DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
George Weah sworn in as president of Liberia Football legend George Weahʼs inauguration ceremony has marked the countryʼs first democratic transition of power since 1944. Liberians are placing their hopes on him, but he has a daunting task ahead. Thousands of Liberians queued for hours to get into Samuel Kanyon Doe stadium near the capital, Monrovia, whereGeorge Weah was sworn into office. Several African heads of state were in attendance. Referring to his past as an international football star, the 51-yearold newly inaugurated president said: "I have spent many years of my life in stadiums, but today is a feeling like no other." He went on to reiterate that his first priorities as president would be to root out corruption and pay civil servants "a living wage," as well as encourage the private sector.
Director Dieter Wedel steps down from theater festival after sex assault claims Following weeks of sexual assault allegations, award-winning German director Dieter Wedel is leaving the Bad Hersfeld Theater Festival. His departure follows public accusations from several actresses. After repeated allegations of sexual assault from several actresses, Dieter Wedel has announced that he is stepping down as artistic director of the Bad Hersfeld Theater Festival. "Dieter Wedel is currently in hospital," a spokesperson for the 75-year-old said Monday. "After the events of the last two weeks, he is poor health." German tabloid Bild additionally reported that he is being treated after a heart attack. In a recent article in Zeit Magazin, several actresses made serious allegations against the star director, which included non-consensual sex. Patricia Thielemann accused Wedel of forcing himself on her in a hotel room in 1991, and attempting to strangle her when she fought back.
25/2018 • 30, JANUARY 2018
EU ministers agree on transition period demands Brexit:
EU ministers have approved a new set of guidelines for a transition period following Great Britainʼs exit from the bloc. The EU is offering the UK a "status quo" transition, but no decision-making power after it leaves.
World Economic Forum in Davos out to heal ʼa fractured worldʼ The current global disunity looks set to dominate discussions at this yearʼs gathering of politicians and executives in Davos, Switzerland. US President Donald Trump is still scheduled to top the list of speakers there. The topic of this yearʼs World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos is "Creating a shared future in a fractured world." The motto is in direct contrast to US President Donald Trumpʼs "America first" policy which also involves large-scale protectionism and isolationist security policies.
"There is todaya real danger of a collapse of our global systems," said WEF founder Klaus Schwab. "But change is not just happening — itʼs in our hands to improve the state of the world and that is what the World Economic Forum stands for." "What we know is that what we lack is cooperation," the forumʼs president, Borge Brende, told reporters, adding that the gathering of 70 heads of state and government as well as key figures from the world of business may make a vital contribution toward overcoming current obstacles in global trade and elsewhere.
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 al-
low 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.
Berlin confirms German national killed in Kabul hotel attack At least one German was killed in Saturdayʼs Taliban attack on a luxury hotel in Kabul, according to the German foreign ministry. The militants gunned down over twenty people, mostly foreigners, in a siege lasting hours. One German national died in the attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, a German foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Monday. The ministry said the victim was a woman, but did not provide other details. There are no indications that other German citizens were among the casualities. At least 22 people lost their lives in the Saturday attack, according to the latest death toll provided by the Afghan Health Ministry. The death toll is likely to rise. The militants specifically targeted foreign citizens, according to a survivor quoted by the news agency AFP. "They were saying kill the foreigners," said a 20year-old hotel employee who gave his name as Hasibullah.
US embassy to open in Jerusalem by end of 2019 US Vice President Mike Pence has told Israeli politicians that the US embassy will move to Jerusalem by the end of next year. He also said Washington would withdraw from a nuclear deal with Iran, calling it a "disaster." US Vice President Mike Pence told Israelʼs Knesset on Monday that Washington was intending to bring forward a controversial plan by the Trump administration to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "In the weeks ahead, our administration will advance its plan to open the US Embassy in Jerusalem — and the embassy will open before the end of next year," Pence said.
weather today BUDAPEST
2 / 3 °C Precipitation: 0 mm
25/2018 • 30, January 2018
How #MeToo affects the Golden Globes
IMF hikes global growth outlook on US tax cut boost
With sexual harassment cases in the backdrop, the Golden Globes are set to launch Hollywoodʼs annual awards season. A black-dress protest will be held — but "men in black" are accused of slacktivism. Hollywoodʼs biggest pre-Oscars prizegiving ceremony takes place on January 7. It is the first major award ceremony since the start of the #MeToo movement and showcases an industry which, after operating for decades under the motto "sex sells," is having to reinvent itself. Organized by the 90member Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), a total of 25 prizes are up for grabs on Sunday — 14 in film and 11 in television — at the Golden Globes awards ceremony. But the mood in Los Angeles in the wake of widespread sexual harassment claims is rather heavy. As was the case two years ago with the #Oscarssowhite campaign, social media was a driving force in this new reality check for Hollywood. Even before the launch of Hollywoodʼs annual awards season, the fallout of the scandal has already managed to change the face of the industry in various ways — and appears to be set to do so for the foreseeable future.
The International Monetary Fund has revised upward its forecasts for growth as economies around the world are recovering simultaneously and stronger than expected, helped at least for the short term by Trumpʼs tax cuts.
Dakar Rally: Toyotaʼs AlAttiyah takes first stage Qatarʼs Nasser Al-Attiyah has won the first stage of the Dakar Rally in the Peruvian town of Pisco. Nine-time rally world champion Sebastian Loeb of France endured a torrid opening day, finishing in 29th place. The opening round of the Dakar Rally saw defending champions Peugeot left stunned, as two-time winner Nasser Al-Attiyah of Toyota swept across the short 31-kilometer (19-mile) stretch of desert between Lima and Pisco in just 21 minutes and 51 seconds.
In the latest update to the IMFʼs World Economic Outlook (WEO), nearly all the forecasts for 2018 and 2019 were revised upward compared to the October edition. The global economy is now expected to grow 3.9 percent this year and next, two-tenths higher than the IMF estimated, and up from growth of 3.7 percent in 2017. "Some 120 economies, accounting for three-
quarters of world GDP [gross domestic product], have seen a pickup in growth in year-on-year terms in 2017, the broadest synchronized global growth upsurge since 2010," the global lender of last resort said in its report. This "increased global growth momentum," coupled with the expected impact of Donald Trumpʼs US tax reform were cited as reasons for the revision.
EU unveils plan to make all plastic packaging recyclable by 2030 The EU wants to make all plastic packaging recyclable, reduce single-use plastic and restrict microplastics. The plan would "lay the foundations for a new plastic economy." Europeans produce 25 million tons of plastic waste annually, but less than 30 percent is recycled. Microplastics also enter the air, water and food systemswith unknown consequences for human and wildlife health. "If we donʼt change the way we produce and use plastics, there will be more plastics than fish in our oceans by 2050," said European Commission First Vice-President
Frans Timmermans. "The only longterm solution is to reduce plastic waste by recycling and reusing more." Under the European Commissionʼs plans, by 2030 all plastic packaging in the EU market would need to be recyclable. Single-use plastic use would also be reduced. Microplastics, which are found in cosmetics and other products, would also be severely restricted. The EU executiveʼs plans must now be approved by EU governments and the European parliament. In addition, the plan would boost funding and investment in more environmentally friendly recyclable plastic materials and improve recycling processes.
Turkish brunch at Pancs Élesztőház You have visited Turkey before and would like to relive the magical experience of a rich Turkish breakfast? Or you’ve never tried it but would like to see an authentic Turkish breakfast? Nar Gourmet will move from its apartment restaurant to the private room of Pancs gasztroplacc with a huge table of cheeses, olives, fresh vegetables, tahini, pekmez, fruits, fresh Turkish pastries, yogurt poached eggs, and many other goodies. The menu will be meatless. Registration is advance is required at nargourmet.hu@gmail.com
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
US December job creation disappoints The US has added fewer jobs lately than expected by labor market experts, fresh government figures have shown. The overall unemployment rate held steady at a 17-year low in the worldʼs largest economy. The US economyʼs job creation ability decreased in December 2017 despite solid hiring in the manufacturing and construction sectors, government data showed Friday. While theunemployment rate remained unchanged at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent, employers across the nation added just 148,000 jobs in the final month of last year. The figure was far below expectations of 200,000 new positions and even below the sluggish 155,000 jobs reported in December 2016. Economists had been more optimistic especially after payroll services firm ADP said Thursday that private hiring experienced a boost in the final four weeks of December 2017. But the slowing reported by the government couldpoint to an economy nearly at full employment that is finding it hard to get workersto fill open positions. Thatʼs a sentiment that had been reflected in reports from companies lately.
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.