News roundup - Wednesday, 7 August

Discus thrower Kristjan Čeh finishes fourth at Paris Olympics

PARIS, France - Slovenia's Kristjan Čeh finished fourth in the men's discus throw at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris. He was less than one metre short of clinching a medal, but he improved on his fifth place from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He secured fourth place today with a throw of 68.41 metres on his second try. Jamaica's Roje Stona won gold in an upset win with a distance of 70.00 metres, beating the Olympic record. Čeh, 25, noted that in the two previous Olympic Games his best result would have been enough for a medal, but added that today's competition was one for the history books when it came to the recorded distances.

President receives kids from summer camp in Roma village

LJUBLJANA - President Nataša Pirc Musar hosted at Presidential Palace children who attended a summer camp in the Roma village of Dolga Vas in Prekmurje, north-east, which was held under her sponsorship. Stressing the role of education, she urged Roma parents to make sure their children finish at least nine-year primary education. As for peer violence, Pirc Musar said it was not limited to a certain ethnic group, as she referred to a June incident where a Roma pupil attacked another pupil. She believes everyone should be more sensitive to peer violence, which is why she discussed the subject with children, but mainly from an educational perspective.

Slovenian minority official Jug withdraws from Austrian politics

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Carinthian Slovenian Manuel Jug, who is the head of the Association of Slovenian Organisations (ZSO), one of the main organisations of the Slovenian community in Austria, decided to withdraw from politics, Austrian national broadcaster ORF reported on Tuesday. Jug, also the alternate member of the Carinthian regional government, told ORF's Slovenian programme that politics no longer presented a challenge for him. He also mentioned reasons related to his private life. According to him, discussions about his successor at the helm of the ZSO have already begun.

Slovenia House hosts forum on business opportunities in France

PARIS, France - The Slovenia House at the Paris Olympics hosted a business forum to discuss concrete business opportunities and connections that can be formed between Slovenian and French businesses. Entering the French market is not easy, said Bernard Quinet from the Paris Ile-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is responsible for an area that creates 30% of France's GDP and covers 900,000 business partners. Chambers in both countries can help establish connections but the companies have to exercise patience before they become established in France, he said.

Kozin not to defend her boxing titles in US due to visa issue

LJUBLJANA - Contrary to plans, Slovenian boxer Ema Kozin will not be defending her WBC and WBO female super-welterweight titles in the US on Saturday, because she has failed to obtain a work visa in time, her coach Rudolf Pavlin announced on Facebook. Kozin, 25, was to take on Colombian-born Norwegian boxer Cecilia Braekhus, 42, in Las Vegas, the global boxing capital, and it remains unclear when and where the Slovenian boxer will go into the ring again. "We've been promised Ema will get a new date for the fight in three weeks, but it's not clear yet who will be the opponent and where they will fight," said Pavlin.