Daily headlines - Wednesday, 23 March

DELO

War in Ukraine
"Biden too is coming to secure peace for Ukraine": Diplomatic sources say that Slovenia together with its allies is calling for an even more determined and active support for Ukraine than US President Joe Biden. This could lead to disunity in the EU though. (front page, page 2)

Covid
"Covid shuts 9 million people inside the city": The Chinese authorities have locked down the city of Shenyang due to surging Covid cases. Nine million citizens are banned from leaving the city without a negative coronavirus test. (front page)

Education
"Olympics for grades": Parents of grade nine primary school students have been putting pressure on teachers to get their children better grades so that they would make it to their secondary school of choice. Head teachers are meanwhile urging changes to entry requirements. (front page, page 6)

DNEVNIK

Energy
"Gas unit going nowhere": A EUR 130 million investment in the natural gas unit at a thermal power plant in Ljubljana is 90% completed, so the city's mayor Zoran Janković has dismissed calls to halt the project due to chaos on the natural gas market. (front page, page 8)

War in Ukraine
"Ukraine: Some of most heavily besieged areas facing food shortages": Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warns that his country is on the brink of survival. While talks with Russia are not showing any real progress, Ukrainian cities are turning to dust and people are in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. (front page, page 6)

Election
"SNS and SDS would ban opinion polls": The parliament is to vote on whether a bill that would ban the publication of opinion polls is suitable for further consideration. The National Party's (SNS) proposal has been backed by the ruling Democrats (SDS). A similar attempt was deemed unconstitutional a decade ago. (front page, page 3)

FINANCE

Retail
"Why sales of non-food items are being stopped": Consumers are more cautious when making large purchases, and sales of some products have already been reduced due to inflation and, mainly, the war in Ukraine. (front page, pages 2, 3)

Inflation
"How costly must money be to contain inflation": Former US Finance Minister Larry Summers estimates that the Federal Reserve will have to bring interest rates to 4-5%, warning about the risk of stagflation. Europe is a whole different ball game, says Christine Lagarde, the European Central Bank's president. (front page, page 4)

Energy
"How much a litre of diesel would have cost today if the government had not capped prices": Oil prices topped USD 118 per barrel yesterday, up 21% on a week ago. Oil traders will continue to sell at a loss, and small service stations are still without supplies. (front page, page 5)

VEČER

Expo visits
"Political tourism": Slovenia's Expo pavilion in Dubai has been toured by eight Slovenian ministers and their delegations in six months. Costs of their visits vary, according to available information. (front page, page 2)

War in Ukraine
"Weapons on the Ukrainian front": The Ukrainian forces bet on man-portable anti-tank systems, whereas Russia's army is using attacks from a distance, including hypersonic missiles, after a fiasco of its ground force. (front page, page 7)

Refugees
"Among young Ukrainian musicians": Among Ukrainian refugees finding refuge in Slovenia there are also members of Ukraine's Youth Symphony Orchestra, who are hosted by their Slovenian counterparts. Večer has attended one of their joint rehearsals. (front page, pages 8, 9)