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46/2018 • 24, FEBRUARY 2018 WEEKEND ISSUE

DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Sergey Lavrov: Russia to vote for Syria truce at UN The international community has accused Moscow and Damascus of indiscriminate shelling of civilians

Russiaʼs foreign minister indicated Moscow would support a 30-day ceasefire in Syria at the UN Security Council.

Carla Del Ponte honored with Hessian Peace Prize

New French immigration bill provokes backlash

Ex-war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte received a €25,000 prize in the German state of Hesse for her "uncompromising fight for peace." In her speech, the Swiss-born Del Ponte called for urgent reform of the UN. Officials in the German state of Hesse honored anti-war crimes crusader Carla Del Ponte on Friday by presenting her with the Albert Osswald Foundationʼs Peace Prize. The 71year-old Del Ponte led an "uncompromising fight for peace" during her career as international prosecutor, the jury said.

France is working on a new immigration law designed to streamline the asylum process. But aid workers fear the legislation could turn the country into a proper "expulsion machine," reports Lisa Louis from Paris. Franceʼs cabinet this week okayed a draft immigration law that will go through parliament in the coming months. Migrants would in the future have less time to apply for asylum and appeal against rejections. The government would have the right to hold them in detention centers pending deportation for more than twice as long.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron echoeda United Nations call for an urgent ceasefire in Syriaon Friday. According to the French presidentʼs office, Merkel and Macron direct their appeals to Russian President Vladimir Putin directly. Earlier in the day, the UNʼs special envoy to Syria appealed to all actors in the conflict to stop the "appalling suffering" of civilians caused by the "indiscriminate" bombing of the Damascus suburbs known as eastern Ghouta. Staffan de Misturaʼs statement called on Russia, Iran and Turkey to reinstate deescalation zones in Syria in order to stop the humanitarian crisis. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia was in favor of a ceasefire ahead of a UN vote on the matter later on Friday. However, Interfax news agency reported that Lavrov had accused the United States and its allies of refusing to change the agreement to include promises from Syrian rebels to abide by the deal. The Syrian government stepped up itsshelling of eastern Ghouta, a longtime rebel stronghold, last week. In that time, the world has been shocked by the harrowing images coming out of the area, many of them showing dead or wounded children.

The government of President Bashar al-Assad has accused the rebels of using civilians as human shields. However, Dr. Hamza Alkateab, a Syrian physician who worked in Aleppo while that city was under heavy shelling, thinks Assadʼs claim is a du-

bious one. "It doesnʼt make any sense at all. The regime propaganda, cheap propaganda always used those claims," AlKateab told DW, claiming that both Syrian and Russian media were complicit in spreading such stories. "The regime is surrounding [eastern Ghouta], and preventing anything and anyone from coming in or out."

The doctor also accused Assad and his Russian allies of bombarding hospitals: "More than 21 health facilities have been targeted in Ghouta…[doctors] know for sure that they are left alone facing this killing machine. So they have to think each time each injury of how many medication they can use. They are thinking all the time that they might run out of painkillers or antibiotics or other things." The proposed ceasefire that the Security Council will vote on includes a 30-day cessation of hostilities in order to allow much-needed food and medical aid to be delivered, as well as clearing civilians from conflict zones. "The regime is surrounding [eastern Ghouta], and preventing anything and anyone from coming in or out." The doctor also accused Assad and his Russian allies of bombarding hospitals: "More than 21 health facilities have been targeted in Ghouta…[doctors] know for sure that they are left alone facing this killing machine. So they have to think each time each injury of how many medication they can use. They are thinking all the time that they might run out of painkillers or antibiotics or other things."

Bundestag slams far-right AfD

Myanmar bulldozed scores of Rohingya villages

Parliamentarians minced no words about the right-wing populistsʼ increasingly radical statements about Germanyʼs dark past. The discussion was sparked by AfD calls to ban the Stumbling Stones remembrance initiative. In a special discussion in Germanyʼs parliament, the Bundestag, MPs underscored the countryʼs commitment to remembering the Holocaust and the other crimes of Germanyʼs Nazi past. The session was called by the Greens after increasing agitation from within the far-right populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to end Germanyʼs culture of remembrances.

Human Rights Watch says the Myanmar authoritiesʼ actions were aimed at covering up evidence of atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.

HRW calls on the government to allow UN fact-finding team in to Rakhine state. New satellite images of Myanmarʼs Rakhine state show that the Myanmar authorities have been bulldozing Rohingya Muslim villages that were burned down during the "ethnic cleansing campaign" against the minority, human rights group, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Friday.

46/2018 • 24, February 2018 Weekend issue US Nuclear Posture Review: A bigger bang for the buck?

The United States has put countering China and Russia, dubbed "revisionist powers," at the center of a new national defense strategy. DW takes a look at what that entails.

At the height of the Cold War, the United States and the then-Soviet Union possessed around 70,000 nuclear warheads between them — enough to destroy or poison every square centimeter of inhabited land on Earth several times over.

Americas US Nuclear Posture Review: A bigger bang for the buck?

The United States has put countering China and Russia, dubbed "revisionist powers," at the center of a new national defense strategy.

DW takes a look at what that entails. At the height of the Cold War, the United States and the then-Soviet Union possessed around 70,000 nuclear warheads between them — enough to destroy or poison every square centimeter of inhabited land on Earth several times over. Somewhat ironically, the concept of "mutually assured destruction" (MAD), whereby the full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender, was and is a guarantor of peace.

A record 28 French restaurants get Michelin three-star ratings Twenty-eight French restaurants have been honored with the gastronomic sectorʼs most coveted rating.

Thatʼs a record number of threestar ratings for any single country in the Michelin Red Guide.

A comeback by La Maison des Bois mastermind Marc Veyrat (pictured) and the emergence of Christophe Bacquieʼs Hotel du Castellet as another culinary force in southern France have given the country a record for most restaurants to hold a vaunted foodie guideʼs coveted three-star maximum. Set for official release on Friday, Michelin France has become the most prestigious of the publicationʼs 31 national editions and the domestic culinary bible. Michelin has faced criticism that its stars reward pomp and presentation rather than the food itself and for the guideʼs putting restaurateurs under unbearable scrutiny. The guide has made many a chefʼs name; others say it has nearly broken their wills. Veyrat — a 67-yearold who quit cooking after a skiing accident nine years ago and faced hardship again when La Maison burned down in 2015 — told The Associated Press that he does not mind the stress.

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Canadaʼs Justin Trudeau amid talks of ʼsnubʼ Modi met the Canadian premier nearly a week after he arrived on his first state visit

Trudeauʼs trip to India has seen him make multiple costume changes and show off dance moves but has not gone exactly to plan.

Modi greeted Trudeau with his signature bear hug on Friday, amid chatter that the Indian authorities were giving a cold shoulder to the visiting North American dignitary.

Trudeau has been fending off criticism that his government is not sufficiently critical of Sikh separatists in Canada. The separatists seek to create an independent Sikh homeland in the Sikh-dominated north In-

Finding ancient cities and improving weather forecasts with LiDAR Researchers discovered an old Mayan city with the help of lightwave technology. Christoph Kiemle from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) explains how the method works and how it could be used in self-driving cars. LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging. Itʼs similar to radar, or radiowave detection and ranging, but it works with optical radiation rather than radio waves. It works with light, basically.

You can use lasers to send out this light to discover properties of the atmosphere or the Earth surface. We typically send a laser beam down to Earth from an airborne platform.

That beam travels through the at-

dian state of Punjab. The meeting took place a day after embarrassed Canadian diplomats had to revoke a party invitation for a man convicted of attempting to kill an Indian minister in Canada. Earlier in the week, Jaspal Atwal, a Canada-based former member of a banned Sikh separatist group, was photographed with Trudeauʼs wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, at a reception in Mumbai. mosphere and can measure particle matter, aerosol in the atmosphere for example. It can detect clouds, it could travel down to the surface when there are no clouds, and it gives us profiles of atmospheric properties. We can detect and derive a lot of information from these measurements that help advance science.

Maldives declares state of emergency, former president arrested The president of the Maldives has ordered his predecessor arrested and called a state of emergency. Soldiers charged into the Supreme Court and arrested two judges after they ordered imprisoned politicians released. Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen called a state of emergency on Monday and ordered soldiers to arrest

Indonesia debates bill criminalizing gay sex and any sex outside of marriage Indonesiaʼs parliament speaker has called for reforms to the criminal code that would outlaw any sex outside of marriage, including gay sex.

Critics say the bill would also weaken checks and balances on democracy.

Indonesian lawmakers began debating controversial changes to the countryʼs criminal code on Tuesday, which critics warn would violate human rights and undermine the countryʼs democracy. Indonesiaʼs parliament speaker Bambang Soesatyo opened proceedings by urging lawmakers to consider the legislation that would curb "homosexual excesses." Writing in the Indonesian daily Koran Sindo, Soesatyo also said Tuesday that gay lifestyles in the country had spawned "horrifying" excesses, such as murder, HIV/AIDS and pedophilia. "If these people actively promote their lifestyles, it will be very worrying," he said. "We urge the state to take firm action." While homosexuality is not illegal in the worldʼs largest Muslim majority country, it has long been viewed as a bugbear to both Indonesiaʼs Islamic and secular political parties.

his 80-year-old predecessor, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, his estranged half brother, who supported the main political opposition. Yameen is in an escalating legal battle with the South Asian island nationʼs Supreme Court after judges ordered the release of all imprisoned opposition leaders in a surprise ruling last week. He ordered Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and another of the Supreme Courtʼs four judges arrested early Tuesday. Yameen called a 15-day state of emergency, deepening a political crisis.The emergency decree grants wide powers for the security forces and police to make arrests, search and seize property and restricts freedom of assembly, officials said.Soldiers forced their way into the Supreme Court building and arrested two of the tribunalʼs four justices.Police used pepper spray to disperse hundreds of protesters who had gathered outside the court.Former President Gayoom was charged with bribery and attempting to overthrow the government, according to his lawyer.

46/2018 • 24, February 2018 Weekend issue

Maximal femininity and chicness in a young sexy brand called NANA’S NANA’S was found in 2015 February, by the young designer and fashion blogger Nati Drencheva (23). The main idea of NANA’S is to be an affordable, chic and unique designer brand, which represents value behind it.

"Wearability is a must for us. We create pieces which can be easily wore by day or at night" - says the young designer lady. (On pic: White maxy coat)

Nati was originally born in Kazanlak, Bulgaria, but living in Budapest. Nati started her career as a fashion blogger ate age of 18.

Her website, WWW.NANASFASHION.COM now has more than140.000 monthly visitors. After 2 years of blogging she decided to turn her creativity into something she always wanted to do as a child and founded her womenswear designer fashion brand – NANA’S. “My little brother used to call me NANA when he was little, this is where the name comes from" - tell Nati. She graduated as a fashion

manager

in

2016

at

Mod’Art,

worked as a stylist (2012-14) and a fashion editor (2014), but had no experience at the designing process.

“I learned every single step by creating the brand from zero and I think this is the best way to learn.” Due to the big

audience of the blog, the brand quickly became popular on the Hungarian market. “First we had a mini collection including not more then 15 types of clothes, and a mini store, now the palette has grown and besides our flagship store in the city center of Buda‐ pest, we have resellers in Hungary and abroad as well. “ The brand also rep-

resents values such as creating a community and movement, called “Lotusbynanas” which is made to help underprivileged and sick children through many platforms. “Being

successful is one thing. What’s more im‐ portant is to be able to change things in your environment in a good way. Charity has always been a close thing to me. I would like to open people’s eyes with the power we have through our cos‐ tumers and my readers that fashion in‐ dustry is not only about superficial things.” Webshop and more infor-

mation: http://shop-nanas.com

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.

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46/2018 • 24, February 2018 Weekend issue

Franceʼs first panda cub, Yuan Meng, makes public debut Little Yuan Meng is the first panda cub to be born in a French zoo

Global warming: 2017 was secondwarmest, last three years are record hot Data from leading international weather agencies shows the recordbreaking trend toward a warmer planet is continuing. The findings uphold scientistsʼ understanding of human-caused climate change.

The World Meteorological Organization has released ameta-analysis confirming that 2017 was the second-hottest year on record. The year2016 remains the warmest since records began, the United Nations agency said, with an average Earth surface temperature at 1.2 degrees

Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. Measuredglobal average temperatures in 2015and 2017 came in at 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer. The analysis consolidated millions of meteorological and marine observations from five international datasets: NASA, the NOAA, the Met Office, the Copernicus Climate Change Service, and the Japan Meteorological Agency. Data from these sources confirmed that the last three years — 2015, 2016 and 2017 — were the warmest ever recorded.

A playful baby panda has been the star attraction this weekend at Beauval Zoo, south of Paris.

Five-month-old Yuan Meng — whose name means "making a dream come true" — has proved a huge hit at Beauval Zoo. The baby appeared along with his mother in a new enclosure. In keeping with his name, Yuan Mengʼs appearance meant some zoo visitors had their wishes fulfilled.

"We got up at 3 in the morning," said Delphine, who had traveled from the Paris region. "My son absolutely wanted to see the cub. We felt we took part in a historic moment. It was very moving." Yuan Meng wasone of

twins when he was born in August, but his sibling died soon after birth.

"It is very important," said another visitor, Patricia. "We absolutely wanted to be here, to discover this ball of fur. Itʼs a little ball of happiness, of peace." China has sent pandas to only about a dozen countries, using the animal as a mark of good relations. A female and male arrived in Beauval in 2012 after top-level negotiations between Paris and Beijing.

Yuan Meng was born five years later through artificial insemination.

Extreme weather a factor in 2015 mass death of saiga antelopes

Trump ʼhealthyʼ with perfect cognitive score, says doctor

"Unusually" warm weather contributed to the sudden death of 200,000 saiga antelopes in 2015 — an event that had baffled scientists — according to a new study. It could happen again, putting the species at risk.

Unusually high temperatures helped contribute to the dramatic sudden death of more than 200,000 "critically endangered" saiga antelopes in Central Asiaʼs remote steppe grassland in 2015, according to a new study. Over the course of three weeks in May 2015, a bacterial disease caused blood poisoning and wiped out more than 80 percent of the saiga population in Kazakhstanʼs Betpak-Dala region. In some herds, not a single animal survived. Researchers already believed the disease was caused by the pathogen Pasteurella multocida, but they were baffled by the die-off because the bacteria had likely been living harmlessly in the saigasʼ tonsils up to that point. This led researchers to wonder why the bacteria suddenly became deadly on such a vast scale among the nomadic animals with the distinctive pendulous nose.

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The White House doctor says Donald Trump is in excellent health following his first physical as president. The exam took place days after a controversial book raised questions about Trumpʼs mental fitness for office.

White House physician Ronny Jackson said Tuesday that Donald Trump had a very strong chance of remaining physically fit and healthy for the full term of his presidency. "In summary, the presidentʼs overall health is excellent," Jackson told reporters at a briefing in Washington.

Following UK, German politicians urge for measures to fight loneliness

German lawmakers have said more needs to be done to help those who suffer from loneliness and to remove the taboos around the issue.

They also praised the UKʼs recent decision to appoint a "Minister for Loneliness."

Politicians in Germany are taking a harder look at loneliness and how it affects the countryʼs large — and growing — elderly population. For someone over the age of 60, loneliness "increases mortality as much as heavy smoking," Karl Lauterbach, a health expert and Social Democrat (SPD), told the German daily Bild newspaper on Friday."There has to be someone who is responsible for the topic of loneliness, preferably in the Health Ministry, who can coordinate the fight against loneliness," Lauterbach added. A discussion about loneliness in Germany was prompted by the United Kingdomʼs recent moveto name a "Minister for Loneliness."

Marcus Weinberg, a politician with German Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs Christian Democrats (CDU), said people should be able to talk the issue freely without fearing that they would be seen as weak, reported Bild.

46/2018 • 24, February 2018 Weekend issue

Would ʼdurabilityʼ labels help people shop greener?

But would such schemes actually inspire greener choices?

France has floated the idea of slapping labels on products like electronics to tell consumers how long they will last, and how easily they can be recycled.

The increasingly short lifespan of products, particularly electronics, is a double scourge: tothe environment in the form of e-waste, and to the consumer who must constantly replace short-lived items with new ones. Now, a French politician has proposed a new label for products to inform consumers about their durability, traceability, eco-design and recyclability. Brune Poirson, who is Secretary of State to the Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition in Emmanuel Macronʼs government, said the labels would "give

the French the means of a more responsible consumption, more favorable to their budget." But analysis shows that consumers are far more interested in the latter than the former. And that may be the fatal flaw in the labels Poirson is envisioning.

At a time when many consumers suspect that manufacturers are engaging in "planned obsolescence" — that is, purposefully designing products to break down quickly so consumers will have to buy new ones — the idea is likely to be popular with the public.

Russian accused of running spam network extradited to US Suspected Russian hacker Pyotr Levashov pleaded not guilty before a US judge after being extradited from Spain. Prosecutors claim he ran a massive computer network that sent out spam and installed malicious software.

Spanish authorities have extradited to the US a Russian man suspected of carrying out cybercrimes using bulk spam emails and malicious software, US officials announced Friday. Pyotr Levashov, a 37-year-old from St. Petersburg, pleaded not guilty to the charges of wire and email fraud, hacking, identity theft and conspiracy after appearing before a federal judge in the US state of Connecticut. He re-

mains in detention. Levashov was arrested in Aprilwhile vacationing with his family in Barcelona. In October, Spainʼs National Court granted the US extradition request, rejecting a counter-extradition request from Russia. US prosecutors say Levashov ran the sprawling Kelihos botnet — a network involving up to 100,000 infected computers that sent spam emails, harvested usersʼ logins and installed malicious software that intercepted bank account passwords. According to the indictment, the network generated and distributed more than 2,500 spam emails a day and allegedly victimized thousands of people in the US.

German university hospital defends auto firmsʼ nitrogen dioxide test ethics No experiments on animals or humans can take place in Germany without a go from an authorized ethics committee. Dr. Thomas Kraus from Aachen University Hospital says this was the case in the most recent NO2 scandal.

The European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT) "did not impinge in any way on the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) research it commissioned Aachen University Hospital to do," Professor Thomas Kraus from the hospital told the German press agency DPA on Monday. The EUGT is a now defunct organization that was funded by German carmakers Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW plus partsmaker Bosch, thus raising questions of possible conflicts of interest. In 2013, 25 healthy volunteers were exposed to NO2 pollution for three hours, Kraus said.

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Culture

Budapest’s Széchenyi Baths extend opening hours When the weather is so moody, it is so nice to plunge into a hot pool filled with mineral-rich thermal waters and soak away in the soothing atmosphere.

While the outdoor pools at Budapest’s splendid Széchenyi Baths are always open until 10pm, from March 1st, the indoor thermal area will also stay open until the same time, welcoming those who would rather enjoy the sight of snow from inside, savouring spa delights after dark.

Housed in a stunning NeoBaroque building, the Széchenyi is probably the most popular spa in Budapest, and certainly the largest of its kind in Europe.

While the open-air plunging area is most popular, the Széchenyi altogether holds 11 pools within, each filled with mineral-rich healing waters, as well as steam cabins, saunas and showers.

From March 1st, bathers can enjoy these convivial facilities until as late as 10pm, while the outdoor area stays open until the same time as usual.

Three pools inside are only available to guests with a medical referral, but this still leaves enough room for tranquil relaxation for everyone.

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46/2018 • 24, February 2018 Weekend issue

Bruno Labbadia takes over as head coach of Wolfsburg

Bruno Labbadia has been appointed as the new head coach of Wolfsburg.

The Bundesliga club made the announcement less than 24 hours after Martin Schmidt threw in the towel.

On Tuesday, Wolfsburg announced the appointment of Bruno Labbadia as their third coach this season, as the club seeks to avoid relegation to the second division. "We are pleased to have been able to recruit Bruno Labbadia for VfL (Wolfsburg). Now we all have to look towards the future and work together to fulfill our duties in a calm manner," the clubʼs managing director, Tim Schumacher, said in the statement announcing the appointment.

Formula One to stop using grid girls amid #MeToo movement

Grid girls have long been a staple of Formula One but the sportʼs new owners have decided to end the practice, days after darts did the same with its walk-on girls. The concept has often been labeled as sexist. Formula One will no longer use walk-on grid girls before races this season, after deciding the practice is old-fashioned amid the current debate oversexual harassment. "Over the last year we have looked at a number of areas which we felt needed updating so as to be more in tune with our vision for this great sport," Sean Bratches, Managing Director of Commercial Operations at Formula One, said in a statement.

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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.

Michy Batshuayi slams Europa League racist abuse Borussia Dortmund:

Borussia Dortmund striker Michy Batshuayi has accused Atalanta fans of racial abuse during a Europa League tie in Italy. The Belgian star complained on Twitter that he was subjected to constant "monkey noises."

Michy Batshuayi and two other Borussia Dortmund players complained they received racial abuse during their sideʼs Europa League match in Italy on Thursday. After Dortmund progressed to the last-16 with a 4-3 aggregate win over Atalanta, Batshuayi tweeted: "2018 and still racists monkey noises in the stands ... really ?! Hope you have fun watching the rest of Europa League on TV while we are

through." The on-loan striker accused the Atalanta fans of making monkey noises for the duration of the match. His teammates Dan-Axel Zagadou and Alexander Isak were also reportedly the target of abuse.

Dortmund captain Marcel Schmelzer said he was not aware of the noises during the match but that he condemned it "in the strongest possible terms," adding that "this doesnʼt belong anywhere."

IOC rejects request to invite 15 cleared Russians to Pyeongchang The IOC has rejected a request to invite 15 Russians, who have had their doping bans overturned, to compete at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. The Kremlin has expressed regret at the decision.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday rejected a request to invite the 15 Russians to the Pyeongchang Winter Games just days after theCourt of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had overturned their lifetime doping bans. A statement posted on the IOCʼs website said that the decision came after a special panel had "unanimously recommended that theIOCnot

extend an invitation to the Olympic Winter Games Pyeongchang 2018 to the 15 individuals."

"The OAR IG (Olympic Athlete from Russia Implementation Group) confirmed that no additional invitations will be extended to these 15 individuals," it added. The 13 active and two retired athletes were among 28 Russians whose bans were overturned by the Swiss-based CAS on Thursday. The IOC bans on 11 other Russian athletes was upheld. The two retired athletes, who had their requests denied, would have worked as coaches for the "Olympic Athlete from Russia" team at the Pyongchang Games.