. Skating class hours: Friday from 2-8 pm, Saturday from 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday from 10 am -6 pm.

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Hungary Budapest: Debrecen: Eger: Hévíz:

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Athens: Berlin: Bratislava: Bucharest: London: Madrid:

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Europe Moscow: Paris: Prague: Rome: Varsaw: Vienna:

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Culture

New Hungarian film Aurora Borealis now screens in Budapest Becoming a mother is a miraculous time in a woman’s life. However, there are certain scenarios when the arrival of a newcomer is not entirely wonderful news. The new motion picture by eminent Hungarian director Márta Mészáros, Aurora Borealis, tells a touching tale, taking viewers back in time in Hungary and leaving them reaching for the Kleenex. The story has two timelines. One transports viewers back to a western Hungarian village in 1953, where a descendant of an aristocratic family, Ákos, falls for a village girl, Mari. They try to escape to Austria together, but unfortunately with no success, and after being harassed by soldiers, Mari has to start a new life alone and pregnant in occupied Vienna. The other storyline is in the present, unfolding the events through the recollections of old Mari, now a pensioner living in her old village. One day she gets a letter from Russia and falls into a coma. Her daughter Olga, a lawyer living alone in Vienna, comes back to care for her. Suspecting something about her mother’s past isn’t quite right, she starts investigating. This is only a fraction of the story, as anything else would be a major spoiler. However, even the trailer foretells that Olga’s dad might not be who she thinks after all.

304/2017 • 30, December 2017 Weekend issue

Serena Williams to return to tennis in Abu Dhabi

The former world number one will make her comeback this month after birth of her first child. The 36-yearold will take on the reigning French Open champion. American tennis star and former world number one Serena Williams is set to make her comeback on December 30 after birth of her first child. The 36-year-old will play her first competitive match in 11 months in the United Arab Emirates. Serena Williams will play an exhibition match on the final day of the Mubadala event on December 30, tournament organizers announced Sunday. The former world number one will take on reigning French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi. Williams has not played since hervictory in the Australian Open11 months ago. She gave birth to her first child, Alexis Olympia, in September.

Eleven Russian athletes banned for life for doping

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the offences were committed during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Further cases “cannot be excluded,” the IOC said. According to the IOC Disciplinary Commission, the athletes were also stripped of their medals and banned from future Olympic events. The list of banned athletes includes speed skaters Ivan Skobrev, a two-time Olympic medallist, and Tatyana Ivanova, who won a silver medal in Sochi. According to the IOC, the number of cases opened has reached 46. The committee said that it couldnʼt rule out the possibility of "new elements that would justify opening further new cases and holding more hearings." 6

Athletics doping: IOC confident over Russia doping reform plans International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach believes Russia will resolve its doping issues and field athletes at next yearʼs Rio Games. Russia was provisionally suspendedfrom world athletics after an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report alleged "state-sponsored doping". Bach met with his Russian Olympic Committee counterpart Alexander Zhukov to discuss the report. He said he was "confident" in the measures put forward by the ROC. Council members of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Friday voted 22-1 in favour of Russia being banned. As it stands, Russian athletes may not enter international competitions, including the World Athletic Series and Rio Olympics, which begin on 5 August next year. Russia will also not be entitled to host the 2016 World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary and the 2016 World Junior Championships in Kazan. "We are confident that the initiatives being proposed by the ROC, with the responsible international organisations - Wada and the IAAF - will ensure compliance as soon as possible in order to provide participation of the clean Russian athletes at the Olympic Games," said IOC president Bach.

Sandro Wagner joins Bayern Munich The Hoffenheim striker returns to his boyhood club for a reported fee of 12 million euros

Wagner, whose form under Julian Nagelsmann has put him in with a shot of a World Cup spot, said: "Iʼm coming back home." After weeks of rumors, Bayern Munich have finally confirmed the signing of Hoffenheim striker Sandro Wagner for a reported fee of €12 million ($14.25 million). The Germany international joins the Bundesliga champions after two successful years at Hoffenheim, in which he scored 18 goals, and played a key part in the team qualifying for Europe last season. Wagner started his professional career at Bayern in the 2007/8 season. He made his Bundesliga debut with the club, before moving elsewhere in

order to secure more game time. The Munich-born striker then went on to play for Duisburg, Werder Bremen, Hertha Berlin and Darmstadt, before joining Hoffenheim. "A long journey has come to an end for me, Iʼm coming back home to my club," said Wagner after the deal was confirmed. "Bayern is one of the worldʼs biggest clubs." Wagner is expected to join the clubas a backup for prolific Polish striker Robert Lewandowski; unusually for a front man, he will play with the number 2 on the back of his jersey.

What does Mario Gomezʼs return mean to Stuttgart? Stuttgart are desperate for goals as the team have failed to put the ball in the back of the net in their last four Bundesliga matches. Is the return of striker Mario Gomez what they have been missing? Usually there isnʼt a dry season in Stuttgart as the city receives moderate precipitation year-round but when it comes to goals, this December has been the driest of months for the Swabians. Zero goals in their last four games have amounted to zero points, leaving the team just two points away from the relegation zone. Last season the club relied

heavily on striker Simon Teroddeʼs nose for goal. The player had four assists and scored 25 goals in 32 games, becoming the top scorer in Germany’s second division. However, it has been a different story ever since Stuttgart’s promotion. Terodde, a striker with minimal top-flight experience, has only managed one assist and two goals in 15 matches this Bundesliga season. The club have announced Terodde is moving to Cologne, leaving a gap in Stuttgartʼs attack which they have quickly filled by signing their former striker Mario Gomez from Wolfsburg.