United Kingdom

Hungarian man forced to work as a slave in England died!

Old man homeless poor

András Varga, a Hungarian pensioner and auxiliary worker, moved to the United Kingdom in the hope of a better life. James McCann, a father of 15 children, offered him work and shelter after Varga was on the edge of becoming homeless. However, in return, McCann forced the elderly to do difficult menial jobs and made him live in a tiny shed without a toilet or running water. A council officer warned local police about the conditions, and the officers rescued Mr Varga.

According to Daily Mail, András Varga went to the United Kingdom in 2007 though he spoke very little English. There he worked in various places in the south but ended up living on the streets. On the edge of homelessness, someone called Mike came to help him. He made him do odd jobs for £30 to £40 a day.

Then passed Mr Varga to McCann, who brought the Hungarian man in 2017 to live on his land in Blythe, Northeast England.

There he placed in a tent next to McCann’s caravan at Blythe beach. Mr Varga slept on a camp bed with a dirty sleeping bag. You can check out where András Varga lived in England in the article of Daily Mail.

Later, the practically enslaved Hungarian man could move to a metal shed. However, he had no toilet, running water, bathing, washing option or heating.

The 68-year-old McCann forced Mr Varga to do physically demanding menial jobs.

For example, the Hungarians had to pressure washing drives or do gardening. However, he paid only £10 for him a day.

Since he could not enter the house of McCann’s family, he regularly used the toilet of nearby supermarkets and sometimes had to wash in the sea. Even when McCann was not in the caravan, Mr Varga was not allowed access to it to sleep or wash – Daily Mail reported.

A council officer warned the police about the inhuman conditions Mr Varga was forced to live in England. Finally, the police rescued him in a dirty and dishevelled state.

Daily Mail reported that Mr Varga’s captor, McCann, was brought up in a travelling community and never learnt to read or write. Now he lives in Scotland but was sentenced to jail by Newcastle Crown Court for modern slavery. Prosecutor Vince Ward said, “he has exploited Mr Varga for cheap labour.” Interestingly,

Varga said it was better to work for McCann than live on the streets.

McCann said during his trial that Varga preferred to stay in the shed than in the house.

He will stay in prison for 2 years and 9 months. He broke during his court trial and wanted to ask forgiveness from Mr Varga. However, he died after he returned to Hungary. Reportedly, his death was not related to the conditions he had to live in for years.

 

Ignátz Collage
Read alsoA Hungarian man deceived half the globe – what did he do?

A Hungarian man deceived half the globe – what did he do?

Ignátz Collage

Ignác Trebitsch was born in 1879 in Paks, Hungary. He lived an adventurous life and spent the last years of his life in China. He worked as a Presbyterian priest, a Buddhist monk, a writer, and a representative in the British Parliament. But he also worked for the secret services of various countries, sometimes at the same time.

The Hungarian man worked for the Hungarian, German, English, American, French, Czechoslovak, Bulgarian, Chinese, and Japanese secret services, and he may have been involved with other countries as well, writes szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu.

He also met influential politicians, such as Winston Churchill or Adolf Hitler.

He seemed to be a smart boy as a child. By the time he was 10 years old, he spoke German and French. His family resided in Budapest, but he had something else in mind. When he grew up, he started working for secret services and travelled the world. Or at least a large part of it.

He was Jewish but decided to be christened in Hamburg and joined the Irish Presbyterian church. In the meantime, however, a life-changing event took place: Ignác met Margaret, as the story goes, and they fell in love. They travelled to Canada together, and the man studied theology at McGill University. He then became a priest and took up the name Timothy. He eventually married Margaret, and the couple had three sons.

Ignác Trebitsch
Ignác Trebitsch
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / United States Library of Congress

But the adventures that happened up to that point were not enough for the Hungarian traveller. He changed his name to Ignatius Timothy Tribich-Lincoln.

He moved to Belgium, worked for a social sciences research centre. Then, he moved back to England and ran in the elections under the Liberal Party I Darlington. He received his English citizenship in the middle of the elections, and allegedly, the secret services helped him to get it. He was also helped by politicians like Lloyd George or Winston Churchill. But his activities as a member of the secret service did not end. He was a parliament representative, and he still worked for the Bulgarian, German, and British secret services at the same time.

He later sent two of his sons to a Swiss boarding school. Then, the rest of the family moved to Bucharest, the capital city of Romania. After that, they were back in England. He worked on a book about spies afterwards, but the content raised suspicion, and he ended up taken into custody in New York. He escaped.

He moved to Berlin, then Vienna. He got news about a German-Hungarian right-wing conspiracy, and he told the French secret service. He was paid for it. Then, he also informed the Czechoslovak secret service. Here, he had a problem because the secret service paid less than he expected, so he sued the state from Vienna. Of course, that was a lost cause.

He then went to the United States but raised suspicion. So, he simply took another fake passport and headed to Japan and China. When he made it to said countries, he found out that his oldest son, John, was charged with murder and sentenced to death.

He wanted to see his son one last time, but his plane only got to Amsterdam.

He lived as a Buddhist monk after losing his son. But he was in the higher circles in China as well, holding seminars. Then, his journey became even more interesting when he founded a Buddhist propaganda organisation. He eventually wanted to move back to Hungary, his original home country, and wrote letters to the government as well. However, based on his past, the wish to move back to Hungary was denied. He passed away in Shanghai at the age of 64.

Trebitsch was a true trickster. He was very attractive and kind. These attributes can be associated with every con man, writes Múlt-kor. He was very sensitive, had persuasion techniques, was good at languages and communication, and he even risked his life to make a living.

One of the most important motifs in his life was the desire for acknowledgement and glory.

He was also a person with a condition of manic depression where he experienced extreme lows and felt extreme happiness at times. He was extremely happy when he saw himself in the newspapers, or the public gave him attention and acknowledgement.

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Read alsoCheck out how Hungarian attire turns into eternal fashion

Hungarian university found that coffee can be beneficial for health

Coffee
Light-to-moderate coffee consumption is associated with health-benefits – a study by the Budapest Semmelweis University and  Queen Mary University of London has shown. Up to three cups of coffee a day have a protective effect on heart health. It also reduces the overall mortality rate and the risk of stroke. The results have recently been published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology.

The researchers analysed data from 468,629 UK Biobank participants, who didn’t have any record of heart disease at the start of the research period. The participants were asked about their coffee-drinking habits and lifestyle (e.g. smoking, physical exercise) in a detailed questionnaire and data was also gathered on their individual cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol level.

The participants were divided into three groups: non-coffee drinkers (zero cup of coffee/day; 22.1%), light-to-moderate coffee-drinkers (0.5-3 cups/day; 58.4%) and those who consumed a significant amount of coffee a day (more than 3 cups/day; 19.5%). The researchers also used MRI scans (30,650 individuals) to gain a better understanding of how coffee-drinking habits affect the anatomy and functioning of the heart over time. The follow-up period was 11 years.

Dr. Judit Simon, PhD student at the Semmelweis University, who led the study said:

Light-to-moderate coffee consumption was associated with a 12% lower risk of overall mortality, and with a 17% lower risk of death caused by cardiovascular diseases compared to non-coffee drinkers. In addition, from half to three cups of coffee was associated with a 21 % lower risk of stroke.

Dr. Pál Maurovich-Horvat, the Director of the Medical Imaging Centre at the Semmelweis University, who supervised the study said: “Using the MRI scans we were able to analyse the effect of regular coffee intake on the structure and function of the heart. We found that regular light-to-moderate coffee consumption is beneficial for the health of the heart, with suggestion that it can slow down age-related cardiac changes”.

 

Professor Steffen Petersen of the William Harvey Research Institute at Queen Mary University of London, a key collaborator of the study added: “The large sample size, linked health data, and detailed heart MRI scans available in the UK Biobank offered a strong base to address this research question. According to the results, light-to-moderate coffee consumption is not damaging from a cardiovascular point of view, and it could be beneficial. As far as we know, this has been the largest study to date which focused on the effect of coffee on cardiovascular health”.

It also emerged from the study that the type of coffee also matters in relation to health benefits.

“Most of the participants drank either ground or instant coffee. The ground coffee in moderate amounts was associated with lower mortality risk – but this benefit was not found amongst the regular instant coffee drinkers. The reason behind this may relate to the different production process of the ground and instant forms as they contain different additives” – said co-author Dr. Zahra Raisi-Estabragh, NIHR Clinical Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London.

“The research also found that even decaffeinated coffee was associated with lower all-cause mortality risk which also suggests that it’s not only the caffeine which plays a role in the positive effects of coffee, but this will need further research” – said Dr. Judit Simon of Semmelweis University.

It’s also important to highlight that even for those who were heavy coffee-drinkers (more than 3 cups/day), we did not find evidence of negative cardiovascular consequences

– added Dr. Maurovich-Horvat. “However, there were no positive health benefits observed in this group – as in the group of the light-to-moderate drinkers.”  

“Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, however its cardiovascular effects are not well-known, and some previous studies have shown contradictory results. This latest analysis of the UK Biobank data is a valuable contribution to existing research in this field providing a comprehensive evaluation of the relationship between coffee consumption and several aspects of cardiovascular health” – added Professor Petersen.

Why is Hungary such a small country? The answer is 75 years old

Locsolás Watering Hungarian Easter Tradition Magyar Húsvéti Szokás

The Kingdom of Hungary, as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was one of Europe’s great powers. With a territory of 325,411 km² and a population reaching almost 20 million, its leaders dreamt of the colonisation of the Balkans. Then came WWI and the peace treaty of Trianon. The country’s territory was reduced to 93,075 km², and its population barely exceeded 7.6 million. However, nobody thought the provisions of the treaty would remain in effect. Thus, the hope of regaining the lost territories lingered.

Hungarian citizens were hopeful after WWII

In that respect, the new leadership of the country was successful. Though it meant that Hungary became more and more vulnerable to Nazi Germany, the public supported the territorial growth of the country. In 1938, the Southern part of Slovakia was rejoined. In 1939, Hungarian troops claimed Transcarpathia. In 1940, North Transylvania was taken back. In 1941, Hungarian troops occupied some territories of Serbia with a Hungarian majority.

The territory of Hungary grew to 172,017 km², while its population once again reached almost 11 million.

The Kingdom of Hungary between 1941-1944
The Kingdom of Hungary between 1941 and 1944. Map: Wikipedia

However, only 78 pc of the citizens regarded themselves as Hungarians. After being on the side of those that lost the war, everybody knew that there would be losses. The biggest question was which territories Hungary could keep.

According to 24.hu, Hungary signed the armistice with the Soviet Union on January 20, 1945. The document made it clear that the allies did not accept the territorial growth of Hungary. Thus, it reestablished the Trianon borders. However, that decision was only temporary since the peace treaty had to resolve the matter. The public hoped that Hungary would be greater than after the Trianon treaty. An opinion poll conducted in January 1946 showed that 49 pc of the citizens of Budapest thought that border regions inhabited by Hungarians would be returned. Only 37 pc believed that the Trianon borders would be reinstated. Nobody thought that Hungary would be even smaller than after Trianon. On the national level, these rates were 70 and 25 pc. The citizens of the country were even more hopeful. Though only 50 pc believed that Szeklerland would remain part of Hungary, more than 75 pc thought that Arad, Nagyvárad (Oradea), and Szatmárnémeti (Satu Mare) would be returned.

Western allies to support Hungary?

In 1945, Kisgazdapárt (the party of smallholders) gained 57 pc of the votes. They had to form a coalition government with the Communists because of Soviet pressure. However, they believed that Hungary could and should claim territories from the other defeated country in the region, Romania (Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were both victors). The foreign secretaries of England and the USA supported a plan which would have given territories in the Partium, today’s West Romania, back to Hungary.

In their meeting on September 20, 1945, even the French foreign minister supported the Hungarian proposal. However, the Soviet Union rejected any Hungarian claims because they wanted to compensate Romania for Moldova taken by Moscow by giving them Transylvania. However, neither foreign minister Molotov nor Stalin told the Hungarian delegations. They said that the USA did not support the Hungarian plan. The allies agreed about the Hungarian-Romanian border on their May 7 meeting in 1946.

Potsdam conference 1945 August
The Big Three posing with their principal advisors at Potsdam, Germany. The final decision-maker in the Hungarian question was Stalin. Photo: Wikipedia

Even though the decision was leaked, the Hungarian delegation travelled to Paris in August with territorial claims against Romania. They wanted 22 thousand km² with 2 million citizens and territorial autonomy for Szeklerland. Following American advice, they later proposed a more moderate plan, claiming only 4 thousand km² and 0.5 million inhabitants. However, the great powers did not support any of the plans.

Paris worse than Trianon?

Furthermore, the peace conference took three villages from Hungary and gave them to Czechoslovakia. They said that the villages were of strategic importance to protect Pozsony (Bratislava).

Starving Hungary had to pay compensation of USD 300 million to the victors. Moreover, the peace conference did not attach any minority protection requirements to the peace treaties. As a result, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and the Soviet Union regarded the situation of Hungarians living in their territory as a domestic policy question.

Hungary signed the peace treaty of Paris on February 10, 1947.

History Hungary Horvátjárfalu Slovakia
One of the lost villages, Horvátjárfalu, in 1936. Photo: Fortepan

The Iron Curtain falls down

Interestingly, the public accepted the Paris peace treaty. Most people said that even an ethnic-based revision of the borders is no longer an option. István Bibó, one of the greatest Hungarian minds of the 20th century, believed that Hungarians needed to accept the Trianon borders. Furthermore, they should be an example of how small people can remain moderate. However, he added that Hungary has to take responsibility for the destiny of the Hungarians living abroad. Gyula Szekfű, a popular historian of the Horthy era, concurred.

Though Hungary regained its sovereignty by signing the treaty, the Soviet troops stayed, and Hungary was forced to become a member of the forming Communist Block. As a result, Communists gained power, and nobody could talk about the question of national minorities on the borders of Hungary until the regime change in 1989.

Eltűnt Budapest Lost Budapest 1
Read alsoHungarian videogame brings the ’40s Budapest back to life

Here are the new summer destinations from Budapest Airport!

budapest airport

The 2022 summer schedule at Ferenc Liszt International Airport includes some new additions and the return of several routes closed due to the pandemic. One of last year’s big announcements was that LOT Polish Airlines will re-launch direct flights between Budapest and New York from June 2022.

The service had been very popular with passengers, and from next summer, New York will again be accessible without changing, thanks to the carrier’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which will operate three times a week.

January also brought a big surprise for overseas travelers; Air Canada will resume direct flights between Budapest and Toronto from May to October 2022. The Canadian airline will fly its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to the North American city three times a week in the summer schedule, offering passengers a total of 894 seats per week.

EasyJet’s Manchester service will also resume three times a week from the end of March, and Ryanair will likewise resume two flights a week to Rimini in Italy.

Wizz Air’s returning routes will include two weekly flights to Abu Dhabi, Castellon de la Palma and Skopje, while Ukrainian International Airlines will restart its Budapest-Kyiv service, with 4 flights a week.

Among the already announced new destinations, we can welcome Chișinău, the capital of Moldova, which will be accessible in the summer schedule with 2 Wizz Air flights a week. Budapest Airport also has good news for Turkish holidaymakers; SunExpress is launching a weekly flight to Izmir, Turkey, which has never had a direct flight from Budapest before. Izmir, the third largest city in the country, attracts tourists as an impressively modern and vibrant destination, which will now be accessible from the Hungarian capital without changing.

In addition to the destinations shaping up by the beginning of February, Budapest Airport will also welcome more new and re-launched flights in the summer schedule, further enriching the list of cities accessible directly from the Hungarian capital. These are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Passenger traffic at Budapest Airport recovering month by month

January produced good figures at Ferenc Liszt International Airport. Recovering passenger traffic is already approaching 60% of the pre-pandemic level of 2019, while the volume of air cargo has remained stable at over 15 000 tons.

In the first month of the year, a total of 562,635 passengers used Budapest Airport, an increase of more than 750% compared to the same period last year.

Currently, a total of 101 airports in 37 countries can be reached directly from Ferenc Liszt International Airport, courtesy of 27 airlines. The most popular destinations in January were London, Paris, Moscow and Dubai, while the flexible entry rules are also increasing the number of foreign tourists traveling to Hungary.

In other words, the trend is continuing; passengers and accessible destinations are returning to Budapest Airport in increasing numbers every month. In January, the number of passengers nearly reached 60% of the 2019 level, and 80% of destinations are available again from Budapest.

As for air cargo, after the record of 183 362 tons of cargo last year, the momentum in air freight has not been broken in January 2022. In the first month of the year, the volume of cargo handled at Budapest airport reached 15,748 tons, an increase of 25.8% compared to the same period last year, with only 8.2% more flights.

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Read alsoJet2 relaunches three UK-Budapest flights in February!

Number of foreigners living in Hungary doubled since 2000

It is a global trend that people go to countries where wages and the standard of living are higher. Thousands of Hungarian citizens have left the country since the EU accession. Meanwhile, the number of foreign citizens doubled in Hungary in the last two decades. Today, more than 200 thousand foreigners live here.

According to Népszava, the coronavirus affected all aspects of global migration. The Central Statistical Office (KSH) published its summary of the immigration and emigration trends in Hungary (Demographic Portrait). They said that, between 2009 and 2019, the number of foreigners coming to Hungary remained steady, around 20-25 thousand. This number jumped to 55 thousand in 2019, while it dropped to 44 thousand in the first year of COVID, in 2020. The trend regarding the number of foreigners living in Hungary is clear. The number has doubled since 2000.

Thanks to government measures, the composition of the foreigners working in Hungary changed. In 2016, the cabinet accepted a decree

allowing citizens of neighbouring countries to work in Hungary without any special permit.

The only condition was that they had to work in sectors struggling with a labour shortage. That is why half of the 55 thousand immigrants came from Ukraine, Slovakia, Serbia, and Romania in 2019. In 2020, this rate decreased to 35 pc. For example, the number of Ukrainian guest workers was 21 thousand in 2019 and only 13 thousand in 2020. 

Meanwhile, the number of Slovakian citizens with an address on the Hungarian side of the border jumped four times. They did not move here, they only needed a Hungarian address to continue their work as a commuter undisturbed.

Interestingly, a third of the immigrants is still from Germany, while a quarter is from Asia.

The data show similar trends concerning emigrating Hungarians. 7.3 pc of Hungarians left the country, a much lower rate than in Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria or Romania. There, the rate is around 20-24 pc. According to KSH, the number of emigrant Hungarians has decreased since 2016. Furthermore, from 2019, more of them come home than go to the West. 

For example, the United Kingdom lost much of its popularity because of Brexit.

There were years when the number of Hungarians getting a social security number in the UK reached 20 thousand.

In 2020, this number was only 4,500. The trend is similar in Germany, even though the numbers did not drop much. According to the authors of the Demographic Portrait, the number of immigrants exceeded the number of emigrants in the last 20 years in Hungary.

Currently, 490 thousand Hungarians live in the countries of the European Economic Area (EU+UK, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). 400 thousand of them left Hungary after 2000. According to the data of the United Nations, 714 thousand Hungarians who left Hungary now live in 64 countries all over the globe.

71 thousand of the foreigners living in Hungary work here. 29 thousand are studying, while 33 thousand would like to live here permanently. More than 23 thousand of them came because of their families, while the aim of 33 thousand is unknown to the authorities. There are only 5,110 foreigners who received international protection in Hungary. In 2020, only 83 people received refugee status while 43 got protected status. The authorities admitted only four foreign citizens that year.

 

Border Control Migration Fence
Read alsoMigrants are attacking the border more and more violently – VIDEO

Jet2 relaunches three UK-Budapest flights in February!

jet2 holiday

The good news is that more and more airlines are announcing plans to resume flights to the Hungarian capital. From February, Jet2 will relaunch flights to Budapest from Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds-Bradford airports.

Thanks to the easing of travel restrictions, several flights will be relaunched to the Hungarian capital in the upcoming months. According to the British low-cost airline, the easing of restrictions has led to a significant increase in demand for city break flights. As a result, the airline will resume flights from several of its bases to European capitals and other previously popular tourist destinations in February and early spring.

Budapest is among the first destinations to which three Jet2 flights will be relaunched soon.

The British airline will fly from Manchester to Budapest four times a week, on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, from 11 February. From Birmingham and Leeds (Bradford), there will be two flights a week to the Hungarian capital, on Mondays and Fridays, from 4th March, reported Hungarian news portal Airportal.

From April, Jet2 will also launch new services between Birmingham and Athens, Manchester and Athens, as well as Birmingham and Barcelona.

The good news is that more and more airlines have recently announced plans to resume flights to the Hungarian capital in the upcoming months. As we previously reported, Budapest-Seoul direct flights will resume three times a week from the end of March.

As Airportal reports,

Air Canada will operate three flights a week to Budapest from May 2022 until the end of the summer schedule.

“We are very proud that Air Canada is returning to the Budapest Airport portfolio with this much-loved and missed destination. We have worked tirelessly with the airline and the Hungarian Tourism Agency to make the relaunch a reality and to bring long-haul flights back to the airport,” said Balázs Bogáts, Head of Flight Development at Budapest Airport.

For the summer months, Ukraine International Airlines will resume flights between Kyiv and Budapest four times a week. From mid-June, Sun Express will operate scheduled flights between Izmir and the Hungarian capital, using the Turkish airline’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft once a week, on Saturdays. Moreover, the Scandinavian low-cost airline, Norwegian, which came back from bankruptcy last year, is opening a base at Stockholm’s main airport, with 54 flights from the Swedish capital to European destinations in the summer schedule, including Budapest as well, reported Airportal.

Orthodox Jews in New York order their kaftans from Hungary

Orthodox family in NYC

JT Ruhaipari Ltd. in Southwestern Hungary, close to Kaposvár, has been involved in the sewing business for more than thirty years. The company located in the village of Nagybajom employs about 240 people and is one of the largest employers in the area. The company has been making clothes in different patterns, sizes, and shades for three decades. They even sell their products overseas.

From Nagybajom to New York and London

Unique in Europe, the traditional attire of Orthodox Jews who live in London or New York is made in the sewing shop in Nagybajom. The sewing workshop produces hundreds of suits and long kaftans a day in a hundred and twenty shades of black, writes Sonline.hu.

Kaftans and suits are not only shipped to the UK and the US regularly but they are occasionally ordered from Israel as well.

“We do not know of much competition on the continent, but we know of some Jewish clothing being made in the Far East. We get a lot of orders, we can hardly fulfil them,” emphasised Tamás Gábor, the company’s managing director.

120-150 thousand kaftans per year

The factory makes clothes not only for adults but also for children, from the age of ten. Suits and kaftans are made of fibres or wool.
Normally, fifteen to twenty basic models and seventy different tailoring patterns are used in Nagybajom, and the company produces about 120-150 thousand kaftans a year. Last year, a turnover of almost EUR 4.3 million was achieved, but this year, they expect another 15-20 per cent increase in revenue.
Traditional Jewish clothing is unchanged as there are no new models and fashion trends, so you can sell these clothes even next season, which is a big advantage for the sewing shop. The products you make always stay up-to-date, says Tamás Gábor.

Nagybajom is a 30-minute drive from the regional centre of Kaposvár. You can read our previous article about Kaposvár here.

The local seamstresses

In the sewing shop, working hours last from six to two in the afternoon, which is a big advantage because many of the people living in the surrounding villages cultivate gardens or keep animals, so in addition to their work, they can also take care of the household.
Because the manufacturing process is difficult to automate, a significant portion of the work requires the knowledge and presence of local seamstresses, writes index.hu.

A few weeks ago, we wrote an article about Hassidic Jews living in Brooklyn, stating that many of them have Hungarian origins. You can read that article here.

‘UK Disneyland’ from Abdulla Al Humaidi to Join a Tradition of English Theme Parks

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Dr. Abdulla Al Humaidi heads the ownership group that will help bring to life the latest (and largest) theme park in the United Kingdom. What’s being called “The London Resort” will encompass 465 hectares of themed lands, hotels, event centers and more. For a perspective of just how large the park will be, 465 hectares would fit 651 soccer fields.

Pierre-Yves Gerbeau is Chief Executive of The London Resort Company. He, along with Chairman Steven Norris, is joined by an executive team, a collection of consultants, and an advisory board. For Abdulla Al Humaidi, this is the team that will bring the park to fruition.

For the United Kingdom, The London Resort will join a long, historic line of theme park development. With origins dating to the 18th century, England’s park and fairground heritage are among the richest in the world. That history is far from lost on PY Gerbeau, Abdulla Al Humaidi and the rest of the ownership group.

Abdulla Al Humaidi’s London Resort: Place in History

When the London Resort opens, most attendees won’t be familiar with the tradition the park is joining. Yet even today, reminders abound.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Lancashire and Dreamland in Margate are both late 19th-century English theme parks still standing. In fact, England has six of the 35 rollercoasters worldwide that were built before 1939 and are still standing today. Yet the true origins of England’s theme parks predate the advent of the roller coaster. Annual fairs and what were called “pleasure gardens” were essentially the traditional precursors to modern amusement parks.

Annual fairs began as mainly commercial concerns. As early as the 1200s, fairs were held in temporary structures where villagers could trade and enjoy entertainment. By the 18th century, the commerciality of the fairs gave way to entertainment. Traveling attractions, like circuses and menageries, became the main event. In the late 1800s, George Sanger gained prominence as a circus and menageries owner and eventually put down roots in Margate. His permanent fair became the direct antecedent of not just Dreamland at Margate, but the modern amusement park itself.

London’s pleasure gardens, which first appeared in the 17th century, quickly proliferated. By the 18th century, London was home to over 60 gardens. These attractions often featured concert halls, bowling greens, archery, refreshment rooms, and more. And they inspired development well outside London at seaside resorts, including in Margate. Raikes Hall Gardens, in fact, was essentially an amusement park before amusement parks. On offer at Raikes were circus acts, acrobats, dancing, and fireworks. And in a bit of parallelism with Abdulla Al Humaidi’s London resort, the garden also had a Grand Pavilion that accommodated 10,000 attendees. As it happens, Raikes was located just a few kilometers from where Blackpool Pleasure Beach was eventually developed.

Of course, technology being what it was, these parks were a far cry from modern wonders. But in the late 1800s and early 1900s, following their adoption at Coney Island, roller coasters started to spread. Through slow but steady progress and further technological advancements, it became possible to create something like The London Resort.

The Modern Wonder of the London Resort

Many years will have to pass for The London Resort to accrue the kind of heritage promised at Blackpool or Dreamland. But for what it lacks in history—for now—the resort more than makes up for in rides, attractions, and accommodation. And even with its shiny veneer, The London Resort pays homage to English theme parks of years past.

The first sign of English heritage is in the park’s entrance. In a nod to British nostalgia, Abdulla Al Humaidi and his team designed a grand entrance called High Street. There, visitors will be treated to restaurants, entertainment, and themed shops. From High Street, parkgoers will enter the first of the park’s seven themed lands. The lands will encompass a wide range of themes including:

  • The Studios, an industrial district featuring action movies.
  • The Woods, a fairy tale land.
  • The Kingdom, a themed land base on King Arthur legends.
  • The Isle, an area with mythical creatures and beasts
  • The Jungle, filled with Mesoamerican ruins and a large temple.
  • The Starport, an ode to the 23rd century with technology-themed rides.
  • Base Camp, a dinosaur-themed area with roller coasters.

Also on the park grounds will be four hotels, accommodating 3550 rooms, and a covered water park. The resort is scheduled to open in 2024 and partners include Disney, BBC, ITV, and Paramount Studios. Also included is an eSports area with three stories of technology exhibits, gaming attractions, and a 3000-seat arena.

A New Force in English Entertainment

Abdulla Al Humaidi and his ownership group made a savvy hire in PY Gerbeau. The executive has come to be a modern force in England’s long history of theme park entertainment.

After a career as a professional hockey player, Gerbeau turned his focus to business. He quickly made a name for himself in English entertainment, helping to turn around Euro Disney in the early 1990s. After Euro Disney, Gerbeau joined the New Millennium Experience Company which operates the Millenium Dome. Again, Gerbeau was credited with helping to turn around the Millennium Dome which struggled before he arrived. Gerbeau further added to his growing legacy of English entertainment when he became the operator of the Xscape centers. Then, in June 2019, Gerbeau joined the London Resort Company. He simply couldn’t pass on the opportunity to develop what will be the United Kingdom’s premier theme park destination. 

Thus far, The London Resort has been Gerbeau’s crown jewel. And if he and Abdulla Al Humaidi have their way, the park will also be the crown jewel of British entertainment. Along with its place in history, the resort will create thousands of jobs for the surrounding communities. Also, with the park attracting legions of tourists, the neighborhoods surrounding the parks will likely draw new investors. Plus, to help support the park, new infrastructure will be built along with enhancements to the River Thames area. All indications are that history will be kind to Gerbeau, Al Humaidi, and The London Resort.

Leeds United have been poor this season, but there are worse sides around them

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It has certainly been a difficult second season in the Premier League for Leeds United. Having been promoted to the top flight for the first time in 16 years, the Yorkshire outfit were a breath of fresh air under Marcelo Bielsa, soaring to unimaginable heights and finishing the season in ninth. However, injuries and inconsistency have been real themes of their sophomore year and the threat of relegation is becoming more realistic with each passing loss.

The reality of the situation is that the way Leeds play isn’t sustainable. While they were certainly entertaining, the high pressing and constant running has resulted in an inevitable burn out, and results have been sacrificed in turn for freedom and expression, and in a competitive league like this where points are the currency of success, Bielsa would do well to try and salvage as many as possible between now and the end of the season.

It shouldn’t all be doom and gloom in Elland Road though, fans are back in stadiums and players are finally starting to come back from their injuries, and, at the time of writing, they’ve managed to keep hold of star man Raphininha. Leeds have been frustrating to watch at times, but they still shouldn’t go down. There have been teams far worse in and around the relegation places according to the football odds today. Read on, as we look at the current bottom three and assess why their situation is far more perilous. 

Watford 

It’s really hard to summarise everything wrong with Watford’s managerial merry-go-round. Having been promoted under Francisco ‘Xisco’ Muñoz, the Spaniard endured a difficult start to life in the top flight and was cast a side as soon as results began to nosedive. Claudio Ranieri was the man tasked with orchestrating safety, but after just fourth months in charge, he was sacked and now the Hornets have hired Roy Hodgson — their third manager of the season. Lacking consistency both on and off the pitch, this Watford side clearly possess some talented players, but are failing to replicate the results that won them the Championship last season, and perhaps another stint in the second tier is around the corner sooner than expected.

Newcastle 

Despite spending so much money in the January transfer window, Newcastle still have just two wins to their name. The Magpies have invested heavily since appointing Eddie Howe, with Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood and Bruno Guimarães all arriving at St. James’ Park. However, with so many players needing to be integrated and not much time to do it, Newcastle will struggle to recoup points and even if they survive, it will be by the skin of their teeth and cause no real threat to Leeds’ safety pursuit.

Burnley

A rise in covid cases has meant Burnley have played at least three games less than the rest of the sides in the Premier League — Manchester City playing five more, but regardless it’s not pretty viewing for the Clarets fans. Rooted to bottom of the table, Sean Dyche’s no-nonsense hardworking system has been exposed this season, with the fragilities in Burnley’s backline becoming all the more apparent. 

Losing Wood is another massive blow for Dyche, whose side were already struggling to find the back of the net, with just 16 goals so far. It’s difficult to see a situation where Burnley don’t get relegated, but having been stalwarts in the division for the last five years, and Turf Moore a difficult place to visit for opposing teams, there’s always an outside chance they pick up maximum points from their games in hand and pull of a worthy great escape.

Hungary’s troops can meet the challenges of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, says defence minister

Hungarian Defence Minister Benkő and his British counterpart, Ben Wallace

Hungary is committed to NATO, Defence Minister Tibor Benkő said after talks with his British counterpart, Ben Wallace, in Budapest on Monday.

Addressing a joint press conference, Benkő said Hungary’s armed forces was strong thanks to the country’s military development programme.

He thanked Wallace for the United Kingdom’s flexible handling of evacuations from Afghanistan last August. Benkő also expressed thanks to his British counterpart for his praise of Hungary’s “excellent NATO capabilities”.

Benkő said he and Wallace agreed on their views of the security situation in Europe and the Ukraine-Russia conflict. He also emphasised the importance of security in the Western Balkans to Hungary.

He said it was important for Hungary to continue strengthening its military relations with the UK, noting a bilateral pact on joint military training signed in 2019.

The minister said there needed to be a follow-up meeting between him and Wallace, as there were “many issues” to discuss.

Wallace said

central Europe was not just important to the United Kingdom, but also to NATO.

If Russian aggression in Ukraine were to turn into an invasion, Hungary would also suffer because the conflict would lead to rising energy and food prices and migrant flows, he said.

Wallace said he and Benkő had discussed ways to de-escalate the Ukraine-Russia crisis, underlining that it was crucial to avert a worst-case scenario. The escalation of the conflict would be especially detrimental in the midst of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, he added.

Wallace said

the Hungarian military was strong and had excellent leadership.

Meanwhile, asked if it was a mistake for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to visit Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the current situation, Benkő said it was “always the right time for talks”. NATO also puts dialogue first, rather than deterrence and armed conflict, he argued.

“So talks shouldn’t be rejected, but are in fact necessary,” the minister said, adding that it was “completely natural that a prime minister is responsible for the security of his country”.

Wallace said he did not believe it was ever a mistake to hold talks with Putin. Nobody wants prices to skyrocket or for migration waves to emerge, he argued, adding that Orbán’s visit was a good opportunity to convey messages to the Russian president.

In response to another question, Benkő said

Hungary’s troops could handle any tasks that arise due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, and there was no need for NATO to deploy troops from other countries in Hungary.

Asked to comment on the matter, Wallace said the UK had offered troops to NATO and not a specific country. It is up to the alliance to decide where it deploys the UK soldiers, he said.

As we wrote on December, Hungarian Defence Minister Tibor Benkő discussed regional security and military cooperation, among other issues, with Oleksii Reznikov, his Ukrainian counterpart, details HERE.

Military High School
Read alsoHungary projects to launch 10 military high schools by 2030 – PHOTOS

NATO allied troops to arrive in Hungary?

Military Guns Fighting Rifle Pistol Katonaság Soldier Fegyver

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict could call for measures. Many people are concerned about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The US and a handful of allies are in discussions to deploy thousands more troops to Eastern European NATO countries, writes CNN. The aim would be to show support amidst the current threat of Russia invading Ukraine.

Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary are considering accepting the incoming troops. The deployments would mean approximately 1,000 personnel in every country that agrees to accept the troops.

“Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said on Monday that the US has put 8,500 troops in the US on heightened alert in case a NATO Response Force is called up and American forces are needed quickly. However, the vast majority of these forces are intended for activity supported by the full NATO alliance. The US and NATO have tens of thousands of other troops already in Europe to draw on for any additional deployments to Eastern European allies,” CNN wrote.

Orban and Tucker
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The United States and the United Kingdom were two of the countries that initiated the idea of troops being deployed. Not all NATO member states agree, though. Discussions with Hungary are ongoing.

Hvg.hu wrote that soldiers are not yet deployed in Hungary. John Kirby said that there are 8,500 soldiers on standby, but they need the full support of NATO. President Joe Biden said that the troops could travel to Europe sooner, in order to save time.

Romania also expressed its views. “The security crisis caused by Russia is not just about Ukraine, the Black Sea region, and not just about European security but about the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic area. It is therefore important in this situation to show unity and solidarity at the level of both NATO and the European Union,” 24.hu quoted the Romanian President.

Vasile Dincu, Minister of Defence, said that Romania would not send soldiers or weapons to Ukraine. NATO rules state that troops can be deployed only if a member state is threatened. Ukraine is not a NATO member state.

The situation, therefore, is complicated, and new decisions could be made at any minute.

szijjártó ukraine hungary
Read alsoHungary supports solution to Ukraine conflict through diplomacy

Hungary to launch 2nd round of tenders for companies harmed by Brexit

The government is launching a 12 billion forint (EUR 32.6m) second round of tenders for companies harmed by Brexit, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Tuesday.

Companies can apply for government support of up to 2 billion forints equal to their provable losses linked to the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union in the tender launching on Jan. 17, Szijjártó said.

The support can cover up to 70 percent of the losses of small enterprises, 60 percent of those of mid-size firms and 50 percent of large companies, he said.

The funding can be used to purchase equipment for technological development. It can also be used to upgrade infrastructure and real-estate, purchase licences and know-how, and make developments that curb energy consumption, he said.

In the first round last autumn, 37 companies received a total of 10.2 billion forints in support of investments worth a total of 19 billion, Szijjártó noted.

read also:

Hungary Szijjártó government Poland
Read alsoState support for Hungarian companies facing difficulties due to Brexit

Good news! – Wizz Air tickets for brand new destinations on sale

wizzair emergency landing

Wizz Air UK, the UK-registered and based airline of Europe’s fastest growing Hungarian airline group, announced on the 23rd of December several new destinations from it newly upgraded front at Gatwick Airport.

Wizz Air will launch new routes from its newly upgraded UK base to 14 destinations including, Faro, Palma, Larnaca, Catania, Podgorica, Tel Aviv, Chania, Mykonos and Funchal.

There will also be new routes from Milan, Rome, Vienna, Bari and Naples to Gatwick Airport, with those flights operated by Wizz Air Hungary.

It is also important to note that tickets are on sale from the 23rd on the company’s website and on Wizz Air’s mobile application. With the sale, the prices of fares start from as low as just £ 8.99 (€ 10.6).

Some of these 14 routes will be available during the whole year while some of them will be seasonal routes. The new flights start from March 2022 onwards following the Hungarian founded company’s successful purchase of 15 daily slot pairs from Norwegian Air Shuttle at Gatwick Airport.

read also: Wizz Air buys new slots at Gatwick, strengthening their UK presence

The company reports that Wizz Air’s expansion will see the airline basing four additional A321neo aircraft, bringing the total to five at Gatwick Airport.

These aircraft will serve existing routes as well as all the new routes, with a range of destinations on offer, from the fascinating Italian cities of Milan and Rome, to hot holiday destinations such as Mykonos and Palma da Mallorca.

The company highlighted that with the launch of these new routes it will have an offer of 22 non-seasonal and seasonal routes from Gatwick Airport.

read also: Turkish plane made an emergency landing in Budapest!

Wizz Air highlighted that with the new expansion at Gatwick and with its operations at Luton Airport, the company will operate a total of 88 routes from London, reaffirming the airline’s long-term commitment to the region.

Marion Geoffroy, Managing Director of Wizz Air UK, said: ““We are delighted to be launching a host of new routes from Gatwick, following the announcement of our acquisition of new slots at the airport. Whether it’s a relaxing beach holiday in the Algarve or a city break in Montenegro’s capital of Podgorica, there are many wonderful destinations to discover and return to.”

For more details and news, visit Wizz Air’s website.

Wizz Air-airport
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Wizz Air buys new slots at Gatwick, strengthening their UK presence

Wizz Air Hugarian Company UK Purchase

With a new decision to purchase new slots at Gatwick, Wizz Air has made it clear that the company is not neglecting the UK market and is ready to commit to Gatwick Airport.

Wizz Air, the Hungary-based low-cost airline, Europe’s fastest-growing one, announced on 22 December that it has successfully acquired 15 daily slots from Norwegian Air Shuttle at Gatwick Airport.

The deal means Wizz Air UK will base four additional Airbus A321neo aircraft at Gatwick, bringing the total aircraft based at Gatwick to five from Spring 2022 onwards,

the company reported, adding that Wizz Air will be launching a host of new low-fare routes, and the acquired slots will also create significant inbound flight opportunities for the company.

read also: Turkish plane made an emergency landing in Budapest!

Wizz Air first opened its base in Gatwick in October 2020, and the company has since offered a wealth of both well-known and emerging destinations for its customers based in London and the South of England, as well as a boost to the local economy by creating local jobs.

This purchase confirms Wizz Air’s long-term commitment to the region and Gatwick, the company said.

This announcement follows Wizz Air’s continued call to the UK Government to reinstate the use-it-or-lose-it slots usage rule, to ensure that UK customers can benefit from a choice of destination and airline, as well as competitive, low fares, they added.

read also: Passengers were not allowed on a WizzAir flight in Budapest

It is important to note that in November, Wizz Air, Gatwick Airport, Belfast International, and Edinburgh Airport formed a coalition in order to urge the Transport Secretary to end the current slots waiver. This would in turn enable a healthy competition balanced by both the consumer and the industry. 

Wizz Air’s Group Chief Executive Officer, József Váradi, commented that “Acquiring airport slots at Gatwick Airport will enable us to enhance our presence and competitive position in the London market.

We continue to develop our business in the United Kingdom and remain committed to making air travel affordable for all. The 2022 season has the potential to be a tremendous opportunity for UK aviation to get back on its feet.”

For more info, visit Wizz Air’s website.

Wizz Air-airport
Read alsoBREAKING: Wizz Air cancels 84 flights due to the Omicron surge

Chinese ventilators could not be used in Hungary

Hungarian hospitals struggled with fuming, incompatible Chinese ventilators.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs bought thousands of ventilators from China, but when experts saw the devices, they came to concerning conclusions, writes Direkt36, a highly respected and prestigious investigative journalism center in Hungary. As the machines ordered from the far-away country were unknown in Hungary before, technicians were much needed to inspect the machines.

They concluded that some of the devices would have required additional disposable or wearing parts, unavailable in Hungary. There were ventilators, which did not have compatible connectors or adaptors. Other ventilators lacked CE certification or the software running on them was unknown. There were instances when healthcare professionals had ventilators that they managed to set to English, at best. There was a hospital where the ventilators were connected, but then smoke emerged.

Read more: Hungary the least prepared for the Omicron variant?

The investigative journalism center also found out that many of the ventilators have not been used yet. If a ventilator breaks down, it is replaced by another one. The contracts with the Chinese partners were unfavourable as well. In almost every case, the full price was paid in advance. Many times the ventilators were transported to airports in Hong Kong, Beijing or Shanghai, and reclamations should have been made within 2 days up to a week. There is a contract that states that there is no refund for the down payment. There are contracts, however, where a warranty for 12 months is included.

Issues with the ventilators raised concerns in the United Kingdom as well.

The Guardian wrote that the Chinese ventilators were “unsuitable for use in hospitals and potentially dangerous for patients”. The British newspaper reported that some doctors even wrote to Health Secretary Matt Hancock to express their concern. “We believe that if used, significant patient harm, including death, is likely.” – The Guardian quoted from the letter that NBC News managed to obtain. Technical staff spent days making the ventilators work, with no success.

Vaccine-coronavirus
Read alsoHungary the least prepared for the Omicron variant?

Read alsoHungary donates 530,000 AstraZeneca doses to Bangladesh

Budapest’s Széchenyi Bath is the 3rd most instagrammable spa in the world! – PHOTOS, VIDEO

New research has revealed Hungary is home to the 3rd most instagrammable spa in the world. 
 
LuxuryHotel.com have compiled a list of the most Instagrammed spas in the world, it was found Ayana Resort in Bali, Indonesia is the world’s most Instagrammed spa. 
 
The 10 most Instagrammed spas in the world: 
 
 

Rank

Hashtag

Spa

Country

Posts

1

#AyanaResort

Ayana Resort

Indonesia

132,009

2

#bluelagooniceland

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

109,917

3

#SzechenyiBaths

Szechenyi Baths

Hungary

57,436

4

#LaMamounia

La Mamounia

Morocco

51,972

5

#shoreditchhouse

Shoreditch House

UK

44,163

6

#amangiri

Amangiri

America, Utah

28,638

7

#thetwelveapostles

The Twelve Apostles

South Africa

26,212

8

#GellhertBaths

Gellhert Thermal Baths

Hungary

24,469

9

#aquadome

Aqua Dome

Austria

23,727

10

#OjaiValleyInn

Ojai Valley Inn

America, California

22,344

  • The UK’s most Instagrammed spas are Shoreditch House (44,163), Coworth Park Hotel (16,844) and Dormy House (6,307).

  • The US’s three most Instagrammed spas are Amangiri (28,638), Ojai Valley Inn (22,344) and Montage Kapalua Bay (5,339).

  • Five of the top ten most Instagrammed spas are in Europe, two are in America, two are in Africa and one is in Asia.  

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Is The Next Premier League Star From Hungary?

vancsa

Football never sleeps. Scouting agents are always looking for fresh talent to join some of the biggest clubs in the world. Everyone wants to discover the next Jack Grealish or Kylian Mbappé, and it seems like scouts have found their next target: Hungary’s own Zalán Vancsa.

Already there have been many standout moments in the 2021/22 NB I season. For instance, we recently saw mid-table team Debrecen beat Ferencváros 2-0 on December 12th. Ferencváros are serial winners, winning three consecutive NB I seasons. Before the match, Ferencváros had odds of 1.36 to win on Paddy Power, which is an online sportsbook that also offers online bingo for real money and live casino games. Debrecen had odds of 6 to win on the platform. It’s worth mentioning Ferencváros was also coming into the match against Debrecen with momentum after their surprise win against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Yet perhaps the most talked-about moment from this season of top-flight Hungarian football is the development of MTK Budapest’s winger, Zalán Vancsa. Vancsa has reportedly caught the attention of several clubs in the English Premier League. A potential move would see online sportsbooks offering transfer odds for the Hungarian and Vancsa joining the Premier League’s long list of foreign players.

News of Premier League interest comes on the back of super-agent David Manasseh signing Vansca to his company ICM Stellar Sport. ICM represents talents like Jack Grealish. The company was also the genius behind Gareth Bale’s world-record transfer (£85.3m) to Real Madrid from Tottenham. Vancsa has been praised for his ability to counter-press and his extreme agility. He also has ruthless finishing and a high defensive work rate. He has especially exploded in the UEFA Youth League while playing for MTK Budapest’s U19 side.

What Premier League Club Suits Vancsa?

Vancsa’s future is still unclear, and he could very well stay in Hungary. However, there is one Premier League club that makes sense for the winger. Vancsa’s high-defensive work rate would match Liverpool’s ‘gegenpressing’ system, and his explosive playing style would complement Liverpool players like Mo Salah.

It also makes sense for Vancsa to go to Liverpool since the club already has an established relationship with MTK Budapest. For instance, between 2007 and 2012, eight Hungarians transferred to Liverpool from MTK Budapest, including Krisztián Németh and Péter Gulácsi. Gulácsi now plays for RB Leipzig and is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

Vancsa is still an inexperienced player, which means if he leaves MTK Budapest, his agency should ensure that he goes to a club that will nurture and develop his talent. Academy boys turned international stars like Steven Gerrard and Trent Alexander Arnold — and the current form of Mo Salah — prove that Liverpool officials know what they’re doing in the gym and on the training pitch.

The world of football is always changing, and there’s new budding talent emerging with every passing game. For the moment, all eyes are on Hungary’s Zalán Vancsa. It will be interesting to see if he moves to England in the coming years and if Liverpool reignites its relationship with MTK Budapest.