DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Hungary imposed a national import ban on 24 Ukrainian agricultural products, including grains, vegetables, several meat products and honey, according to a government decree published on Friday. Slovakia's agriculture minister followed suit announcing its own grain ban. EU PLEAEU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday countries should refrain from unilateral measures against imports of Ukrainian grain. Poland, Hungary and Slovakia previously said they may extend the restrictions unilaterally while Bulgaria on Thursday voted to scrap the curbs. In August, about 4 million tonnes of Ukraine grains passed through the Solidarity Lanes of which close to 2.7 million tonnes were through the Danube.

Persons: Cernat, Mateusz Morawiecki, Waldemar Buda, Valdis Dombrovskis, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Julia Payne, Alan Charlish, Jan Lopatka, Karol Badohal, Boldizsar, Luiza Ilie, Nina Chestney, David Evans, Alistair Bell, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, European Union, EU, EU Commission, Ukraine, Farmers, Solidarity, Thomson Locations: Black, Constanta, Romania, Ukraine, BRUSSELS, WARSAW, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Elk, Russia, EU, Russian, Romanian, Prague, Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest

But the flood of grains and oilseeds into neighbouring countries reduced prices there, impacting the income of local farmers and resulting in governments banning agricultural imports from Ukraine. The European Union in May stepped in to prevent individual countries imposing unilateral bans and imposed its own ban on imports into neighbouring countries. Under the EU ban, Ukraine was allowed to export through those countries on condition the produce was sold elsewhere. EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday countries should refrain from unilateral measures against imports of Ukrainian grain, but Poland, Slovakia and Hungary immediately responded by reimposing their own restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports. Farmers in the five countries neighbouring Ukraine have repeatedly complained about a product glut hitting their domestic prices and pushing them towards bankruptcy.

Persons: Cernat, Valdis Dombrovskis, reimposing, Terry Reilly, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Robert Telus, Julia Payne, Alan Charlish, Jan Lopatka, Karol Badohal, Boldizsar, Pavel Polityuk, Luiza Ilie, Tom Polansek, Nina Chestney, Simon Webb, David Evans, Alistair Bell, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, European Union, EU, Ukraine, Facebook, EU Commission, Farmers, Solidarity, Thomson Locations: Black, Constanta, Romania, Ukraine, BRUSSELS, WARSAW, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia, EU, Bulgaria, Russian, Romanian, Prague, Warsaw, Budapest, Kyiv, Bucharest, Chicago

But speaking on Wednesday, the last day before the ECB's self-imposed quiet period, the Dutch, French, German and Slovak central bank chiefs all said the Governing Council's decision was still open. France's Francois Villeroy de Galhau hinted that a fresh rate hike could still come at a later date and argued that the slowdown is not a recession and that the ECB needed to persevere in its fight with inflation. Slovakia's Peter Kazimir, an outspoken policy hawk, was more explicit, arguing that another hike was still needed to tame inflation. He said the ECB could delay a rate rise to one of its autumn meetings or pull the trigger next week. "It would be wrong to bet on a rapid decrease in interest rates after the peak," Nagel told German business daily Handelsblatt.

Persons: Nagel, France's Francois Villeroy de Galhau, Peter Kazimir, Kazimir, Klaas Knot, Bundesbank, Joachim Nagel, " Nagel, Robert Holzmann, Mario Centeno, Akanksha Khushi, Catherine Evans Organizations: Central Bank, ECB, Bloomberg, Reuters Global Markets, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, PARIS, Slovak

☆ Ukraine has 14 kinds of howitzers to batter Russian forces, but each gun brings a new problem for Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ukraine has 14," Patrick Hinton, a British Army captain, wrote in a recent article on Ukrainian artillery for the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank. Ukraine's arsenal of towed 155 mm howitzers includes the US M777, British AS-90, France's TRF1, and the British-German-Italian FH-70. For armored self-propelled 155 mm howitzers, Ukraine has received three variants of the American-made M109, plus Germany's PzH 2000, Poland's Krab, and Slovakia's Zuzana 2. To add to the mix, there is France's truck-mounted 155 mm Caesar gun and Lithuania has sent old US-made M101 towed 105 mm howitzers that were designed in 1941. Crash coursesA Ukrainian serviceman in a PzH 2000 155 mm self-propelled howitzer near Bakhmut in June.

Persons: Patrick Hinton, Muhammed Enes Yildirim, France's TRF1, Poland's Krab, ANATOLII STEPANOV, Cannon, Mykhaylo Palinchak, Hinton, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Artillery, Russia, British Army, Royal United Services Institute, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Anadolu Agency, Getty, British AS, NATO, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, British, US, Bakhmut, Italian, Lithuania, Czech, AFP, Soviet, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Europe, Forbes

[1/3] Writer Milan Kundera is pictured in Prague, former Czechoslovakia, May 6, 1963. CTK Photo/Frantisek Nesvadba via REUTERSPRAGUE, July 12 (Reuters) - Czech-born writer Milan Kundera, author of the novel "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" who lived nearly five decades in Paris after emigrating in disillusionment from his Communist-ruled homeland, has died at the age of 94. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said Kundera was "a writer and a voice that we will miss". "Milan Kundera's work is at the same time a deep, human, intimate and distant exploration," she said. Fellow Czech writer Karel Hvizdala told Czech Television he saw his friend last November and he was already in poor health.

Persons: Milan Kundera, Frantisek Nesvadba, Kundera, Petr Fiala, Petr Pavel, Pavel, Elisabeth Borne, Milan, Karel Hvizdala, Albert Camus, Daniel Day, Lewis, Juliette Binoche, Philip Kaufman, Timothy Garton Ash, Monde, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Czechoslovakia's, Jan Lopatka, Robert Muller, Elizabeth Pineau, Tassilo Hummel, Michael Kahn, Jason Hovet, Toby Chopra, Kevin Liffey, Mark Heinrich, Nick Macfie Organizations: CTK, REUTERS, Moravian, Prague Spring, Czech Television, Czechoslovak Communist, New York Times, Oxford University, Paris Mayor, Czechoslovakia's Communist, Thomson Locations: Prague, Czechoslovakia, REUTERS PRAGUE, Czech, Paris, Brno, France, Communist Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovak, Europe, Central Europe, French, Western

☆ NATO makes membership pledge to Ukraine as Zelenskiy drums up support
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Robert Muller | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala visit the Velvet Revolution Memorial in Prague, Czech Republic, July 7, 2023. In Prague, he won a pledge of support for Ukraine to join NATO "as soon as the war (with Russia) is over", and in Sofia secured backing for membership "as soon as conditions allow". "There is strength in unity of NATO," he said, adding that undecided questions over Ukraine's future in NATO and Sweden's pending membership were "a threat to the alliance's strength". Zelenskiy has acknowledged that Kyiv is unlikely to be able to join NATO while at war with Russia. TALKS DUE IN TURKEYDespite Russia's anger, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala told a news conference with Zelenskiy in Prague that he expected all NATO allies to support Ukraine in its membership aspirations.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Petr Fiala, Zelenskiy, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Zuzana Caputova, Vladimir Putin, Fiala, Tayyip Erdogan, Jason Hovet, Pavel Polityuk, Timothy Heritage, Gareth Jones, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Presidential Press Service, NATO, EU Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, European Union, Thomson Locations: Czech, Prague, Czech Republic, Ukraine, PRAGUE, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia, Sofia, Bratislava, Vilnius, Lithuanian, Brussels, Russian, Russia's, TURKEY, Europe, Kyiv, United States, Istanbul

☆ Gold listless as investors hunt for Fed rate clues
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Spot gold held its ground at $1,949.59 per ounce by 0248 GMT, while U.S. gold futures fell 0.5% to $1,961.20. "Gold prices seem exhausted lately, as intermittent bounces over the past month have failed to find much follow-through ... Investors are now focusing on Powell's congressional testimony on Wednesday and Thursday for further guidance on interest rates following the Fed's hawkish pause on monetary policy tightening last week. Although gold is considered a hedge against inflation, interest rate hikes raise the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Additionally, the European Central Bank should raise interest rates again in July as inflation risks are skewed towards higher outcomes, Slovakia's central bank chief said on Monday, while the Bank of England is expected to raise rates by another 25 basis points on Thursday.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Yeap Jun Rong, IG's, Rong Organizations: U.S . Federal, Investors, Fed, U.S ., European Central Bank, Bank of England Locations: China

☆ WTA roundup: Russian stars to clash in Dutch final
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

7 Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus in Saturday's semifinals of the WTA 250 grass-court event. Kudermetova is 2-1 against Alexandrova, who won the last meeting in the semifinals of this tournament last year en route to the title. Rothesay OpenKatie Boulter and Jodie Burrage will meet in Nottingham, England, on Sunday in the first all-British WTA Tour final since 1977, when Virginia Wade beat Sue Barker in San Francisco. Boulter advanced with a 6-4, 7-5 win over another countrywoman, Heather Watson, while Burrage took down France's Alize Cornet 7-5, 7-5 in her semifinal match at the WTA 250 grass-court tournament. Boulter overcame a 4-3 deficit in the opening set and dug out of a 4-1 hole in the second set against Watson.

Persons: Jodie Burrage, Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko, Paul Childs, Veronika Kudermetova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Kudermetova, Slovakia's Viktoria, Alexandrova, Katie Boulter, Virginia Wade, Sue Barker, It's, Heather Watson, Burrage, France's Alize, Boulter, Watson, Cornet Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko REUTERS, Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova, Hruncakova, Sasnovich, British WTA, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Netherlands, Belarus, Saturday's, Kudermetova, Rothesay, Nottingham, England, San Francisco, Leicester

☆ Gauff charges past Schmiedlova into quarter-finals
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 5, 2023 Coco Gauff of the U.S. in action during her fourth round match against Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova REUTERS/Benoit TessierPARIS, June 5 (Reuters) - Last year's French Open runner-up Coco Gauff overcame an early wobble to outclass Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 7-5 6-2 and reach the quarter-finals, where she could face a potential rematch with holder Iga Swiatek. Gauff won her previous clash with Schmiedlova in Madrid last year, dropping only two games, and the American made a quick start again with a break in the opening game to pull away and leave her 100th-ranked opponent facing an uphill task. The 19-year-old Gauff tightened her grip in the next set, working the angles and deploying the drop shot to devastating effect as she closed out the victory without any more drama. Gauff will now await the winner of the fourth round match between world number one Swiatek and Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Paris; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Roland Garros, Coco Gauff, Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova REUTERS, Benoit Tessier PARIS, Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, Iga Swiatek, Gauff, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ken Ferris Organizations: Slovakian, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Madrid, American

☆ ECB may need to raise rates for longer than anticipated: Kazimir
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FRANKFURT, May 9 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank may need to raise interest rates for longer than currently anticipated, and September could be the earliest moment when policymakers can judge whether past rate hikes have been effective, ECB policymaker Peter Kazimir said on Tuesday. The ECB has lifted rates at each of its past seven meetings to fight a historic surge in consumer prices and policymakers have signalled further hikes to come as inflation pressures continue to build. "Based on today's data, we will have to keep raising interest rates for longer than anticipated," Kazimir, Slovakia's central bank chief, said in a blog post. The ECB sees inflation falling under 3% by the final quarter of this year, then taking almost two more years to ease back to its 2% target. "The development of core inflation, the continued buildup of wage pressures, and high-profit margins call for vigilance and reconfirm the need to continue on our path," Kazimir said.

☆ Slovak's caretaker PM quits after political wrangling
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 7 (Reuters) - Slovakia's Prime Minister Eduard Heger said on Sunday he had asked the president to relieve him of his duties, after ministers' resignations weakened his cabinet that is serving in a caretaker capacity before elections in September. Heger is due to meet President Zuzana Caputova, who has the power to appoint a new caretaker prime minister, later on Sunday. Heger has faced calls from the opposition to make way for a technocrat administration to lead the central European country until early elections to take place in September. In common with other European states, Slovakia has provided households and companies with payments to mitigate the impact of high energy costs and wider inflation. Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Slovak caretaker PM quits months before early elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Heger is due to meet President Zuzana Caputova, who has the power to appoint a new caretaker prime minister, later on Sunday. Heger has faced opposition calls to make way for a technocrat administration to lead the central European country until early elections to take place in September. Polls find the public favours the biggest opposition party, which is led by former prime minister Robert Fico and has opposed increasing military aid to neighbouring Ukraine. Heger lost a no-confidence vote in December last year and in January he agreed to early elections as the best solution, leaving him in a caretaker role. It was not certain whether Caputova would name a new prime minister on Sunday.

☆ Slovak foreign minister quits in fresh blow to ailing cabinet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 5 (Reuters) - Slovakia's foreign minister offered his resignation on Friday, the president said, dealing a fresh blow to the centre-right cabinet which has already been serving in a caretaker capacity ahead of elections in September. Rastislav Kacer's departure follows a string of other ministerial resignations and piles pressure on Prime Minister Eduard Heger, who had been facing mounting opposition calls to quit and make way for a technocrat government. Caputova, whose role gives her the power to appoint a new prime minister, said she would discuss the situation with Heger and parliament speaker Boris Kollar on her return. SaS joined a leftist opposition party in voting through a no-confidence motion in December, accusing the government of not helping people cope with the higher energy costs. The prime minister said he would not comment until he meets the president.

☆ Former F-16 pilot says he would not want to fly missions over Ukraine right now, arguing 'there is no fighting chance'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ukraine has repeatedly asked the US for fourth-generation fighter jets like the F-16. A former F-16 pilot said these jets don't have a fighting chance given Russia's air defense systems. One former F-16 pilot told Insider he wouldn't want to attempt to fly missions over Ukraine right now, asserting that the aircraft can't outmatch Russia's air defense systems. Fourth-generation fighters "have no business in a modern-day battlefield," John Venable, a 25-year veteran of the US Air Force, told Insider in a recent interview. F-16 fighters would likely be outmatched by Russian air defense systemsThe airspace above Ukraine remains contested after 14 months of war.

☆ Ukraine's cheap grain exports are causing an awkward rift with its European neighbors and staunch allies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The move to ban Ukraine's agricultural imports has angered the European Union given that the bloc has sought to help Kyiv maintain its exports as an economic lifeline for the war-torn country. Slovakia's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development told CNBC that despite its temporary ban on Ukrainian imports, the country continued to be open for "solidarity transit," meaning that Ukrainian grain could still pass through its territory to other countries. The ministry added that "we would appreciate the whole-European solution [to] the Ukrainian grain because the topic is relating to the protection of the whole internal European market." It also said it recognized the impact of the "oversupply" of Ukrainian imports on EU farmers, particularly those in bordering nations. Ships, including those carrying grain from Ukraine and awaiting inspections, are seen anchored off the Istanbul coastline on November 02, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey.

☆ Exclusive: ECB policymakers converging on 25-bps rate hike in May - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Balazs Koranyi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The ECB has raised rates by at least 50 basis points each at six successive meetings -- the fastest pace on record -- to fight stubbornly high inflation. The sources said that some are advocating no change in May - mostly the same Southern European policymakers who did not support last month's 50 basis point increase, while others - also a small group - argue for another 50 basis point hike. Klaas Knot of the Netherlands said it was unclear whether 50 basis points would be needed or if 25 was enough. Slovakia's Peter Kazimir said the ECB could perhaps slow down the pace of its increases while Austria's Robert Holzmann meanwhile backed another 50 basis point move. Markets currently price 25 basis point hikes each in May and June, while a third such increase is fully priced in by September.

☆ Exclusive: ECB policymakers converging on 25-bps rate hike in May , sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Balazs Koranyi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

☆ Amid risk of stalling in EV race, Spain's rebooted aid scheme gets warm reception
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Joan Faus | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Madrid will launch a new, more flexible version of the PERTE scheme around July, worth 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) after last year's initial funding round flopped, with only 27% of an earmarked 2.9 billion euros allocated. Stellantis already manufactures EVs in Spain and received 67 million euros from the first PERTE, but could request more funds to boost production. Griffiths said using the EU funds is "essential" for Spain's future as some investments would otherwise be non-viable. Unlike Germany, Europe's leading car producer, Spain lacks a domestic manufacturer to champion the EV cause. In last year's PERTE round, VW-SEAT received the highest payout, of 357 million euros, but had hoped for more.

☆ Russian technicians appear to have sabotaged MiG-29 fighter jets headed for Ukraine, Slovakia says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian technicians appear to have sabotaged MiG-29 jets headed to Ukraine, Slovakia's Defense Minister said. Slovakia offered its Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine late last month. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyRussian technicians appear to have sabotaged MiG-29 fighter jets headed to Ukraine, Slovakia said. Weeks ago, Slovakia and Poland pledged to send Ukraine fleets of MiG-29 fighter jets. The Biden administration has repeatedly said the US isn't planning to provide fighter jets.

☆ Slovakia gets U.S. helicopter offer after sending jets to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A Bell helicopter Ah-1Z Viper helicopter is seen outside a hall at the 30th International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, Poland September 5, 2022. REUTERS/Kacper PempelMarch 22 (Reuters) - The United States has offered to sell Slovakia 12 new Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopters at a two-thirds discount after Bratislava sent its retired MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad said on Wednesday. Last week it became the second of Ukraine's allies, after Poland, to provide fighter jets, which Kyiv believes are crucial to repel Russia's year-long invasion. Alongside the offer of U.S. equipment, Slovakia will receive 250 million euros ($269 million) in European Union compensation, Nad said. Nad said the helicopter offer was partly due to its support for neighbour Ukraine and also indirect compensation for the delayed delivery of F-16 fighter jets which the country ordered in 2018 that are now due to arrive in 2024.

☆ Slovakia, Poland to send Ukraine MiG fighter jets in major shift; China's Xi to visit Russia next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Slovakia's government approved a measure to send its Soviet-era MiG jets to Ukraine, officials said. The Eastern European NATO member announced it would send 13 of the jets to Ukraine, one day after Poland said it would supply Kyiv with four of its jets. Ukraine has long requested fighter jets in order to protect its skies against Russian attacks and combat Russian forces in the country. just approved sending 13 #MiG29s to #Ukraine! fighter jets, I said we'll do our best.

☆ Slovak prime minister starts new pro-Western party for Sept election
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 7 (Reuters) - Slovak caretaker Prime Minister Eduard Heger launched a new pro-Western, liberal centrist party named the Democrats on Tuesday to run in a September election called after his coalition fell from power last year. Heger said pro-Western democratic values and aid to neighbouring Ukraine were the cornerstones of his agenda. Heger said he would not cooperate with far-right nationalists, like Fico's Smer (Direction) nor the Hlas (Voice) party, which itself split from Smer on a more pro-Western platform and now leads opinion polls. Four ministers from the current government, including Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad, have joined Heger's new outfit. Under Heger's leadership, Slovakia shipped military equipment to Ukraine including the S-300 air defence system, and allowed hundreds of thousands refugees across the border after Russia's invasion of Ukraine started in February 2024.

☆ WTA roundup: Katie Volynets escapes 5-0, third-set hole
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 2 - Down 5-0 and a match point in the third set, the United States' Katie Volynets rallied to upset third-seeded Anastasia Potapova of Russia 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 on Wednesday in the second round of the ATX Open in Austin, Texas. Volynets heated up while winning the last seven games, as she lost just one point total in the final three games. Abierto GNP SegurosThird-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia needed just 80 minutes to rout the United States' Emma Navarro 6-3, 6-2 in the second round at Monterrey, Mexico. Fifth-seeded Lin Zhu of China registered a 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3 win over Canada's Rebecca Marino, and Belgium's Ysaline Bonaventure topped Russia's Kamilla Rakhimova 7-6 (2), 1-6, 6-3. In the last match of the night, Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova was scheduled to oppose the United States' Caroline Dolehide.

☆ Biden, Putin display their alliances with Ukraine war backdrop
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Washington is concerned Beijing could provide material support for Moscow's war in Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24 last year and has become the biggest land conflict in Europe since World War Two. Not just for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and around the world," Biden said. In two speeches last September Putin indicated that he would, if needed, use nuclear weapons to defend Russia. "We have heard implicit threats to use nuclear weapons. The so-called tactical use of nuclear weapons is utterly unacceptable.

☆ Czechs and Slovaks see storms disrupt traffic and cut power
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 4 (Reuters) - Gale-force winds and snow storms cut power supplies to thousands of Czech households on Saturday and closed the main east-west highway in Slovakia, officials and local media said. In Slovakia's Zilina region, authorities called on people to stay indoors and avoid non-essential travel, especially to the north of the country, as winds reached more than 120 km per hour in the Tatra mountains. A section of the D1 highway near the Tatra mountains was closed for several hours after around 30 cars were caught in an accident due to heavy snowfall, local media reported. In the Czech Republic, 15,000 households were still without electricity in the afternoon - down from around 90,000 in the morning - after strong winds brought down trees and disrupted the grid, while dozens of train services were canceled, CTK news agency reported. Reporting by Robert Muller; Editing by David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Search resuls for: "Slovakia's"

25 mentions found