News roundup - Saturday, 27 January

Slovenia expects in-depth inquiry into allegations against UNRWA staffers

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry expressed concern about allegations that several staffers of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) played a role in Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel. The ministry expects the UNRWA to conduct a thorough investigation and take a firm stand against all forms of hatred or violence. It commended the UN agency's head Philippe Lazzarini for dismissing the employees and launching an inquiry into Israel's allegations.

President warns about lack of respect for humanitarian law

LJUBLJANA - Marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, President Nataša Pirc Musar pointed to the many conflicts raging worldwide, in which innocent people, desiring only peace, suffer the most. Such trampling on humanity and a lack of respect for humanitarian law is also disrespectful towards the victims of the Holocaust and wars in general, and the survivors, whose message is simple: "never again", she wrote on Friday. FM Tanja Fajon also stressed the importance of a robust system of international law.

Ex-ministers disagree on whether C0 project is in line with law

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry into the C0 sewerage project in Ljubljana interviewed former Environment Minister Jure Leben, who believes C0 permits were in line with professional standards. His successor Simon Zajc disagrees, arguing that some were issued unlawfully. The ministry's former State Secretary Aleš Prijon said this was potentially a very dangerous project. A part of the session on Friday was closed to the public.

SSK party and Fedriga stress importance of Slovenian minority in Italy

GORIZIA, Italy - The Slovenian Union (SSK), a party representing the Slovenian minority in Italy, held an event in San Floriano del Collio on Friday where participants from Slovenia and Italy stressed the importance of the party and the minority. Massimiliano Fedriga, president of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, highlighted the importance of the minority as one of the region's essential components, including in the international context.

Fourth Slovenian satellite to be launched this year

LJUBLJANA - Researchers at the Maribor Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the company SkyLabs have designed a new nanosatellite that is expected to be launched into space this year to join their two Trisat satellites already orbiting the Earth. It will be the fourth Slovenian satellite sent into space. The launch of the TRISAT-S satellite aboard a German Spectrum rocket is planned for the first quarter of the year, although the exact date has not been set, SkyLabs CEO Tomaž Rotovnik has told the STA.

Air pollution in Slovenia still a concern

LJUBLJANA - Even though air quality has improved in Slovenia in the last decades, the daily limit value for PM10, harmful polluting particles, was surpassed again in 2022. Slovenia is far from the air quality recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to the Environment Ministry, which believes solid fuel heating is largely at fault. Slovenia is in breach of the current EU directive on air quality, it added.

Timi Zajc wins bronze at Ski Flying World Championships

BAD MITTERNDORF, Austria - Slovenian ski jumper Timi Zajc took bronze at the Ski Flying World Championships at the Kulm venue in Austria. He topped the ranking after the first two rounds, but failed to clinch victory in the third round, which was the last due to windy conditions. Austria's Stefan Kraft is the new world champion in ski flying, and Germany's Andreas Wellinger won silver.

Nika Prevc takes 2nd place in Ljubno, Eva Pinkelnig 1st

LJUBNO OB SAVINJI - Austria's Eva Pinkelnig won a women's Ski Jumping World Cup event in Ljubno ob Savinji, while Slovenia's Nika Prevc took second place in front of a big home crowd. Canada's Alexandria Loutitt finished third, and another Slovenian ski jumper Nika Križnar placed fifth.

NBA star Luka Dončić scores career-high 73 points

ATLANTA, US - Slovenian NBA superstar Luka Dončić scored 73 points on Friday night in what is his new personal best to make sure his Dallas Mavericks end their three-game losing streak. He equalled the fourth-highest scoring performance in NBA history. His latest scoring spree toppled his team's previous record score of 60 points.