DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Mafia raids in Germany, Italy: Police make over 170 arrests German and Italian police have detained scores of people with alleged ties to the ʼNdrangheta mafia. The suspects formed part of a transnational network involving bakeries, funeral services and vineyards, police said. Authorities in Germany and Italy busted aʼNdrangheta mafia clanon Tuesday, detaining scores of suspects and seizing millions of euros in property. In Germany, 11 men between the ages of 36 and 41 were detained in the states of Bavaria, Hesse, North-Rhine Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg, Germanyʼs Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) said in a statement. German authorities said the men were suspected of blackmail and money laundering, and that the detentions were carried out at the request of Italian authorities.
Alpine snow leaves thousands of tourists stranded in Switzerland Authorities have begun airlifting stranded tourists by helicopter after road and rail links to Zermatt were cut off. At least 80 centimeters of snow dropped on the town over 24 hours. Helicopters airlifted guests at the popular Swiss resort of Zermatt on Tuesday after heavy snowfall and a power outage marooned an estimated 13,000 tourists at the base of the famous Matterhorn Mountain. Rail and road links were cut off after at least 80 centimeters (31.5 inches) of snow dropped on the area over 24 hours, according to Switzerlandʼs WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. The airlift was not part of an official evacuation, according to AP news agency, which was aimed at transporting those in need and bringing in supplies to stranded visitors. "Power has returned, thereʼs still the chance that it could go out ... but at this time things look good," a tourist office spokeswoman in the town said. "The atmosphere in the village is relaxed and comfortable."
8/2018 • 10, JANUARY 2018
Ecuador looks to end WikiLeaks founder impasse Julian Assange:
The Ecuadorian foreign minister has urged "international cooperation" to end a standoff in the case of Julian Assange. But the UK has warned it will arrest the WikiLeaks founder if he steps outside Ecuadorʼs embassy.
Easyjet takes off from Berlin Tegel as it joins crowded German market The low-cost airline has launched its first domestic flights in Germany from its new base at Berlinʼs Tegel Airport. The British carrier has added 19 new routes and joins an already crowded domestic market in Germany. Low-cost carrier Easyjet commenced its new domestic German service shortly after 10.30 CET on Friday morning from Berlinʼs Tegel airport, as it seeks to capitalize on Air Berlinʼs demise. Easyjet will add 19 destinations to its schedules from Tegel, with four of those within Germany — Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich and Düsseldorf — and said it aims to fly 40 times a week between Tegel
and Düsseldorf. The airlineʼs increased focus on the German market comes after theAir Berlin dealand puts Easyjet in direct competition with Lufthansa and its subsidiary Eurowings, which have been criticized in recent months for inflating its fares amid claims of antitrust. During the period of Air Berlinʼs insolvency, the price of some domestic fares have risen by 30 percent. Easyjet currently has 12 planes stationed at Tegel but plans to increase that figure to 25 within the next six months with aircraft purchased from Air Berlin, making it Easyjetʼs second largest base after London Gatwick, where the company has 37 aircraft.
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.
Renewed hope for gay rights in India Indiaʼs Supreme Court has ordered a reexamination of a 2013 verdict that upheld the criminalization of sexual relations between same-sex adults. The ruling was welcomed by the LGBT community. On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered a larger bench toreexamine Section 377 of the Indian Penal Codethat criminalizes homosexuality. Under the British colonial-era law, homosexual acts are punishable by a 10-year prison term. Despite seeing rare enforcement, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code prohibits "carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal." Activists have accused authorities of using the law to intimidate, harass and blackmail members of the LGBT community. Chief Justice Dipak Misra said Monday the apex courtʼs 2013 verdict upholding the law appears to violate individual sexual preferences. "A section of people or individuals who exercise their choice should never remain in a state of fear," said the Supreme Courtʼs threejudge bench.
Catholic ex-priest refuses to speak at sexual abuse trial in Germany Itʼs the second court session in which the 53-year-old declined to speak. He faces sexual abuse and other charges. He was expelled from the priesthood in 2008 but continued to pose as a cleric. A 53-year-old former priest is currently on trial in a district court in the Bavarian city of Deggendorf. Thomas Maria B., who was born in Wuppertal, is accused of having sexually abused five German boys under the age of 14 a total of 110 times between 1997 and 2016. The man is also accused of the attempted rape of an 18-year-old in Austria.
weather today BUDAPEST
2 / 6 °C Precipitation: 0 mm