title

DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Barcelona boosts security after US warns of possible attack Catalan police were checking coaches, buses, and minibuses in Barcelona on Monday, after the local media reported on a possible terror plot involving a 30-year-old Moroccan. The man is reported to have a bus driver license. The daily El Period‐ ico de Catalunya said that the police had circulated an internal note saying that the man could drive a bus into civilians. The authorities also boosted police presence at popular tourist landmarks, including the Sagrada Familia Cathedral and the Las Ramblas Boulevard, according to the Spanish daily El Pais. In 2017,a 22-year-old Moroccan drove a van into crowds at Las Ramblas, killing 16 and injuring 131 people. He was killed several days later. On Sunday, the US State Department unexpectedly tweeted a terror warning to travelers in Barcelona. The message advises visitors to exercise "heightened caution" around vehicles "including buses" in the Las Ramblas area.

German police find ʼIslamic Stateʼ flag after suspected attack on Berlin railway track German police said on Tuesday they had recovered a flag of the "Islamic State" (IS) group and a text in Arabic close to a railway track in Berlin where an overhead power cable was found to be damaged on Sunday. Investigators are trying to ascertain if the propaganda objects were linked to the damage caused to the overhead contact wire. They are also examining if the perpetrators had any political motives.

"Since the beginning of the investigation, several pieces of evidence have been secured," police said, adding that investigators found a torn steel cable and the damaged overhead contact wire at the train track on Sunday.

1/2019 • 2 JANUARY, 2019

Will 2019 be the year of the crash?

Thereʼs good reason to believe so

An exciting year is behind us in terms of economic developments.

And the new year wonʼt be dull either. But will we finally see the end of the long upswing?

South Korea to fine BMW $10 million over engine fires BMW has recalled millions of cars worldwide with a faulty exhaust gas recirculation cooler. South Koreaʼs Transport Ministry accuses the automaker of dragging its feet on the recall.

South Korea said Monday that it will fine BMW 11.2 billion won ($9.9 million, €8.8 million) and file a criminal complaint with state prosecutors over an allegedly botched response to dozens of engine fires in the country.

BMW made headlines in South Korea earlier this year after 40 car engines caught fire. The company recalled some 172,000 vehicles of 65 different models in July and October

with a faulty exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler, which it blamed for the fires. After a five-month review, South Koreaʼs Transport Ministry concluded that the BMW deliberately tried to cover up technical problems and was slow to recall the vehicles.

"BMW announced earlier that it had become aware of the connection between the faulty EGR cooler and the fire only on July 20 this year," the ministry said in a statement. "But we discovered that ... BMWʼs German headquarters had already formed a special team in October 2015 tasked with solving the EGR cooler problem."

Is Israel interfering in German cultural policy?

The German government has been asked in an anonymous letter to reconsider its support for NGOs such as "Brot für die Welt" (Bread for the World) and to cut funding to the Jewish Museum Berlin. What is going on?

"The German promotion of nongovernmental organizations that intervene in Israelʼs internal affairs or promote anti-Israel activities is unparalleled," says the letter, which was sent without sender and signature to the German daily taz, most likely from Israel. "We would like the Federal Gov-

ernment to tie its further financial support to the complete halt of such activities." The author demanded that the federal government "review its funding guidelines." In concrete terms, the financing of a total of twelve NGOs with their partners in Israel and Palestine, is being questioned. This includes organizations such as Brot für die Welt and Misereor, as well as various political foundations such as the Green party-aligned Heinrich Böll Foundation, the Jewish Museum Berlin and the Berlinale film festival.

Teen gets stuck in chimney while ʼplaying Santaʼ in Austria Austrian firefighters managed to extract a 14-year-old from a chimney in the city of Linz, after the boy spent around three hours inside the vent.

The boyʼs 49-year-old neighbor, Muharrem B., heard him calling for help early on Sunday, according to Österreich daily. "Iʼd watched television a bit longer than usual and was just about to go to sleep, when I suddenly heard loud cries for help around 3:30 a.m.," the man told the paper.

The neighbor first alerted the police.

Before they arrived at the scene, however, he climbed to the attic to look for the source of the noise. While searching the attic, he put his ear to a disused fireplace and determined that someone was stuck in the chimney on the other side. "I told this person not to be afraid and that I will get help," Muharrem B. said.

Heidi Klum gets engaged to musician Tom Kaulitz Supermodel, TV personality and businesswoman Heidi Klum announced in an Instagram post on Monday that she was engaged to musician boyfriend Tom Kaulitz. "I SAID YES," the 45-year-old German model commented on the picture, along with a heart emoji. The post featured a black-and-white photo of the couple, with Klum showing her diamond ring.

weather today BUDAPEST

0 / 3 °C Precipitation: 0 mm

1/2019 • 2 January, 2019

Reform Germanyʼs welfare state, urges communal association A simplification of Germanyʼs welfare state is wanted by its Association of Towns and Municipalities (BStGB).

Only then, it says, will communities be able to cope with demographic aging and future economic strains. Germanyʼs11,054 communal authoritieswere overburdened with complicated welfare delivery and needed "debureaucratization" to stay within budget in the future, asserted association chief executive Gerd Landsberg on Tuesday. "Every problem is met with the promise that there is more money and naturally more personnel," he said, adding that, long-term, Germanyʼs highly legislated welfare state would not function, given finite taxation revenues, populations withmore elderly, and regions facing loss of industry and jobs. Landsberg told newspapers run by the Funke MedienGruppe (media group) – which is based in Essen in the once coal and steel-dominated Ruhr region – that the reform should start with the reexamination of welfare grants and tax relief for families.

Bayern Munich coach Kovac deserves a fresh start Bayern Munich are not used to being in the Bundesligaʼs second spot going into the leagueʼs midseason break.

They had been Herbstmeister (the term given to the Bundesliga leader after the first half of the season) for the previous seven seasons, a title whichBorussia Dortmund stole this year. It is perhaps not a coincidence that Bayernʼs fall from grace this term has come with Niko Kovac at the helm.

The former Bayern star has had difficulties getting the best out of his players this season. In league play, his side is scoring at a rate 22 percent lower than last season and allowing goals 28 percent more frequently.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) applies for German banking license Royal Bank of Scotland Group has applied for a German banking license so it can maintain access to European markets after Brexit. The owner of ABN-AMRO will upgrade its Frankfurt branch.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS)has applied for a banking license in Germany. An RBS spokeswoman told DW the move was part of the bankʼs planning for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. RBS plans to replace its existing Frankfurt branch with a newly licensed unit that will act as a regional

"payments hub." It is the bankʼs first acquisition since the financial crisis in 2008. The new unit will process and settle euro-denominated payments, manage euro liquidity, and offer services to large German clients. It should allow RBS to continue to benefit from passporting rights for cross-border access to EU clients.

German cities urged to ban polluting fireworks Taming firework pollution at New Year is the latest campaign of a German environmental group already pursuing diesel carmakers.

For most of the year in Germany, fireworks are not publicly available and are only supposed to be used with a license. But on the last three working days of each year, shop shelves bulge with various rockets, Catherine wheels and Roman candles — ready for a mass amnesty on New Yearʼs Eve.

Most of these firework displays are of an informal nature and are impromptu events. They typically involve people rushing onto the street outside their homes or the bars they were frequenting around midnight, and letting fly.

However, the state-funded environmental watchdog Environment Action Germany (DUH) is calling on cities to consider banning members of the public from setting off their pyrotechnics in areas struggling to meet air quality guidelines.

Sting to return to Budapest for summer 2019 Sting is head over heels for Budapest.

After a successful free show with Shaggy a month ago on Heroes’ Square, the former Police frontman has just announced another Budapest concert for next summer. On 2 July, the Grammywinning singer brings his My Songs tour to the Papp László Aréna, where he will be taking the stage with his own band. From “Englishman In New York” to “Every Breath You Take”, the set should include Sting’s biggest hits.

Tickets are on sale now.

H-1056 Budapest, Só u. 6.

Telephone: +36 1 577 0700 Fax: +36 1 577 0710 bhzinfo@zeinahotels.com www.boutiquehotelbudapest.com

Published by: Mega Media Kft. 1075 Budapest, Madách I. út 13-14. +36 1 398 0344 www.hotelujsag.hu

Bangladesh — a small tiger economy with big plans Bangladesh has been making progress and the country is so successful in many areas that it is a "role model for South Asia." These are not the words of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but the British business magazine Econo‐ mist. Bangladesh is going to the polls on December 30 to elect a new government and PM Hasinaʼs Awami League (AL) party is pulling out all the stops to secure victory and retain power. During the election campaign, ruling party members have repeatedly pointed to Bangladeshʼs robust economic development under the incumbent government and promised that, should they win, this trend will continue in the coming years. The economy of the Muslim-majority nation, with a population of over 165 million inhabitants, has grown by an average of over six percent per year since 2008.

Pope slams ʼinsatiable greedʼ Pope Francis used the Christmas Eve Mass to condemn the pursuit of riches on Monday, and urged Christians to consider Jesusʼ humble birth story. According to the New Testament, Christ wasborn in a Bethlehem stableand was then placed in a manger. "Standing before the manger, we understand that the food of life is not material riches but love, not gluttony but charity, not ostentation but simplicity," the pope told the worshipers gathered in the Vatican.

"An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when, paradoxically, a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive," he added. The 82year-old pontiff led the midnight mass before nearly 10,000 people gathered in St. Peterʼs Basilica, the biggest Christian church in the world. Since becoming the Churchʼs leader in 2013, Francis has focused on the issues of poverty and inequality. The 82year-old pontiff led the midnight mass before nearly 10,000 people gathered in St. Peterʼs Basilica, the biggest Christian church in the world. Since becoming the Churchʼs leader in 2013, Francis has focused on the issues of poverty and inequality.