survey

International Schools prices in Europe: Budapest more expensive than average

budapest

At the International Schools Database, we help local and expat parents choose the perfect international school for their children. Our database allows parents to find, research and compare international schools in cities across five continents. Naturally, this means that we gather and analyse a huge amount of information about international schools all over the world.

Our latest research project uses this data to evaluate the prices of international schools across the globe. In this article, we share and analyze the prices of international schools in Europe.

Below, we have analysed price data from 29 cities in 19 European countries, in graph and table forms. While we have used all price data available to us, there may be additional schools and prices not included in each city, because they do not make their price data available or it is unknown to us. Links to additional research focusing in each of the other regions individually and globally can be found at the bottom of this article.

PRICES OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN EUROPE, PER YEAR

The graph below is known as a box plot graph. It shows a comprehensive view of the range of prices in each city, instead of just an average, as a single average price may not necessarily represent the full picture of prices in each destination.

International Schools Database,
International Schools Database

HIGHLIGHTS AND TAKEAWAYS FROM THE RESEARCH FINDINGS

Spain is among the cheapest countries in Europe for international school fees, with 6 cities among the cheapest in the region: Valencia, Malaga, Alicante, Madrid, Barcelona, and Mallorca.

Switzerland dominates as the most expensive country in Europe for international schools; Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva take the top 3 spots. Lausanne and Geneva are both small cities with a population of less than 200,000. This is in stark contrast with the 4th most expensive city in Europe for international education – London and its population of 9 million!

Budapest is more expensive than the average city in Europe for international schools: 10th out of 29 cities.

Budapest’s international schools: 

  • Austrian-Hungarian European School
  • BME International Secondary Grammar School
  • Budapest British International Academy
  • REAL School Budapest
  • Lycée Francais Gustave Eiffel de Budapest
  • American International School of Budapest
  • Budapest British International School
  • The British International School Budapest
  • Britannica International School, Budapest
  • International School of Budapest
  • International Christian School of Budapest
  • SEK Budapest International School
  • Orchidea International School

As we wrote a week ago, Kindergartens can’t refer to English education in their names, only to languages of ethnicities such as German. Moreover, they need to cancel English education. Read more here.

The lowest maximum, however, belongs to the Danish capital Copenhagen. In Denmark both public and private schools (which includes international schools) are all heavily subsidised by the government. This may explain why education is so affordable – comparatively speaking – in a country with a reputation for a high cost of living.

Two of Europe’s iconic capitals – Paris and London – have the biggest range of international school prices. In Paris the difference between the cheapest and most expensive international schools is $33k a year. In London this difference is slightly higher at $34k a year.

In contrast, other major European capitals like Berlin and Rome have a narrower range of international school fees. In Rome for example the cost difference between the least and the most expensive international schools is $15k a year, and in Berlin $14k.

There is a clear difference in international school prices between Western and Central Europe and the East and South of the continent.

7 of the top 10 cities with the highest international school fees are in Western and Central Europe, while 7 of the 10 cheapest cities for international schools are in Eastern and Southern Europe.

You can find a breakdown of exact prices for each European city in the table below. 

PRICES OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS PER YEAR

You can find all International school in Budapest, Hungary HERE.

These are currently the best universities in Hungary

Eötvös Loránd University

Studying in Hungary is very popular among foreign citizens because the quality of education is high while the cost of living is low. Furthermore, one can continue their studies in such beautiful and pulsating cities like Budapest, Szeged, or Debrecen. Moreover, the Hungarian government offers a lot of different scholarships for those who decide to come to continue their studies in Hungary.

According to eduline.hu, hvg has recently published their list of the best Hungarian universities that can serve as the perfect guideline for those foreigners who would like to study in the country. The list of hvg can be reached HERE, and we collected some useful information about the universities below.

Taking into consideration the lists published before, it is not surprising that the best university in Hungary is currently the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest (ELTE). This institution is the oldest Hungarian university operating continuously since its foundation in 1635.

It offers the largest scientific establishment in the country 

with 80 academic lecturers, 24 research groups, and 16 doctoral schools having 118 PhD programs. Every fifth Hungarian applicant still chooses ELTE, and most of them come with the best results to start their studies. Currently, 24,685 students are at the university, with 2,000 international students who come from 80 countries. The university, which has campuses on both sides of the Danube, has already signed 797 Erasmus agreements and offers programs at eight faculties, from law to management and the arts.

The second-best university is the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, but this institution has a different profile compared to ELTE. BME is also in Budapest, and it is

the leader of the Hungarian technical higher education. 

It has more than 110 departments and institutes operating within the structure of eight faculties. About 1,100 lecturers, 400 researchers, other degree holders, and numerous invited lecturers and practising expert specialists participate in education and research at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Approximately 800 of the university’s 14,000 students are from 50 countries abroad. The Budapest University of Technology and Economics issues about 70% of Hungary’s engineering degrees.

In the third place is the University of Debrecen. Unideb.hu says that it is also

one of the top 500 universities in the world. 

The student community of 30,000 can study in 14 faculties, in institutions of excellent scholarly standard. As a leading university, it is known in Hungary as an intellectual centre providing the most colourful spectrum of educational programs while also closely cooperating with the private sector, the business sphere, and the local government.

Fourth and fifth are the Pázmány Péter Catholic University and the University of Szeged.

Hvg says that they established the list of the best universities taking into consideration not only the academic rank of the teachers but also the educational achievement of the students (e.g. how many of them have a language exam).

 

Hungarians have been drinking more wine since the beginning of the epidemic

Tokaj, wine, best, region, Hungary

34 per cent of those surveyed have already ordered wine from a webshop in recent months, either from a wine merchant or directly from a producer, according to a survey conducted by Csaba Koch, winner of Wine Producer of the Year in October and November.

According to the report of storeinsider.hu, purchases from the webshop are increasing, even directly from the producer. According to the research, the most popular price category is the range of 1,000-2,000 forints (2.5-5.5 euros). The majority still procure their favourite drink personally: 37.8 per cent buy it primarily in a supermarket and 18.4 per cent in a wine store.

12 per cent of those surveyed said their wine consumption habits have changed since the coronavirus pandemic broke out: they consume more wine, but typically at home. However, only 6 per cent drink wine daily, with most (50.1%) opening bottles 1-2 times a week.

“According to research, white wine is the most popular category; 62.4 per cent of respondents enjoy consuming various white wines. Red wine came in second (59.6%) and rosé finished 3rd with 49.8 per cent. It can be said that in recent times, the consumption of rosé has declined somewhat, but it is still very popular. Among the customers, the dry category was in the first place, and the sweet wine was the second,” informs Csaba Koch.

More than half of the respondents prefer wine for the amount between 1,000-2,000 forints (2.5-5.5 euros), and in total, 88 per cent of the respondents prefer products with a price below 3,000 forints (8.5 euros). If people choose wine as a gift, Hungarians are a bit more gallant: most (39.2 per cent) buy a product with a price range of 2,000-3,000 forints (5.5-8.5 euros), and 18.8 per cent go up to 5,000 forints (14 euros).

“The majority of consumers believe that there is not necessarily a strong correlation between the price and quality of the wine, so the choice is most often made for good-quality wines in the middle price range.

For customers, the most important aspects of wine selection are the name, brand awareness, wine label, and the prizes of the winemaking on the bottle.

According to the results of the survey, the award-winning qualification of wine or winemaking is a decisive aspect for 80 per cent of customers. Based on shopping habits, it can be stated that the majority of the respondents prefer Hungarian wines over foreign wines (44.7 per cent of the respondents do not consume foreign wine); which is an extremely gratifying result for Hungarian wines,” says Victoria Evans, Sommelier Champion of the Year 2020, in connection with the survey.

Do you know what claims much more lives in Hungary than the coronavirus?

budapest_smog_fog_autumn_kató_alpár_daily_news_hungary polluted

According to experts, 13 thousand people die in Hungary because of the polluted air, which is as harmful as smoking. Hungary is currently fourth on the list of those countries that have the worst air quality in the European Union.

The Climate Policy Institute of the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) shared its research regarding the issue yesterday, which says that, lately, the government has implemented many measures to decrease air pollution in the country. György Kerekes, the director of the institute, added that the government tightened the energy performance standards for the newly-built houses and flats from 2021 which

can help a lot in reducing the amount of energy needed for heating.

For example, they banned people from burning fallen leaves and started to support programmes aiming at the development of heating systems and improving the energy efficiency of the buildings, Napi reported. 

Mr Kerekes stated that people can also do a lot to improve air quality. He reminded that Hungary is the fourth on the list of those countries in the European Union that have the worst air quality. He said that the outdated heating systems cause a lot of problems during winters. However,

not only the devices and their technologies are old, but the fuel people burn in them are also low quality (rags, rubbish, plastics).

Air quality could be improved already in the short run by the modernisation of the heating systems and using high-quality fuel like briquet or pellets. In the long run, on the other hand, renewable energy produced by households as well as heating system development could be the solution. The quantity of particulate matter (PM) could be reduced if the government provided dry firewood for everybody in need.

Interestingly, based on the statistics,

80 pc of the PM in Hungary comes from Poland and Romania.

Therefore, Hungarian efforts are not enough, and regional cooperation is inevitable to reduce their PM emission.

According to mcc.hu, the Mathias Corvinus Collegium and the Századvég Foundation established the Climate Policy Institute. It has sprung from the founders’ understanding that climate change and preparing for its effects will be significant social and economic policy issues in the coming years. Adaptation to climate change requires a new strategy and the coordination of hitherto distant disciplines that the professional workshop wishes to undertake.

The studies of the Climate Policy Institute focus on five areas:

energy, nature conservation, agriculture, the protection of inanimate environmental elements (water, air, soil), and urbanism. 

This professional workshop is intended to accommodate a green approach and to contribute to the training of responsibly minded and acting citizens necessary for successful environment protection and nature conservation. The director of the Institute is Dr György Kerekes, a lawyer specialised in environmental law.

The Hungarian labour market soon to explode?

hungarian workers

Changing jobs in such uncertain times may not be the best idea unless one is really forced to do so. In any case, it is worth knowing that the current stagnation in the labour market will not last long – at least according to experts. Anyone who is already feeling very uncomfortable in their current location but persists for a while can be pleasantly surprised by the post-pandemic period.

According to the report of Pénzcentrum, a kind of wave of dismissals started in the spring in Hungarian workplaces, and the restrictive measures introduced in the aftermath of the pandemic were not easy for anyone, but the period after that was also difficult. Many of the people who have thought so far that they were satisfied and stable quit at work, completely recklessly.

The situation at the moment is not the same as in the spring, although this does not mean that it is less depressing: infection data shows that the number of deaths is several times higher than in March-May, and people now seem to be more attached to their jobs than before.

“It must be seen that, especially in these times, people have a terrible need for security. In such uncertain circumstances, we also tend to suggest to those who turn to us for advice that they should wait a bit now. As difficult as it may be, perhaps this seems the wisest thing at the moment,” – said Ildikó Csenteri-Dénes, an HR business partner, to Pénzcentrum, who suggests that we last at least until something comes up that seems really certain. Surveys also show that the labour market is at a standstill: Groupama Insurance’s latest national research sought answers, among other things, about the consequences of the many changes in the labour market that affected jobs in the first wave and what effects these may have in the long run.

As a result, only 17 out of a hundred are currently planning to change jobs, 13 within a year. It is mainly young people in the capital who are looking for a new job, as well as workers who have experienced some stressful, disturbing change in their current job due to the epidemic. A year ago, this rate was even higher, which clearly suggests that the coronavirus is forcing workers to be more cautious in the labour market.

“Sometimes the situation is really unsustainable, the treatment, the work environment, maybe the leader spins out – because if one sees such an example, then of course the people have to move on in order to maintain their own mental integrity,” says the specialist. “We had a client who considered the situation untenable, he didn’t have a valid offer, but he resigned.” However, in the opinion of Ildikó Csenteri-Dénes, the given situation must always be thoroughly examined, but now, while it is still possible, it is worth waiting, only because of the difficulties of getting a new job:

“I believe and confess that when this whole situation is over, when we return to normal, the restrictive measures are lifted, and the danger is gone, the labour market will start very fast. People will look for new opportunities.

It is worth waiting as an employee, and companies planning post-epidemic reconstruction are already thinking about expanding.

With the mass appearance of active jobseekers, companies have been put in a better position as they are better able to choose from candidates, so they can also welcome valuable workers among their new employees who were previously completely inaccessible to recruiters. It is almost certain that most will be selected according to how well they supported employees under Covid-19, which company treated them well. Incidentally, this is already the case today: employees are watching the management to see who reacts and how to this unusual situation. “

This was also confirmed by the survey already mentioned: the epidemic has also brought a change in how workers judge their jobs. More than 60 per cent of the workers were basically satisfied with the workplace measures related to the epidemic. They were especially happy if the employer did everything in their power to preserve jobs and to keep the company running. It was also appreciated if the management acted quickly and informed its employees in the correct manner.

Pro-government people say Fidesz predominates in the media

technology blog internet it

Even on Kossuth Radio, voters consider TV2 to be a more pro-government medium, while Fidesz voters say it is important for government-critical press to reach everyone – among other things, this is clear from research conducted by Median and the Measure Media Analysis Workshop with the support of the Friedrich Eber Foundation.

According to the report of 24, 2020 was also an unusual year in terms of news consumption because, due to the coronavirus epidemic, the demand for fresh news increased significantly, and epidemiological measures became the focus of public discourse. Online and community news sources have become more valuable as they can meet the demand for news quickly, but the question is whether this will continue after the pandemic subsides or whether television-centric news consumption with moderate openness to public affairs will resume.

One of the important conclusions of the survey, recorded by Endre Hann, Klára Megyeri, Gábor Polyák, and Ágnes Urbán, is that the importance of internet news consumption has practically caught up with television, and social media has become even more valuable. 71 per cent of internet users regularly use the world wide web to get information on political and public affairs. In addition, while Facebook has already lost its popularity due to Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok in many countries, it has significantly improved its position in Hungary in two years, and more than half of the respondents are already on the social media site.

The researchers conclude that in the next period, opposition parties should also focus even more on online and social media coverage in terms of political communication.

Not only because they do not have access to much of the traditional media anyway but also because potential voters search the internet for news. 74 per cent of those under the age of 50 use the internet for political orientation, while among those over the age of 60, that number is only 28 per cent. Among the youngest voters, the highest proportion is those who do not read the news regularly, or even at all (28 per cent, compared to 8 per cent of those over 60). For this reason, however, it is precisely the government measures that significantly affect this age group that open up opportunities for the independent media and the opposition to address young people more effectively than before.

According to the authors of the survey, the results provide convincing evidence that not only the selection of news sources but also the interpretation and evaluation of news is significantly influenced by the respondent’s party affiliation. Unsurprisingly, Fidesz voters find the pro-government media more credible, and despite encountering news sources contrary to the government’s narrative, they also interpret daily events in line with Fidesz’s position. For this reason, there is a big difference when party sympathisers are asked which news source they consider credible. 

While M1, Kossuth Radio, Hír Tv, and TV2 are in the top four for Fidesz voters, RTL Klub, HVG, 24, and 444 are preferred by the opposition.

On the other hand, 444 is in last place among the ruling party, and M1 is in the last place among government-critics. The polarisation of Hungarian society, which can also be seen in news consumption, is a serious limitation of political dialogue in the long run, as those on the opposite political side do not view the media considered authentic by the other side as a serious source of news. In addition, news consumers often have a very strong view of where a news source belongs politically. TV2, for example, a commercial channel considered the second closest medium to the government for years, could only be overtaken by the public media. According to respondents, Origo has become much more pro-government since 2018, while RTL Klub is considered the most balanced.

A significant proportion of pro-government voters is also aware that Fidesz dominates the media system, but they do not view this negatively. However, even for the vast majority of Fidesz voters, it is not acceptable for an editorial office to publish externally directed and ready-made material, but this does not seem to cross their stimulus threshold. This is interesting because there is no difference between Fidesz and opposition voters in two respects: to varying degrees, they consider it important to access government-critical news sources and see the press as tasked with uncovering abuses.

The most dramatic development in 2020 for the media was the resignation of the former editorial board of Index, and this has reached even those who have previously been less interested in media market events. The editorial board of Index has since founded Telex, which is run exclusively on donations, which could be a breakthrough in the development of the willingness to pay for news, the authors of the study believe.

How much do electricity bills cost in each European country? – Hungary take a great position

budapest-hungary- budapest eye

It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, there’s one thing each country has in common: people love to moan about the cost of electricity.

Countries with the most expensive electricity bills

The most expensive electricity bill in Europe can be found in the Scandinavian country of Norway. Residents of this country can expect to pay a whopping €2,467 per year for their electricity – €2,161 more than Bulgaria who has the cheapest bill.

But despite being the most expensive electricity bill in the whole of Europe, when compared to the country’s average salary (€39,125), Norwegians can expect to spend 6.3% of their annual salary on electricity bills.

In second place is Norway’s immediate neighbour, Sweden. In this Scandinavian country, inhabitants can expect to pay €1,767 for their electricity bills each year – €700 less than Norwegians. Compared to the average annual salary (€24,474), residents of Norway can expect to spend 7.2% of their annual wage on electricity bills.

The third most expensive energy bill goes to Cyprus, with the average bill costing around €1,563, on average, per year. According to our research, the average Cypriot earns €16,215 per annum, which means they can expect to spend 9.6% of their salary on electricity bills – the third highest amount when taking average salary into account, just after Portugal (9.8%) and Croatia (9.7%).

In fourth place is Finland, with residents paying €1,525 for their electricity each year. As neighbours of first place Norway and second place Sweden, it seems Scandinavian countries have some of the highest electricity bills in Europe! Bearing in mind a Finnish native typically earns around €24,879 per year, on average, they can expect to spend 6.1% of their salary on their energy bills.

Ireland is the fifth most expensive of all European countries considered, with the country’s electricity bills racking up to €1,470 per year on average. When taking into account how much the average Irishman or woman earns (€24,920), residents in this country can expect to spend 5.9% of their annual salary on paying their electricity bills.

Countries with the cheapest electricity bills

The cheapest electricity bill in Europe can be found in Bulgaria, with the average cost per household being just €306 per year – a difference of €2,161 when compared to Norway who has the most expensive energy bills! When comparing this figure to the average salary of a Bulgarian national (€4,224), Bulgarians spend around 7.2% of their annual salary on electricity bills – this figure puts them among the top 10 of all countries considered.

Hungary is home to the second most affordable electricity bill in Europe, as our research found that the country’s electricity bills cost around €370, on average, per dwelling each year. If the country’s average salary is taken into account (€5,852), Hungarians can expect to spend 6.3% of their annual salary on their electricity bills.

Following closely behind Hungary is Poland, with the average electricity bill costing €390 per household each year – the third cheapest. When bearing in mind the average salary per annum for Polish inhabitants sits at €7,124, we can reveal that Poles spend 5.5% of their annual salaries paying off their electricity bills.

Fourth spot goes to Lithuania who pay €499 for their electricity bills, on average, per year. According to our research, Lithuanians typically earn in the region of €7,586 per year. Based on this, they can expect to pay 6.6% of their salary each year on electricity bills.

Estonia ranks in fifth place, with the average electricity bill costing households €557 per year, making it one of the cheapest electricity bills in the whole of Europe. However, when comparing this figure to the average annual salary of Estonians (€11,461), 4.9% of their annual salary is spent on electricity bills.

A full breakdown of the research:

Hungary’s spending on education above EU average, report shows

distance education

The European Commission published its annual Education and Training Monitor for 2020, and said that Hungary spent 5.1 percent of its budget on the sector, exceeding the EU average, which was at 4.6 percent of GDP.

The Human Resources Ministry said in a statement on Friday that, according to the report, the student-teacher ratio was also above the EU average.

Hungary has one teacher per 10.6 children on average, the report said. In the EU, the average ratio is 13.6 students per teacher, it said.

The report said the root of that difference was the declining number of students in Hungary, adding that there was a preponderance of ageing teachers in Hungary’s public education system and “increasing free capacities”.

Regarding pre-school education, the report found that 95.7 percent of four-year-olds are enrolled in kindergartens in Hungary, while the EU average is 94.8 percent. The ratio of Roma children attending kindergarten is the highest in the region, the ministry cited the report as saying.

Fully 11.8 percent of students dropped out of education in 2020, a 0.7 percent improvement since last year, the report said.

Based on the OECD’s 2018 PISA report, the EC highlighted substandard performances in mathematics, literacy and sciences. The ministry noted in its statement, however, that the students’ performance had improved in every subject since 2015.

The report praised the infrastructure development programme in schools launched in 2018.

Regarding the switch to digital education during the pandemic, the report put the ratio of children remaining without education in the period at 20 percent, a figure at odds with the ministry’s own data, the ministry said.

In its report, the EC outlined recommendations regarding developing digital competencies, equal access to education and increasing capacities at creches, the ministry said.

Read alsoGovernment: Hungary among OECD states most increasing education spending

Survey finds that Hungarian parents think that it is acceptable to slap their kid

children family Hungarian

UNICEF Hungary started a campaign against child abuse, and the relevant posters already appeared in several parts of the country. They aim to raise public attention to the fact that it is a joint responsibility of society to protect kids. Sexual, physical, and psychological abuse affects 1 billion children in the world and, shockingly, 40 thousand of them are killed.

Public, a Hungarian think-tank, did a representative survey asking 1,003 Hungarian parents on the issue. The results show that 83 pc of them disagreed with raising children by threatening them with corporal punishment. Meanwhile, 14 pc of them think that it is not problematic.

The same proportion of parents agrees that children have not only rights but also obligations. 66 pc of them agree that parents have the right to check the phones of their children and read their messages. The survey shows that

 the higher a parent is qualified, the less they agree with corporal punishment. 

Interestingly, 28 pc of those having a degree think that one or two slaps are acceptable. This proportion, however, increases to 42 pc in the case of skilled workers. Experts asked what parents thought about abuse. 30 pc put verbal abuse into that category, 14 pc said that taking their phone is also abuse, while 20 pc agreed that grounding is also one of its types. Moreover, 74 and 63 pc of the parents think that deprivation of love and obligation of silence are the worst kinds of abuse.

As we reported before, an aggressive father brutally abused his wife and minor children in October. The couple has six children, five of whom have already been removed from the family by the authorities. However, they have been allowed to take the children with them for a specified time for contact. The 3-year-old boy was maltreated several times;

he was hit with a fly swatter, burnt with cigarette butts, and pinched on his body.

He also hit the 7-year-old child several times, pressed his face into a pillow until he began to suffocate, and stabbed and cut his palm several times with a knife. As a result of the abuse, the young children suffered severe injuries and burns that healed beyond eight days. As the Hungarian news portal nlc reports, the man did not spare his wife either: he regularly hit her legs and thighs, kicked her, and beat her head against the wall.

The Békés District Court

sentenced the arrested man to 5 years in prison as collective punishment

and banned him from practising public affairs for five years. He terminated the right of parental custody of the two minor victims and ordered him to pay the criminal costs of more than HUF 650,000 (~EUR 1,820) incurred during the proceedings. The ruling is not final.

 

Black Friday in Hungary: even Covid-19 can’t get in the way

black friday pexels Andrea Piacquadio

As the 2020 holiday season fast approaches, so does the excitement surrounding Black Friday sales. While last year only one in every three people bought something off the shelves around Black Friday, this year – despite the uncertain economic conditions caused by COVID – half of the population plans on doing so. These shoppers are especially happy that they won’t miss out on discounts given these promotions last more than one day – determined LogiNet, ecommerce specialist software company, and Reacty Digital in their joint survey of 18 to 79 year-olds.

Online or in-store, as long as there’s a discount

There is practically no one in Hungary who hasn’t heard of Black Friday; however, while last year 66% of the population wasn’t interested in the sales and didn’t go shopping, this year the rate of those uninterested dropped to 49%. More than half of the survey participants plan to take advantage of Black Friday discounts either online or in-store. You’d assume that given the dangers posed by the coronavirus, those planning to shop would do so online – however, this may not be the case. Last year, 6% of participants decided on the in-store shopping experience – but this year that number may grow to 8% of shoppers who will wear masks and physically go off to stores.

Black Friday, Hungary_Willingness to shop_2020

The popularity of Black Friday persists online as well, even in the shadow of the coronavirus: one out of five of those surveyed will shop online while one out of four will shop both online and offline in the hunt for discounts in 2020.

A significant dividing factor between the two groups of shoppers – online and offline – is their tolerance of crowds. From the participants who prefer online, 62% are distinctly bothered by crowds; only half of in-store shoppers feel this way, as was determined by LogiNet and Reacty Digital’s study. 

Wellness wrapped under the tree this year

It seems that, despite COVID, we will be spending quite freely in the heat of Black Friday shopping: altogether, shoppers plan to spend only HUF 2000 less than the previous two year’s averages. Discount-hunters count on spending around HUF 40000 this year, even in the face of these uncertain economic conditions.

The popularity of fashion items hasn’t changed (36%) but at the same time, the categories of toys (27%), consumer electronics (26%), mobile phones (25%), interior design (24%), home appliances (23%), and hotel reservations (22%) will also prevalently find their way into shopping carts. Not surprisingly, products related to health and wellness have grown the most in popularity: compared to 2018, 9% more, or, 23% overall of those surveyed stated they would purchase a wellness-related present this holiday season. This is probably strongly connected to the coronavirus pandemic and the consequently increasing health-conscious decisions.

Black Friday, Hungary_Most popular categories_2020

Black Friday isn’t just one day

For years now, the growing trend has emerged for Black Friday sales online and offline to last not just that one day, but rather for days, weeks – even until Christmas. Half of shoppers (49%) are especially pleased to be able to avoid the “everything-in-one-day” stresses. Continuous promotions for longer periods of time are also necessary because not all shoppers know exactly when stores announce their Black Friday sales.

More conscious buyers

In order to find the best deals, price-comparison websites have long been essential, popular tools for shoppers. According to Reacty Digital and LogiNet’s e-commerce study, prior to clicking “buy”, three fourths of online shoppers first compare product prices and check other sites as well.

Though some are enticed by the size of the discount, others favor their preferred brands that typically guarantee the quality of a purchase. This has become a well-established, evident trend by 2020: shoppers want to buy from familiar sources. Only one in every five participants identified the discount amount as the main purchasing priority.

Businesses prepare yourselves!

Given the increased online traffic this year, not every purchase will end in a gleeful smile: delays and stock shortages can be anticipated. One third of shoppers noted limited product volume last year. From the customers’ perspective however, it is encouraging that from 2018 to 2019 the number of late package arrivals did not change (around one fifth of participants) despite the increasing online traffic and deliveries.

In 2019, one in every seven people (14%) was disappointed by a Black Friday purchase.

Aside from late deliveries and stock shortages, shoppers identified a lack of price savings; oftentimes, a purchase may have seemed to be a great deal, but in reality, it could be found for the same or even cheaper price somewhere else.

Discounts deemed too big may also cause businesses to slipup: Reacty Digital’s similar study from last year found that three fourths of shoppers found discounts above 50% to be too good to be true. This year though, half of those surveyed don’t consider the season’s sales good enough. In other words, a product half-off is suspicious, but a small discount isn’t attractive enough—it’s a fact worth keeping in mind this year for businesses!

Trump vs Biden! Check out what Hungarians think

Trump-vs-Biden

The Lounge Group conducted a unique research parallel in the US and Hungary. The topic was the U.S. presidential election that takes place on 3 November.

The world press is increasingly concerned about the upcoming U.S. presidential election, where Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden are vying for votes. Hungary’s largest marketing communications company group, the Lounge Group, also considers the topic important. Therefore, it conducted a representative poll in both the USA and Hungary. The results are presented by novekedes.hu.

40 per cent of Hungarian and American voters alike think Republican Donald Trump will win the election in early November.

The research also states that American (48%) and Hungarian (60%) respondents typically make decisions based on the candidate’s ideology during voting. In America, however, the proportion of those who make decisions based on the candidate’s identity is twice as high as in Hungary. In Hungary, 14 per cent of the population thinks that the candidate’s party is more important than the person or their ideology, while in the United States, only 9 per cent of voters think similarly.

The research also looked at how well-informed people in Hungary are about the US presidential election. Based on this, almost everyone knows that Trump, who spoke to Viktor Orbán recently, is the current president; however, only one-third of respondents could name Joe Biden as Trump’s challenger. One-tenth of the Hungarian population is uncertain who the current president of America is.

A few of the Hungarian respondents still think of Barack Obama as the current leader of the United States.

There is an issue in which Hungary is on the American side, but there are also differences. Americans currently consider the coronavirus epidemic to be the most important problem, followed by job creation and the restoration of order. Respondents across the pond consider ensuring the country’s economic stability even more important than maintaining their health for resolving the epidemic. This is a significant difference compared to the data of the Hungarian survey, according to which the Hungarian population is most concerned about their family’s and their own health.

Zsófia Szabó, the head of Lounge Group’s research division, added that “in a globalised world, we are affected in many cases the same way, but due to different cultural traditions and state operations, the most pressing problem of this year is given differently by the American and the European society. In our country, as in most European states, healthcare is a subjective right. In the U.S., care and insurance are a big expense that many are only able to recoup from their earnings, that is, from keeping their jobs. This justifies the fact that the American population is worried about economic performance, while Europeans are more concerned about maintaining the functioning of the social welfare system.”

2021 census questionnaire to be available online for foreigners as well

traffic Budapest Hungary transport bkk bkv

Because of the pandemic, the 2021 census questionnaire will be made available online for everyone so that people can fulfil their legal obligation from the safety and convenience of their own home.

The census is getting a few new features in 2021, as official records and state data will be used for the very first time, and the questionnaire will also be made available online, for those who would rather not meet the census commissioner, reported Magyar Hírlap.

The Central Statistical Office (CSO) told Magyar Hírlap that in order for Hungarian and European Union decision-makers to decide on certain matters and take into consideration its effects they need “reliable, timely and spatially detailed data.”

The census is repeated every ten years and affects the entirety of the Hungarian population, as it is mandatory so that it can provide accurate and precise information and data. The census reflects the current social situation of the Hungarian society, in terms of, for example, education, employment, as well as population. This data then helps in making appropriate decisions based on different regions and settlements and helps in making long-term plans and development directions, but it also has a considerable role in the CSO’s data collecting system.

For the next ten years, population statistical surveys will be based on this year’s census, as a census plays an important role in any statistical survey and similar data collections, including continuous, annual and multi-annual statistical data collection, as well as administrative data sources. It is not just a momentary picture of Hungary’s situation, but a basis for future planning.

The census will take place between May 1 and June 28, 2021. All households should receive a letter from the CSO in the last days of April, requesting the census. These letters will contain unique codes for each address, with which a secure website can be accessed, where everyone will be able to fill out their questionnaire. Those who do not fill out theirs by May 16, will be contacted by counting commissioners between May 17 and June 20, as participation in the census is mandatory and a legal obligation. The CSO is working on making this as easy, comfortable as possible and less of a burden for everyone.

Another new addition will be the use of official registers, which are being more frequently used internationally. With the help of state data, the production of up-to-date census-like information will be possible, even in the decade in between two censuses

Hungary will go back to asking for the participant’s name on the questionnaire, as is the case in other EU countries. The census, however, serves a purely statistical purpose, and the data collected from it can only be presented in total.

The CSO provides all professional supervision during the process of preparation and implementation and will process and publish the data collected. At the same time, the local notaries will be responsible for territorial implementation. The recruiting of contributors will begin early next year; there are about 35,000 people needed to execute the census successfully. The CSO also held trial censuses with the participation of 14,000 households in 72 regions to ensure next year’s goes smoothly.

Read alsoHungary might be the worst place to be a pensioner – Statistics

Read alsoRomania left behind Hungary in labour productivity – EU statistics

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Read also2021 census questionnaire to be available online for foreigners as well

Hungarians still have many harmful habits: every tenth Hungarian man drinks every day

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In terms of the total population, the proportion of heavy drinkers decreased. However, more than a tenth of men drink alcohol every day, writes Portfolio based on the results of the European population health survey.

  • 6.3 per cent of the population consume alcohol on a daily basis,
  • 19 per cent of the population consume alcohol at least weekly (but not daily),
  • 21 per cent of people consume alcohol at least monthly (but less than weekly),
  • 24 per cent of the population do not consume alcohol on a monthly basis,
  • and 29 per cent of those surveyed do not drink alcohol at all.

There is a gender difference in the frequency of alcohol consumption. 39 per cent of women and 19 per cent of men never drink alcohol.

More than one-tenth of men (11%) and only 1.8 per cent of women drink alcohol daily.

In addition to frequency, alcohol consumption can also be characterised by quantity. Based on the quantity, we distinguish between the groups of heavy drinkers, moderate drinkers, infrequent drinkers, and non-drinkers. Consumption of more than 14 units (one alcohol unit is equivalent to a pint of beer, or 2 dl of wine, or 0.5 dl of spirits) of alcohol per week on average for men, while more than 7 units is considered heavy drinking for women. A significantly higher proportion of men are considered heavy drinkers (9.3%) and moderate drinkers (31%) than women (1.5% and 11%).

Interestingly, while the proportion of moderate drinkers in men increases with age, on the other hand, the proportion of heavy drinkers and moderate drinkers in women decreases with age.

Switching to the other harmful addiction, smoking, the proportion of smokers has decreased in the last 5 years. There have been positive changes in the field of smoking:

Between 2009 and 2019, the proportion of daily regulars or occasional smokers decreased.

The majority of men aged 18-64 smoke more on a daily basis than women of their age. For both adult men and women, the proportion of smokers on a daily and occasional basis decreases with age, and the proportion of people who quit smoking increases.

In most age groups, the proportion of smokers decreased for both men and women, regardless of frequency. The exception is the group of the oldest women, where the proportion of regular smokers has increased from the previous 7 per cent to 11.8 per cent, and among girls aged 15-17, it has increased from the previous 14 per cent to 16.4 per cent.

Most Hungarians support the reinstatement of the death penalty

https://dailynewshungary.com/most-wanted-hungarian-criminals/

The death penalty was declared unconstitutional thirty years ago. Since then, no year has passed without a brutal murder; as a result of which, there is a constant debate over the reinstatement of capital punishment; furthermore, public opinion in Hungary massively stands for the initiative.

In times of wars and revolutions, the most brutal means of retaliation was execution; while in peacetime, criminal justice. The last capital punishment was carried out on 14th July 1988 – Ernő Vadász was convicted of premeditated and for-profit manslaughter, crime of theft for greater value and misuse of documents. His execution was realised in the hanging court of the Hungarian Prison Service.

Three years later, 24th October 1990, the Constitutional Court announced its decision declaring the death penalty unconstitutional.

Constitutional judges referred to two constitutional items; according to which, all human beings have an innate right to life and human dignity; and no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.

According to the constitutional judge, Antal Ádám – “The plenum examined twenty-four main arguments in favour of the question, while also examined twenty-three counter-arguments. Coincidentally, the twenty-fourth argument referred to the miscarriage of justice; accordingly, if someone is executed by mistake, the victim cannot be revived, and an execution carried out on the basis of a wrong judgment can never be retrieved.”

The abolition of the death penalty is most opposed in Asia, the Arab countries and the United States. In the US, capital punishment is legal in 29 Member States, yet no one has been executed at the federal level since 2003 until the summer of this year, and the number of death sentences has also decreased in each state.

As the Hungarian news portal Index reports, Belarus is the only European country where executions still take place today. There is a moratorium in Russia (the last execution took place in 1999). Hungary also renounced its use as the thirty-sixth in chronological order, ahead of Italy (1994), Spain (1995), Belgium (1996) and Great Britain (1998).

So far, there have been several initiatives to reinstate the death penalty in Hungary; furthermore, the public opinion massively stands for the idea.

According to a survey carried out in October 2017, 24% of respondents fully supported it, 52% accepted the death penalty for certain crimes against life, 21% rejected it completely, and 3% could not or did not want to respond.

Read also: Hungary stands beside death penalty

Despite the latter results, death penalty cannot be reinstated in Hungary due to the concerning international treaties.

According to a study carried out by the National Institute of Criminology, there is an even more severe punishment than the death penalty. Researchers interviewed 149 life-sentenced prisoners, including nine inmates sentenced to actual life imprisonment, out of which more than two-thirds considered the death penalty to be less severe than actual life imprisonment.

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Read alsoIt is horrifying what people can do – three cases of brutality in Hungary

Is migration really the biggest problem for Hungarians?

migrants Hungary border fence röszke

A recent study has revealed that Hungarians feel very much threatened by issues that are actually directly affecting their livelihoods, especially now, with the economic crisis the pandemic has caused, which may last a long time. The crisis may put the current Hungarian government to the test and may grant the opposition a chance to win voters over by a more socially sensitive crisis management plan for the 2022 elections.

The survey, which was conducted by András Bíró-Nagy, Gergely Laki, and Áron Szászi with Policy Solutions and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, the biggest problems in Hungary are the standard of healthcare services, low salaries, and the high cost of living, reported 24.

By the beginning of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, 43% of Hungarians indicated that the high cost of living is amongst the top three problems of the country, as opposed to 20% a year prior.

In fourth and fifth places on the list of problems are social inequalities, which are considered high and increasing by 37%, and low pensions with 22%. Corruption came in at sixth place, compared to the previous year’s fourth place.

The complete list of problems mentioned in the survey are:

  1. low standard of health services,
  2. low salaries,
  3. high cost of living,
  4. the social gap between wealthy and poor people is too big,
  5. low pension,
  6. corruption,
  7. life in smaller settlements is getting harder,
  8. employees are vulnerable to their employers at the workplace,
  9. specialised and skilled workforce moves abroad,
  10. low standard of education,
  11. high real estate prices,
  12. quality of democracy is deteriorating,
  13. not protecting the environment enough and not taking action against climate change,
  14. and fearing that too many migrants will come to Hungary in the near future.

Migration was only the main problem for 8% of the people who took part in the survey, despite the government’s anti-immigration campaigns over the past couple of years.

If we take a look at what different age groups deem as an important or urgent problem, we can see that everyone is concerned with what directly affects them. Low pension is the most frequently mentioned problem among people over 60 (58%) and the least frequent among 18-29-year-olds (4%). Likewise, low salaries ranked first place for young people (51%), but it came in only at fifth place for the elderly (27%). The authors of the research, however, warn that concerns about income among all age groups might indicate an unfolding livelihood crisis.

There is a harsh contrast between how people who only completed 8 years of school and people who graduated from university see issues. For instance, people with less formal education are more concerned about the difficulty of living in smaller settlements, while those with degrees worry more about corruption, education, and the environment.

82% of Hungarians, including 72% of Fidesz voters, agree that the state should be responsible for reducing social inequalities, which was one of the most important findings of the survey.

78% of Hungarians would support a progressive tax system, while only a fifth of the population agrees with the government that flat-rate taxation is the best and most fair option for equally sharing social burdens.

69% of people who sympathise with Fidesz think that the rich should pay their fair share in taxes, while only 8% of all participants think that there is no need to tax huge fortunes more.

63% of Fidesz supporters would agree with the introduction of a basic income in Hungary, despite the governing party repeatedly refusing to introduce one. Actually, 73% of all Hungarians support the notion, which is a 6% increase compared to the survey conducted two years ago.

70% of Hungarians think that job seekers – or the unemployed – should be provided help and support longer than just three months. Two years ago, only 54% believed so. 77% of those with a primary school education and 60% of those with college degrees agreed.

When it comes to the state helping people buy their own homes, Fidesz supporters are quite divided, with 41% saying everyone deserves help purchasing a home, and 55% saying that those who could buy a home on their own should not be helped. Supporters of Momentum are quite permissive on the issue, but some MSZP voters might support the narrowing of those who qualify for the subsidy. 

94% of the Hungarian population support energy-efficient building renovations, 92% support switching to renewable green energy sources, 89% are for taxing polluting companies more, 89% support VAT rebates for organic food, 70% think banning old and polluting cars from traffic is a good idea, 70% support introducing an environmental airline tax – although because of the crisis in the aviation industry caused by the pandemic, this might have to wait –, and 54% also support introducing a carbon tax.

57% of people would not spend more on green products; however, Momentum supporters contrast other party sympathisers, as they are the only ones – with 56% – who would be willing to pay more money for green products. In most settlements, the number of people saying no were around 60%, those saying yes were around 33%, but in Budapest, 48% of participants voted yes, as opposed to the 41% saying no.

The number of people satisfied and dissatisfied with the government’s climate policy is almost the same, with 47% being dissatisfied, and 44% being satisfied. Non-supporters of Fidesz were dissatisfied with the government’s green policy, while only one-quarter of Fidesz sympathisers voiced their criticism of the policies.

56% of people living in Budapest were not satisfied with the government’s green policy, 86% of them support banning polluting cars, and 72% support a carbon tax. Young people tend to be more upset by the government’s climate policy, and they are the ones who would pay more for products that were more environmentally conscious.

40% of Fidesz voters, and 57% of all participants of the survey, think that the nuclear power plant of Paks should not be expanded, despite it being one of the biggest investments of the government. 51% of Fidesz supporters think the expansion should be carried out.

The majority of the participants of the survey said that Fidesz was credible when it comes to ensuring economic development, housing policy, and improving rural living conditions, while the opposition is more credible in anti-corruption, healthcare, ensuring a living wage, and reducing inequality. One-third of voters found neither side credible in any of the topics.

About the credibility of the opposition’s coalition, Jobbik’s supporters are the most sceptical, although seven out of 10 of them find the opposition more credible, MSZP’s supporters have the most faith in the opposition’s credibility, followed by DK, then Momentum. Two-thirds of those without a party do not consider either side trustworthy, but those who expressed their opinions preferred the opposition as well.

The majority of those with a primary school education find the government credible, while the exact opposite can be said for university graduates.

People with a primary school education find the opposition more credible about representing workers and reducing social inequalities but find the government more reliable about housing, economic development, and the improvement of life in smaller settlements and villages. Those with degrees think the opposition is credible about healthcare, environmental protection, social housing policy, and providing a living wage, but they prefer the government when it comes to economic policy.

18-29-year-olds found the opposition convincing in fighting corruption, and the older population was convinced by their advocating for workers, reducing social inequality, and ensuring a living wage. For the government, economic development, improvement of rural life, as well as fair housing remain the main points in which they are found credible.

87% of the survey’s participants agreed that a woman should be paid the same amount for the same work as a man. 68% think that violence against women should be a talking topic, and only one-fourth of respondents find the topic to be over-exaggerated.

When it comes to the support of our Roma compatriots, the participants are equally divided, with 48% per cent saying it should be prioritised, and 48% saying it is not necessary. Two years ago, however, only 36% supported priority support.

Only 35% of the respondents support same-sex marriage, while 58% oppose it. 65% of the supporters of the government reject the notion, while 52% of DK voters support it.

Read alsoCoronavirus mainly endangers economy, say 70 pc of Hungarians – survey

Read alsoHungarian foreign minister slammed the European Union because of migration again

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Read alsoSalary report reveals a shocking gap between Budapest and Hungary’s eastern regions

Internationally recognized, safe, clean – most Hungarians are satisfied with Budapest Airport

budapest airport inside

Reliable, modern, well-organized, continuously developing – this is what the majority of Hungarians think of Ferenc Liszt International Airport, according to surveys conducted by independent market research agency GfK Hungary. Three-quarters of respondents believe the Hungarian airport is clean, safe and easy to navigate, and a similar proportion of Hungarians regard staff as being professional and friendly. In contrast, road and rail access to the airport from the city center and parking are considered areas that clearly require development.

Upon Budapest Airport’s request, GfK carried out a representative survey in March and, for a deeper understanding, focus group research in September, to assess people’s impressions of Ferenc Liszt International Airport. Within the framework of the representative survey, opinions about the airport were evaluated using a sample of 1000 people (Hungarians aged 16-69, including passengers of Budapest Airport), whilst in the focus group research, nearby residents and travelers of various ages and purposes were asked important questions about the airport.

According to the results of the representative survey, the majority of respondents associated positive experiences, sentiments and memories with Budapest Airport.

Most Hungarians agree that the airport functions as a gateway for Hungary, it is internationally recognized, provides well-organized and professional services and implements continuous developments, to improve the passenger experience.

This outcome was confirmed by the participants of the focus group, who characterized the building as a high-quality facility, even by European standards.

Seven or eight respondents out of ten believe that the building is spacious, bright and clean, whilst two-thirds of participants said the airport is modern, stylish and has a practical configuration for passengers, thanks primarily to its logical internal layout, as well as to wayfinding signs and monitors.

In addition to wayfinding signage and screens, which now also display walking distance, Budapest Airport aids orientation at the terminal with information staff. Approximately three-quarters of respondents highlighted the helpful, friendly and professional staff as an important characteristic of the airport.

The majority of respondents agreed that recent developments contribute significantly to a better passenger experience. For example, it is attributable to continuous technical innovation that large electronic items do not have to be removed from hand baggage since last year, and that Budapest Airport increased the number of screening lanes to 18 with the handover of two new channels this year. The new lanes are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, an automatic system which further accelerates passage through security screening.

Most people critiqued access to the airport and parking.

The majority of participants in group discussions regarded road access to the airport, the lack of a direct railway connection and the bad condition of the airport express road leading to Terminal 2 as the biggest problem. It is a general view that accessing the airport is stressful, due to the absence of a railway connection and the bad quality of public roads. Budapest Airport’s long-term development plans include the construction of a multimodal hub and a multistory car park, to make up for the multistory car park project commenced two years ago, which was stopped by the government. Many people also highlighted concerning public transport that the various different options are difficult to understand and that purchasing bus tickets is complicated.

Nearly one-fifth of respondents in the March survey underlined the low number of comfortable seats at the terminals; since then, Budapest Airport handed over the new Pier 1 in the summer, where more than 1000 seats are available, to serve passengers in convenience during the traffic recovery.

83% of participants consider it important that environmental impacts from the operation of the airport should be compensated, which is a priority for the operator. Carbon dioxide emissions per passenger were reduced by 49% and drinking water consumption per passenger by 30% at the airport during the last 5 years, and Budapest Airport also has an outstanding waste recycling ratio of 70%, as compared to 15% amongst residents. Partly on account of these initiatives, Budapest Airport received ACI’s carbon accreditation for the third time this year and joined ACI’s NetZero by 2050 initiative. The operator has been offering participation in its window insulation program to nearby residents for several years, and has provided window insulation or window replacements for more than 1500 households.

70% of visitors to Budapest Airport’s website and Facebook page like its online channels, and eight or nine respondents out of ten generally agree that the airport is honest, open and communicates well.

During the focus group research conducted in the fall, the airport paid special attention to exploring passengers’ expectations in connection with the coronavirus. Participants believe measures relating to the global pandemic must conform to domestic and international rules. In their experience, Budapest Airport performed well in this respect; i.e. it manages hygiene requirements appropriately. Thanks to regular disinfectant cleaning, cleanliness at the terminals and the hand sanitizers placed throughout the buildings provide a feeling of safety for passengers. The participants of the groups welcomed developments minimizing personal contact at the airport, which was a key focus area for Budapest Airport this year. The number of self-service baggage drop-off machines was increased to 16 in 2020, and the airport operator continuously promotes self-check in amongst passengers.

“We are very grateful to our passengers and to the Hungarians who participated in the survey for the detailed feedback. Respondents confirmed Budapest Airport’s recently implemented developments of a hundred million euros. This research is another verification that service quality and the passenger experience are continuously increasing at Ferenc Liszt International Airport, and further enhances the significance of the best airport in the region award, which we managed to win again in 2020,”

emphasized Dr. Rolf Schnitzler, the CEO of Budapest Airport. Regarding the results of the research on the accessibility of the airport, he added: “Budapest Airport Zrt. fully supports the construction of the railway connection to the airport; agreement with the government was reached on that already at the beginning of the summer. The draft agreement on the developments at the airport is ready to be signed; we are hopeful that the government will be able to speed up the design of the project and provide the necessary financing. As respondents indicated, the express road and a railway connection to the inner city would provide a significant boost to the strengthening of the country image.”

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Read alsoCan you guess the value of Budapest Airport?

Parent’s mental health linked with risk of premature birth – survey

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Both mother’s and father’s past mental health record has been linked with the chance of their baby being born premature, an Australian study revealed Tuesday.

Men with mental health problems through adolescence and young adulthood, and women with anxiety and depression during pregnancy, were more likely to have premature babies, according to the report led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI).

The study followed 398 women and 267 men over 15 years, assessing them for anxiety and depressive symptoms from adolescence to young adulthood and during subsequent pregnancies.

Co-lead author, Dr Elizabeth Spry from MCRI said prior to their research being conducted the impact of maternal and paternal mental health on preterm birth and birth weight was unknown.

Spry said that while mum’s were generally advised to stay fit and healthy throughout their pregnancy, little focus was placed on the role that men play.

“We found that men with persistent mental health symptoms in the decades leading up to pregnancy were more likely to have premature babies,” Spry said.

“Our study joins growing evidence of the important role that fathers play in the health and development of their children, and suggests that these links begin well before babies are conceived.”

According to Dr Claire Wilson from King’s College in London, the direct link between adolescent mental health issues and preterm births is not known, however a better understanding could help with preventing the potentially deadly outcome.

“Pre-term birth is common and is a leading cause of infant deaths worldwide, but the underlying causes have been largely unknown,” Wilson said.

“Mental health may affect parental reproductive biology and antenatal pathways and can have an impact on genetic and environmental influences such as substance use and nutrition, which could be linked to a baby’s development.”

The team hoped to encourage mental health support for parents during their pregnancies and beforehand, with an aim of reducing premature birth rates.

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Read alsoMother diagnosed with Covid-19 gives birth to baby in Hungary!

Budapest is among the world’s most walkable cities

Budapest

Tourlane, a leading online travel website for tailor-made vacations, has kicked off the 29th annual World Walking Day with a special guide to the top 50 most walkable cities on earth, including Budapest, that is 24th on the list, ahead of cities such as Barcelona, Berlin and London.

The World’s Most Walkable Cities

Where are the world’s most walkable cities? Whether it’s strolling along the beach in Miami or traversing the High Line in New York City, walking is the best way to discover a new destination. It’s free, easy, and healthy, helping you to find out what makes a city unique. Walking also benefits the environment—as fewer vehicles means fewer emissions. As many cities have top attractions clustered near each other, walking is often faster than other modes of transport to explore top highlights. 

We mapped the walking distance between the top five attractions in hundreds of destinations around the world, and created a final shortlist of 50 cities where the total does not exceed 10 miles. Forget crowded subways, enclosed spaces, and expensive taxis—don your walking shoes and take to the spacious streets of the world’s most exciting cities! Ready to take a walk on the wild side? Take a stroll around the world’s top 50 most walkable cities below, and learn about the top five attractions in each!

Mapped: The World's Top 10 Most Walkable Cities

The Top 50 Most Walkable Cities in the World

Table Ranking 1-10 Most Walkable Cities

Sauntering into first place, the enchanting Italian city of Florence ranks as the world’s most walkable city. Within 10 minutes, visitors are able to admire the unique Ponte Vecchio bridge, as well as the iconic Cathedral of Santa Maria—which boasts the largest brick dome ever constructed. Athens is also among the world’s most walkable cities. Its ancient ruins tower above the city’s skyline and are all located within close proximity to one another.

Table Ranking 11-20 Most Walkable Cities

Visitors looking to discover more modern cities will enjoy grand vistas of  the famous Harbour Bridge and spot the instantly recognizable Opera House while walking around Australia’s largest city, Sydney – the most walkable city in Oceania. History buffs can marvel at the Blue Mosque and Galata Tower while exploring the winding streets of Istanbul—it’s one of the world’s largest cities, but its main attractions are surprisingly close together. Food and wine enthusiasts will love the Cite du Vin in Bordeaux—followed by a walk around the city’s elegant UNESCO World Heritage center.

Table Ranking 21-30 Most Walkable Cities
Read more HERE.