STA, 15 August 2019 - A 69-year-old Japanese paraglider was killed after falling from a great height onto the slopes of a 1,673 metre-high mountain above the village of Breginj in the Kobarid area in western Slovenia on Thursday.

The Nova Gorica Police Department said they had been notified of the accident on the slopes of Mount Kobariški Stol just before 1am.

A helicopter rescue team was deployed, but on arriving at the scene established that the man had been dead on the spot.

The police ruled out any foul play, but will file a report on the accident with the Nova Gorica District Prosecutor's Office.

The BBC Travel website has a long and interesting article that takes a deep dive into the story of the Swiss healer Arnold Rikli, whose work in Bled drew health tourists from all over Europe more than 150 years ago.

Related: How to spend from 4 to 48 hours in Bled…

So while the author, Mahima A Jain, does go up Mala Osojnica for sunrise, this is a story about Bled that doesn’t mention the church on the island or kremsnita, and touches on the Castle only to note it has an exhibition in Rikli.

As the article says:

Riki was the founder of a naturopathic and hydropathic healing regimen, a form of alternative medicine that avoided pharmaceuticals, and instead relied on the four elements of nature – sun, water, air and earth – for treating illness.

The regimen was one of physical activity, from early morning hikes to sunbathing, exercises in the fresh air to the use of cold, warm and steam baths to purify and strengthen the body. Evenings were for social activities, and all patients were prescribed eight hours of sleep.

It sounds idyllic, and it’s a fascinating story that connects with the current state of health tourism in Bled. It’s here we’ll also note the outsize contribution of Slovenia’s spas to its tourist industry as a whole, with spa towns second only to the alps when it came to the number of overnight stays in 2018, at 4.49 million for the Alps and 3.49 million for spa resorts.

STA, 15 August 2019 - Slovenia swept the women's lead discipline event at the IFSC Climbing World Championships in Japan's Hachioji on Thursday with Janja Garnbret taking another gold and Mia Krampl silver.

This is the second gold medal for Garnbret at this championships after she defended the title of bouldering world champion on Tuesday, and her fifth world championship gold medal overall.

"I was a little nervous before, because I didn't know what to expect, the route was bumpy and you just had to climb, so you could see in my climbing I was a little bit nervous, but I did all I could, so I was happy with my performance. And that I've won again, twice at this championships, is just amazing," the 20-year old champion said.

The home crowd cheered Ai Mori, who placed third, after the 19-year old Slovenian Krampl, who won her first medal at major competitions. Her only podium so far was third place in bouldering at the World Cup meet in Munich in May this year.

The latest feats have put Slovenia's tally of medals at climbing world championships to 17.

The luxury travel advisors Virtuoso, “the leading global network of agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel”, has given out 18 awards to destination, cruise and lifestyle partners who it sees as offering outstanding products and services, as well as excellent collaboration with its members, in the areas of boutique and top quality tourism.

The winners cover the world, from the US to Oceania, with the Slovenian Tourist Board (Slovenske turistične organizacije - STO) picking up an award for Hottest Destination of the Year. STO was also nominated for the title of Tourism Board of the Year, which it lost to Switzerland.

The awards were given out as part of Virtuoso Travel Week, which takes place in Las Vegas between 10 and 16 August, and provides a venue for more than 6,000 tourism professionals to meet, make connections and do business, with the STO scheduled to have more than 230 meetings at the event.

Great news from Las Vegas and #VirtuosoTravel Week @Virtuoso
?#Slovenia (Slovenian Tourist Board) has been recognized as the Hottest Destination of the Year?#ifeelslovenia #award #tourism #sloveniantouristboard pic.twitter.com/uwaDi1i3SU

— Slovenia Tourism (@tourism_slo) August 12, 2019

All our travel and tourism stories are here

STA, 14 August 2019 - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar and his visiting Japanese counterpart Taro Kono called for a further deepening of economic cooperation between the two countries in Ljubljana on Wednesday. They also urged respect for the rule of law and for arbitration decisions, including with regard to the Adriatic and the South China Sea.

During what is the first visit by a Japanese foreign minister to Ljubljana, the pair also exchanged views on developments in Asia, in particular the tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the trade dispute between the US and China, while they also discussed the situation in the Western Balkans.

Cerar and Kono, who first met on the sidelines of this year's Munich Security Conference, agreed to strengthen bilateral relations and economic ties.

"Minister Kono and I agreed that possibilities to increase trade in goods expanded vastly with the entry into force of the economic partnership agreement between the EU and Japan, but also that all the opportunities for cooperation have not been used sufficiently yet," Cerar said today.

The ministers identified the Koper port as one of the opportunities for closer cooperation with Kono telling reporters that the Slovenian port was among the first after the Suez Canal with good access to Central Europe, which made it interesting for Japanese companies.

Zunanja ministra ??Japonske in ??Slovenije o gospodarskem partnerstvu in skupnih pobudah na Zahodnem Balkanu ?https://t.co/eVw2c2jnWg pic.twitter.com/hpbIRRPzFt

— SLOVENIAN MFA (@MZZRS) August 14, 2019

While no concrete projects were discussed, Kono suggested Slovenia enhanced promotion of its business environment in Japan. His press officer Jun Saito said they welcomed seminars planned for September to inform Japanese businesses about Slovenia.

He said that it took time for Japanese companies to take a decision on cooperation, but once they did they were very loyal and were looking for long-term cooperation.

Trade between the two countries has been fairly modest, with Slovenian exports amounting to EUR 119 million in 2018 and imports to EUR 86 million, which made Japan Slovenia's 32nd largest trade partner. Still, cooperation has intensified in recent years, which is also reflected in increasing Japanese investment in Slovenia.

Economic cooperation was also in focus of a working lunch at which the two foreign ministers were joined by Economy Ministry State Secretary Aleš Cantarutti.

New opportunities for cooperation are emerging in the field of smart networks, proton cancer therapy and electro mobility. Successful cooperation has moreover been established in the field of new physics between Slovenia's Jožef Stefan Institute and Japan's KEK.

On Tuesday, representatives of the Slovenian rehabilitation hospital URI - Soča and of Japan's Toyota Motor Corporation and Fujita Health University signed an agreement on cooperation in the development of medical therapy robots.

Vesel sem, da smo v letih, ko sem vodil @vladaRS, našli pot za investicijo #Yaskawa?? v ??. Danes sva si z @konotaromp skupaj ogledala njihovo tovarno v #Kočevje. Gre za napredno tehnologijo 21. stoletja, do leta 2023 bo zaposlenih 200 ljudi, investicija je znašala 25mio €. pic.twitter.com/c24dSCWakM

— dr. Miro Cerar (@MiroCerar) August 14, 2019

Cerar noted that Japan, with its economic and technological development, can serve as model to many countries. He is happy that the Japanese Yaskawa robotics company and Japanese multinational Sumitomo Rubber Industries launched investments in Slovenia when he served as prime minister between 2014 and 2018.

According to Kono, the Japanese companies doing business in Slovenia valued in particular its highly skilled workforce. "Many Japanese companies notice Slovenia because of its qualified labour force in information technology and high technologies."

Yaskawa opened its first European robot factory in the south-eastern town of Kočevje in April, and Cerar and Kono are scheduled to visit it today. Kono has also been received by President Pahor.

Meanwhile, the pair also discussed initiatives for deeper cooperation in the Western Balkans and Cerar thanked his counterpart for Japan's long-standing support for the Slovenian-run ITF demining fund.

Also discussed were the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where the ambassador of the House of Slovenia will be Miro Cerar senior, the winner of a golden medal in gymnastics at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, the Foreign Ministry announced.

The athlete's son, Foreign Minister Cerar, also highlighted today the alley of 300 cherry trees outside the Ljubljana Biology Centre that were given to Slovenia as a present in 1999, which he said was a special symbol of friendship between the two countries.

Pahor's office reported that the Japanese foreign minister thanked the Slovenian president for his decision to attend the enthronement ceremony for Japanese Emperor Naruhito in the autumn.

The office also noted Pahor's working visit to Tokyo in 2013 in what was the first visit by a Slovenian head of state in Japan. On the occasion, he was received by the then Emperor Akihito.

According to the president's office, Pahor and Kono hailed the friendship between the two countries and good political, cultural, economic and scientific links between them. Pahor also welcomed Japanese investment in Slovenia, a country that he said made a suitable gateway to Europe for Japanese businesses.

The Japanese foreign minister is due in Croatia later today for talks on Croatia's stint at the presidency of the EU, and bilateral relations, including economic cooperation, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said, but could not say whether opportunities afforded by Croatian ports would be discussed as well.

STA, 13 August 2019 - Nearly two months after almost 11,000 litres of kerosene leaked from a derailed cargo train near the village of Hrastovlje in the south-west, the national railways operator completed repair works on Tuesday.

The final stage of works saw one of Slovenia's busiest routes closed since last Saturday, reopening tonight, as Slovenske Železnice replaced 150 metres of tracks.

The track reopened already four days after the 25 June derailment, but there was a speed limit in place in the tunnel where the accident took place.

Apart from replacing the tracks, the railway operator has also installed additional tarps under the tracks and improved the drainage system in the tunnel.

Some 11,000 litres of kerosene leaked from two damaged cisterns after six cars derailed in the tunnel of Dol due to a broken rail switch.

Shutting down the only track connecting the port of Koper with the rest of the country, many believe the incident showed that Slovenia really needed an additional railway link between Koper and the railway hub of Divača, a project that is finally underway after decades of back and forth.

Moreover, the accident happened quite close to the main source of potable water for the entire coastal region, whose population soars from 90,000 to about 130,000 during the summer. The water source is being monitored closely and so far no kerosene has been found in water.

In total, the repair works cost the rail operator EUR 1.5 million, the public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported on Monday. Moreover, the company suffered a loss of more than EUR 1 million per each day the track was fully closed.

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also ollow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

This summary is provided by the STA:

Cooperation potential in focus as Japanese foreign minister visits

LJUBLJANA - Taro Kono visited Slovenia as the first Japanese foreign minister ever for talks with his counterpart Miro Cerar and President Borut Pahor. The potential for economic cooperation ranked prominently on the agenda, but Cerar and Kono also called for respect for the rule of law and arbitration decisions, including with regard to the Adriatic and the South China Sea. The pair also exchanged views on the tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the US-China trade dispute and the situation in the Western Balkans. They also made a visit to the Yaskawa robot factory in Kočevje.

Govt replaces head of Infrastructure Agency

LJUBLJANA - The government dismissed Damir Topolko as director of the Infrastructure Agency in the wake of a scandal over the botched tender for a scale model of a new rail track planned between Koper and Divača. Monika Pintar Mesarič, a Finance Ministry employee, was named as acting director as of 1 September. Topolko's dismissal was announced by Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek in February, following a suggestion by PM Marjan Šarec that everyone responsible for the allegedly rigged tender should resign, following the suit of Jure Leben, who stepped down as environment minister.

Train derails at Rimske Toplice again

RIMSKE TOPLICE - A train derailed at the Rimske Toplice train station for a second time in just a few days, closing down the railway line between Zidani Most and Maribor, a major artery for international passenger and cargo traffic. The engine of an international freight train and one of the rail cars derailed at almost exactly the same spot at which two Hungarian passenger train carriages derailed eight days ago without any injuries. The section of the railway is currently undergoing an upgrade.

Slovenia to mark centenary of unification with Prekmurje

MURSKA SOBOTA - Slovenia is observing 100 years since its northeastern-most region of Prekmurje was united with the rest of the nation after World War I and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Located east of the river Mura, Prekmurje was the only territory the Slovenian nation gained at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference. For nearly a thousand years, Prekmurje was a part of the Kingdom of Hungary, while the remaining Slovenian lands were under Austrian rule. The main ceremony will be held on Saturday in Beltinci with PM Marjan Šarec as the keynote speaker.

Proposal set out dividing Slovenia into 11 provinces

LJUBLJANA - More than 25 years after the National Assembly passed legislation that ordered the establishment of provinces and after several failed attempts, a task force established in May 2019 presented a draft bill to divide Slovenia into 11 provinces. The proposal suggests uniting Slovenia's 212 municipalities in provinces by the names of Dolenjska, Gorenjska, Goriška, South Štajerska, East Štajerska, West Štajerska, Koroška, Ljubljanska, Primorsko-Notranjska, Savinjsko-Šaleška and Pomurska.

Slovenia sees 5% growth in tourism revenue

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia generated EUR 1.16 billion in revenue from incoming tourism in the first half of the year, an increase of 4.8% compared to the same period a year ago, data from the central bank show. Over the same period, the Statistics Office recorded a 6.4% increase in the number of tourist arrivals and a 4.3% growth in the number of nights spent at the country's accommodation facilities. In June alone, receipts from incoming tourism rose by 9.3% year-on-year to EUR 243 million.

Construction sector going strong

LJUBLJANA - The value of construction works in Slovenia rose by 14.4% in the first six months of 2019 year-on-year, show data released by the Statistics Office. Following a rise in May, the value of construction works decreased by 6.7% in June over the previous month. In the first half of the year the value of building construction rose by 11.9%, whereas the value of engineering construction rose by 15.1% compared to the same period in 2018.

Hunter attacked by bear with cub

AJDOVŠČINA - A she-bear with a cub attacked a hunter in the woods in the municipality of Ajdovščina, south-west, on Tuesday evening in a second bear attack on people this year. The authorities said the incident occurred as the 67-year-old found himself in between a 150-kilogramme bear and its cub. Yelling to chase it away, the hunter was bitten by the bear in the leg and sustained scratches on his head and body. He was given medical aid but is recovering at home.

Illegal migrant dies in prison, apparently a natural death

KOPER - A Pakistani citizen detained at the Koper prison on suspicion of crossing the border illegally died in what the authorities say appear to have been a natural death. The man was brought into custody on Friday when he was also examined by a doctor. The 34-year detainee was not alone in his cell. He died despite attempts by prison officers and paramedics to resuscitate him. The Prison Administration has appointed a special fact-finding commission to examine the circumstances of the death.

US, Slovenian scientists discover key new protein

LJUBLJANA - A group of US and Slovenian scientists researching the toughest biological material - the dragline silk produced by Darwin's bark spider - have discovered a new protein, which they believe helps to make it so unusually strong. The dragline silk made by Darwin's bark spider's (Caerostris darwini) has better extensibility than any other biological material and better than many synthetic materials. The discovery could be used in a number of areas where elastic but durable materials are needed.

Slovenia not to extradite Montenegrin murder convict

MARIBOR - The newspaper Večer reported that Slovenia would not extradite Božidar Samardžić, the 40-year-old Montenegrin arrested last September after 19 years on the run. While Slovenian authorities initially planned to extradite Samardžić to Montenegro, where he faces 20 years in prison for murder, they have now confirmed his case is statute barred. Samardžić has been released and is waiting for the Interior Ministry to decide on his asylum application.

Brežice hosting festival of early music

BREŽICE - The festival of early music Seviqc Brežice 2019 will feature five concerts at various locations in the south-east of the country until the end of August. The opening concert in the Devil's Tower in the village of Soteska, just west of Novo Mesto, featured Simone Vallerotonda playing lute and guitar music of the 17th century Rome. Seviqc has become well established on Europe's festival calender, and has received many awards from the European Early Music Network.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here, while some memes are here

August 14, 2019

With renovation works in Prešeren Square still in progress, not much space has been left for heavy tourist traffic on foot and even less for the most famous or, as some irritated locals would say, infamous musician of Ljubljana centre, the accordionist in the oom-pah Upper Carniolan folk costume, who has until recently entertained the public with his music day and night whether they wanted it or not.

For anyone who misses the man, who otherwise jealously defends his territory and looks away from anyone who wants to take a picture but is not willing to throw a coin into his red accordion case, we found him down at Dragon Bridge today.

We don't know, however, whether he liked his new territory and therefore cannot guarantee whether he is also going to stay. 

STA, 14 August 2019 - A train has derailed at the Rimske Toplice train station for a second time in just a few days, closing down the railway line between Zidani Most and Maribor, a major artery for international passenger and cargo traffic.

The national railway operator Slovenske Železnice confirmed media reports that the engine of an international freight train and one of the rail cars derailed on Wednesday afternoon.

Matjaž Kranjc, the boss of the operator's infrastructure division, told the public broadcaster TV Slovenija that the incident occurred at 5:20pm as the 21-car train travelling between Koper and Hodoš on the border with Hungry arrived at the station.

The incident occurred at almost exactly the same spot at which two Hungarian passenger train carriages derailed eight days ago. None of the 200 passengers aboard the international train at the time was injured. The station was also the site of an accident in 2012.

The CEO of Slovenske Železnice Dušan Mes told the press last week that the accident was most likely due to a train carriage malfunction rather than flawed infrastructure.

The section of the railway between Zidani Most and Rimske Toplice is currently undergoing an upgrade, including of the Rimske Toplice station.

Asked why accidents at this section of the railway, Kranjc said that all of them occurred at a side bend at very low speeds.

As part of a comprehensive overhaul of the railway between Zidani Most and Celje, construction work is under way on the left track between Rimske Toplice and Laško, so this section of the railway is closed.

All trains coming from the direction of Zidani Most thus need to cross over to the right track on arrival at the Rimske Toplice station.

Kranjc could not say yet what caused the derailment, but said that the switch and the entire track at the section was in good condition and had been repaired after last week's derailment.

Firefighters are on the site examining the fuel spill from the engine. Police and Infrastructure Ministry investigators are also at work on the site.

Once they have completed their job, the engine will be put back on the rails, which should be completed during the night so that the railway could reopen on Thursday.

The official also announced an independent investigation into the cause of the incident. Until the findings are produced, traffic on the section will be restricted or adjusted.

For the duration of the railway's closure, passenger services will be provided by coaches.

August 14, 2019

A four-day electronic music festival is about to begin in Ljubljana. Every day from Wednesday to Saturday the programme will begin with a free party at 16:00 in Tivoli Park and then move indoors at about midnight.

While the locations of two outdoor stages will remain in Tivoli Park for the whole four days, the indoor night programme, which will take place between 23:00 and 06:00, will change venues each day. These are Metelkova mesto on Wednesday (Gala hala, Tiffany and Monokel), K4 on Thursday (Kersnikova 4), Božidar on Friday (Viharjeva 11) and Cirkulacija 2 on Saturday (Tržaška 2).

For further details on the programme and tickets, please click here.