News Archive - April 2011

Police in Murska Sobota, the provincial centre of northeastrnmost Slovenia, have been receiving reports about massive bee deaths in recent days. More than 10% of the bee population in Pomurje has been killed, and the scope of the incident is spreading fast.

William has also invited the heads of organizations both he and his mother are closely associated with, namely Centrepoint, a London-based homelessness charity, and the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Deputies confirmed in an extraordinary session on Thursday that 5 June will see popular votes on three issues, as they added to a referendum on the prevention of undeclared employment and work referendums on the pension reform and the archives act. Campaigning will start on 23 April.

Security forces have arrested some 500 pro-democracy sympathizers across Syria after the government sent in tanks to try to crush protests in the city of Deraa, the Syrian rights organization Sawasiah said on Tuesday.

The executive committee of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) decided on Tuesday to propose to the party council that the party leave the ruling government coalition. The departure of DeSUS's five MPs would leave the coalition with 42 votes in the 90-seat National Assembly.

Libyan rebel calls for help in their fight against pro-Gaddafi forces appear to have been heard.

The government adopted on Thursday a number of measures to protect the real-estate market in the Kras region (W), where a lot of property has been bought by Italian citizens recently. The measures adopted do not require EU approval, Justice Minister Ales Zalar told the press after government session.

Cubans have been digesting moves made by President Raul Castro to limit the term the country’s rulers can serve to two five year-terms. The president says the plan is to “guarantee the systematic rejuvenation” of government. Castro along with his aging colleagues have ruled the country since 1959.

Representatives of eight Slovenian car industry companies established a partnership in which around 50 experts will look for solutions for green mobility and higher safety and comfort of passengers.

President Barack Obama is expected on Wednesday to push for higher taxes for the rich and changes to government pension and healthcare plans as criticism swells over his leadership on cutting a bloated deficit.

Slovenia is a stable country with a highly educated and creative workforce and a very good geostrategic position, which it needs to use by attracting foreign investments, the participants of the first day of the US-Slovenia Business Bridge conference agreed on Thursday.

Libya’s government has announced it is ready to accept a roadmap for resolving the country’s crisis as proposed by a group of African Union envoys.

The Slovenian central bank has downgraded its economic growth forecast for 2011 by 0.1 percentage points to 1.8%. Next year Slovenia's economy is projected to grow at a rate of 2.7%, down 0.2 points compared to the autumn forecast, Banka Slovenije said.

Portugal’s Prime Minister Jose Socrates has confirmed his country will be asking for an EU bailout. The announcement comes after his Finance Minister hinted on Wednesday that the international money would be needed to cope with high debt after failing to raise funds on the international market. Portugal had resisted asking for a bailout, but it missed its 2010 budget deficit target.

An almost six-month malfeasance trial against former Defence Minister Karl Erjavec and former army chief-of-staff Albin Gutman in connection with the 2006 defence deal with Finish company Patria is expected to end with a public reading of the verdict today.

United Nations attack helicopters have fired rockets near Laurent Gbagbo’s official residence in Ivory Coast’s Abidjan. Forces belonging to his presidential rival Alassane Ouattara claim to have taken the building although Gbagbo’s whereabouts are unclear.