Archive of articles - January 2013, page 4
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British recipes: Banana custard (video included)
Ingredients: Half a pint (275 ml) of double cream; 3 egg yolks; 1 level tablespoon of caster sugar; 1 level teaspoon of cornflour; 2 drops of vanilla essence.
Glossary: The Swiss commitment to common sense
Spectator College provides readers of The Slovak Spectator who are trying to improve their English with glossaries of useful and frequently used words and expressions from stories published as part of the Spectator College as well as in the rest of the newspaper. As well as this special glossary, which relates to the article The Swiss commitment to common sense., you can find more expressions in our Glossary for politics & business or in the List of names of institutions in English and Slovak.
Life in the mountains
THIS POSTCARD from 1902 comes from the workshop of famous publisher Edo Feitzinger. It depicts the mountain village of Vernár, which lies in the eastern headlands of the Low Tatras.
Ireland aims to contribute experience
A RECOVERY country driving recovery in Europe: this is how Brian McElduff, Ambassador of Ireland to Slovakia, envisions the performance of his homeland while it occupies the rotating presidency of the European Union over the next six months. The country, which joined the European Union exactly 40 years ago, is embarking on its seventh EU presidency at a time when the union is facing a severe financial crisis and Ireland itself is feeling some of its harshest effects.
Acid attack in Bratislava
POLICE have launched an investigation into an acid attack that occurred in front of the Bratislava II District Court in Bratislava on January 18, the TASR newswire reported.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Procurement improves
THE SYSTEM of public procurement in Slovakia improved in 2012 as a result of the state using more transparent methods when ordering goods and services, according to an analysis prepared by the ethics watchdog Transparency International Slovensko (TIS).
Gašparovič was at home, not in Lešť
THE INTERIOR Ministry has gathered information on the whereabouts of President Ivan Gašparovič’s bodyguards during a hunt in the Lešť military area in August 2009, when woodsman Michal Bobák was accidentally shot dead, Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák told journalists on January 23, as reported by the TASR newswire.
Irish community has a high profile
ALTHOUGH the Irish community in Slovakia is not large, and the Irish Embassy is also small, there is a steady stream of Irish-themed cultural and social events in Slovakia, many held in cooperation with the Irish Chamber of Commerce (ICham). Naturally, the highlight is St Patrick's Day, March 17, the day of the patron saint of Ireland, with many events revolving around it.
Ireland: General facts
Political system: parliamentary democracyCapital: DublinTotal area: 70,273 square kilometresPopulation: 4.7 millionOfficial languages: Irish and EnglishCurrency: euro
Unemployment hits new high
THE JOBLESS rate in Slovakia continues to rise, hitting a nine-year record at the end of 2012. In December almost 400,000 people were jobless, pushing the unemployment rate up by half a percentage point to 14.4 percent. The last time Slovakia’s unemployment rate reached this level was nine years ago. The high jobless rate is of no surprise to Prime Minister Robert Fico, who ascribed it to the bad situation in the whole eurozone, while the opposition and employers attribute its rise to the Fico government’s consolidation measures.
Ministers, U.S. Steel still negotiating
THE FUTURE of the steelworks in Košice, which is the biggest employer in eastern Slovakia and is currently owned by U.S. Steel, remains unclear. U.S. Steel representatives are reportedly still talking to the government about the possibility that the company could stay, despite it announcing last year that it was planning to sell the plant.
The thrill of procurement
THE PROSPECT of a flutter is not the only thrill that Slovakia’s state-owned lottery company provides to the citizens of Slovakia. The history of Tipos involves a long and confusing saga, which began in January 2000 when another lottery company, Športka of the Czech Republic, sued the Slovak lottery firm over what it called unauthorised use of lottery trademarks as well as its technical know-how and which has already consumed considerable amounts of public money.
The Swiss commitment to common sense
A glossary of words as well as an exercise related to this article are also published online.
Košice now officially Culture Capital
KOŠICE officially launched its tenure as a European Capital of Culture (ECOC) for 2013 during the weekend of January 19-20. The opening ceremony consisted of about 200 events featuring around 1,000 performers, with the ceremonial lighting-up of St Elizabeth’s Cathedral in Košice’s city centre the climax of the Saturday programme and British band Jamiroquai as the main star of the two-day event, the SITA newswire reported.
The crisis changed focus of investments
IRELAND and Slovakia are countries similar in size with very open economies, a high share of foreign direct investment in their GDP and membership of the eurozone. These conditions create a framework for successful business relationships and further growth, and make Slovakia an appealing option for Irish investors.
Level of democracy remains 'average'
SLOVAK citizens experienced average-quality democracy in their country during 2012. Several events over the course of the year, however, have given cause for concern. Analysts point to the non-appointment of the general prosecutor-elect to his post as a significant setback, while public opinion polls show an increasing number of people viewing the issues around excluded Roma communities to be a major problem.
General Prosecutor's Office to supervise investigation into Lipšic's alleged libel
The General Prosecutor's Office is supervising a criminal investigation into suspicions linked to libel, violation of personal rights, jeopardising of confidential matters and misconduct of a public official reportedly linked to statements made by Daniel Lipšic, then interior minister, early last year, the TASR newswire reported on Thursday, January 24, citing General Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Vladimíra Gedrová.
Czechs replace German and French representatives on SPP boards
The shareholders in Slovakia's dominant gas utility, SPP, held a general meeting on Wednesday, January 23, at which they dismissed representatives of former shareholders E.ON Ruhrgas AG and GDF SUEZ from the company's top bodies, replacing them with representatives of the new shareholder, Czech firm Energetický a Průmyslový Holding (EPH), the TASR newswire reported on Thursday, quoting SPP spokesman Peter Bednár.
19th ITF Slovakiatour tourism fair opens
More than 400 exhibitors from some 20 countries are expected to participate in the 19th ITF Slovakiatour tourism fair which opened at Bratislava's Incheba exhibition ground on Thursday, January 24.
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- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
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- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
