(source: SME.sk / Hej,ty)
Good evening. Here is the Thursday, August 25 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Campaign against misinformation to start soon
People fleeing war in Ukraine at the border crossing in Vyšné Nemecké, eastern Slovakia. (source: Sme - Marko Erd)
Slovakia has a long-term problem with Russian propaganda and misinformation - which is why Google's subsidiary Jigsaw is starting a one-month campaign next week aimed at countering them.
The campaign is based on research by experts at Cambridge and Bristol universities and is being run in cooperation with local NGOs, fact checkers and experts on misinformation. It will run on several social media platforms.
Read more about misinformation in Slovakia:
Real threat vs bogeymen. Slovaks are confused about whom to fear
Disinformation outlets are back, prompting no response from state
Heger to Meta: Social media spreads extremism and lies in Slovakia
More stories on Spectator.sk
HEALTH: Free and painless liver screenings offered to people to prevent one of the most common causes of death in Slovakia.
HEALTH: A bizarre incident involving a magnetic resonance imaging machine at a Košice hospital has raised questions.
TRAVEL: Built by Italians, the largest stone bridge in Slovakia has been in use for almost two hundred years.
RELATIONSHIPS: The Generali insurance company has shared unusual theft reports, including one committed to save a marriage.
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Feature story for today
"Only a slaver robs you of your sovereignty, not a friend. Only a slave voluntarily gives up sovereignty, not a free person. We are Slovaks, not slaves."
No, this is not a quote from a cheap, nationalist motivational piece of literature, but from the online shop of one of Slovakia's largest toy sellers.
Who is the mysterious Mr Dráčik who protested against the defence cooperation agreement with the US and wanted to buy gas for Slovakia? Read more about how the toystore chain started sending geopolitical messages.
Picture of the day
A classroom in a Košice primary school is being prepared ahead of the new school year starting on September 5.
(source: TASR)
In other news
Weather forecast for Friday and the weekend according to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ). Friday will be sunny with storms in the northwest, daily maximum temperatures will be between 28 and 33 degrees Celsius. Saturday will be mostly cloudy with daily temperatures between 27 and 32 degrees. The mostly cloudy weather will continue on Sunday, with temperatures around 26 to 31 degrees expected.
Dust from around the Caspian Sea - the steppes of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan - has been observed in Slovakia. The dust is especially noticeable over the east of the country, reported SHMÚ. In comparison to dust from the Sahara desert, it is rare for any from the steppes to be seen in Slovakia.
On Saturday, an agreement will be signed on guarding Slovakia's airspace with Poland and the Czech Republic after the grounding of the country's obsolete MiG-29 jets. The agreement will be signed during the SIAF International Aviation Days event. The Defence Ministry says other concrete plans for cooperation between the countries will also be presented.
The Finance Ministry has said it will do everything in order to avoid schools needing to close due to the ongoing energy crisis. Many schools have been shocked by huge rises in their energy bills ahead of the new school year.
Since the war in Ukraine started on February 24, approximately 200,000 refugees have passed through Košice. About 6,000 of them remained in the city, report authorities. When the war began, most refugees continued west to meet relatives in other EU countries. However, as the months passed, the situation has changed and more have decided to stay.
Police are advising people to take care of their belongings when visiting swimming pools. They say they have noticed an increase in cases of people leaving their belongings behind without supervision, making it easier for thieves to steal them. Follow this link to see where to swim and cool off around Slovakia.
The Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic has approved the start of the third unit of the Mochovce nuclear power plant. The project began more than 13 years ago.
If the government does not intervene prices for bread and pastries in Slovakia will hit historic levels, the Slovak Association of Bakers, Pastry Cooks and Pasta-makers has warned. It says energy prices are forcing bakers to increase prices, and even think about stopping production. Moreover, the high prices mean bakers are no longer able to guarantee fulfilling contracts.
If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
