As part of the regular maintenance of children's playgrounds, and with the arrival of better weather, renovation work has been completed at the children's playground in Lujo Šoletić Park in Gruž. The work included painting the wooden structures of the installed equipment and benches, as well as completely repainting the wooden fence surrounding the playground – a total of 440 slats, with 40 of them replaced.

In addition, repairs were carried out on damaged equipment and minor issues were resolved – eight swing chains were replaced, and other parts of the equipment were refurbished to ensure the playground is safe and functional for everyday use.

Earlier this month, the Administrative Department for Utility Services, Transport, the Sea, and Local Government also carried out additional improvements at two more playgrounds. In Sustjepan, the children’s playground was refurbished, while in the Mokošica city district, two new basketball hoops were installed and damages were repaired at the sports court in Marina Kneževića Street.

The works at the playgrounds were carried out by Tehnogradnja d.o.o., the contracted company responsible for the maintenance of children's and sports playgrounds and recreational areas, all in accordance with the applicable cost estimates.

According to data for the fourth quarter of 2024, real estate prices in the European Union recorded a significant year-on-year increase, with an average rise of 4.9%, reports HRT. 

However, there are considerable differences between member states. The highest price growth was recorded in Bulgaria, with an 18.3% increase. It was followed by Hungary with a 13.0% rise, Portugal (11.6%), and Spain (11.4%).

Also among the top are the Netherlands (10.8%), Poland (10.4%), and Croatia, where real estate prices rose by 10.1%.

Market conditions suggest that housing prices will continue to rise this year, though possibly at a slower pace than in previous years, according to expert assessments.

The latest statistics point to a continued upward trend in housing prices, especially in newly constructed properties. Market conditions do not currently indicate any reversal of this trend.

A correction is visible in the form of fewer transactions, indicating that the market has indeed slowed down. However, affordability remains a major issue across the entire European Union — including in Croatia.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican announced in a video statement on Monday.

“This morning at 7:35 a.m. (5:35 GMT), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house. His entire life was devoted to serving the Lord and His Church,” said Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell in the official statement released by the Vatican.

Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, at his residence in Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican.

Francis had been discharged from hospital on March 23 after a 38-day stay due to bilateral pneumonia — his fourth and longest hospitalization since the beginning of his papacy in 2013.

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. pic.twitter.com/jUIkbplVi2

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 21, 2025

During the Easter celebration on Sunday, he appeared very weak, though he managed to ride through the crowd in the popemobile at St. Peter’s Square.

Visibly frail and distressed, he was unable to read his prepared speech and had to entrust the task to others, managing to utter only a few short phrases in a breathless voice.

Pope Francis had Easter greetings delivered from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

He was the 266th leader of the Catholic Church, elected pope in 2013 as the successor to Benedict XVI. Francis was the first Jesuit pope, the first from Argentina, the first from the New World and the Southern Hemisphere, and the first non-European pope since 1272.

He was known for his humility, compassion, and efforts to bring the Church closer to the people. His messages of love, fraternity, and concern for marginalized communities paved the way for a more inclusive Catholic Church in the 21st century.

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD is expected to open the doors to its showroom on Savska Street in Zagreb by the end of this month. In addition to the showroom, where visitors will be able to view and purchase vehicles, a BYD service center will also open in Croatia, reports Poslovni Dnevnik 

But Zagreb won’t be the only city with access to China’s best-selling electric vehicles — BYD is also planning to open two more showrooms in Croatia, located in Split and Dubrovnik.

Price Revealed

The news was recently announced by Qi Qianjin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, during the annual presentation of China’s foreign policy goals to Croatian media. He also revealed that BYD’s electric vehicles will cost around €30,000 in Croatia.

The ambassador praised the strong relationship between China and Croatia, highlighting the success of the Pelješac Bridge as a symbol of their shared achievements.

Trade between the two countries reached $2.96 billion in 2024, with Croatian exports to China growing by 92.7%. “We want to import more Croatian products like tuna and honey, and we invite Croatian companies to participate in our trade fairs,” he stated.

Tourism between the two nations is also on the rise, with 249,000 Chinese visitors recorded. China’s unilateral visa-free policy for Croatian citizens is expected to further strengthen bilateral ties.

The number of foreign tourists visiting the United States last month was 12 percent lower compared to the same period last year, according to The Washington Post, citing data from the U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA).

Following a 2 percent drop in February, this marks the first significant decline in tourist arrivals since the COVID-19 pandemic, the newspaper reports. If the trend continues, it could mean multi-billion dollar losses for the American tourism industry, experts warn.

Data for March shows a 17 percent decline in tourists from Western Europe, a 24 percent drop from Central America, and an 11 percent decrease from China.

Foreign visitors have reportedly been unsettled by a series of incidents involving detentions upon entering the U.S., including several cases where individuals—among them German nationals—were denied entry despite holding valid travel documents. In some instances, tourists were held in deportation facilities for days or even weeks.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently sought to downplay concerns about entry difficulties. He stated that those not traveling to the country to participate in demonstrations supporting the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas, incite unrest on university campuses, or plan disturbances have no reason to worry.

Tourism expert Adam Sacks told The Washington Post that the decision by international travelers to avoid the U.S. was expected. He attributed it to the divisive policies and rhetoric of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

Tourism figures are not yet complete, as data from neighboring Mexico and Canada is still pending, the newspaper noted.

It’s also important to consider Easter—a holiday typically associated with increased travel—fell at the end of March last year, but in April this year.

After Mexico and Canada, the largest number of visitors to the U.S. typically come from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, China, and India.

Bitcoin, the primary and most high-quality cryptocurrency, has experienced exponential growth since its inception in 2009. However, its journey has now not been without huge worrying situations. From regulatory hurdles and marketplace volatility to safety problems and technological limitations, the Bitcoin market faces numerous limitations. Overcoming those demanding situations is essential for Bitcoin's persisted growth and recognition as a mainstream financial asset. In overcoming challenges in the Bitcoin market, Trilox Ai serves as a critical resource, connecting investors with educational experts. This connection helps investors navigate complex regulatory landscapes and market volatility with informed strategies.

Regulatory Uncertainty

One of the most urgent and annoying conditions managing the Bitcoin market is regulatory uncertainty. Governments globally are grappling with a way to effectively modify cryptocurrencies. The loss of a clean and regular regulatory framework creates uncertainty for investors, organizations, and users.

Strategies to Overcome Regulatory Challenges:

Advocacy and Education: Industry stakeholders are interested in having regulators educate them about Bitcoin and its blessings. This consists of highlighting its capacity to enhance financial inclusion and innovation. Organizations like the Blockchain Association and the Chamber of Digital Commerce play crucial roles in advocating for favorable recommendations.

Regulatory Sandboxes: Some nations have set up regulatory sandboxes that permit companies to check Bitcoin-associated services and products in controlled surroundings. This method allows regulators to understand the generation better and develop appropriate guidelines.

International Cooperation: Global cooperation and harmonization of guidelines can reduce regulatory arbitrage and create a more predictable environment for Bitcoin. Collaborative efforts among international locations can result in more steady and powerful regulatory frameworks.

Market Volatility

Bitcoin is well-known for its volatility, which can deter buyers and prevent its use as a stable medium of exchange. Significant charge fluctuations can result from different factors, which include market sentiment, macroeconomic traits, and regulatory news.

Strategies to Mitigate Volatility:

Stablecoins: Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets, just like the US dollar. They provide an extra solid value and can be used on the side of Bitcoin to hedge against volatility. Stablecoins like Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) provide a bridge among risky cryptocurrencies and strong conventional currencies.

Diversification: Investors can mitigate chance by diversifying their portfolios, which includes a combination of cryptocurrencies and traditional assets. Diversification can lessen the impact of Bitcoin's volatility on the general portfolio.

Long-Term Investment: Adopting an extended-term investment technique can help investors mitigate short-term volatility and take advantage of Bitcoin's potential increase over the years. Historical facts show that maintaining Bitcoin for prolonged intervals can yield widespread returns, no matter interim fee fluctuations.

Security Concerns

Security is a vital situation inside the Bitcoin market. The decentralized nature of Bitcoin makes it stable in opposition to centralized assaults; however, it additionally places the obligation of protection on individual customers. Hacks, scams, and phishing assaults stay regular.

Enhancing Security Measures:

Secure Wallets: Using solid wallets, together with hardware wallets, can guard Bitcoin holdings from cyber attacks. Hardware wallets like Ledger and Trezor provide offline garage answers, which are much less at risk of hacking.

Multi-Signature Transactions: Multi-signature (multi-sig) transactions require multiple approvals before the budget can be transferred. This offers a further layer of safety by allotting the duty of approving transactions to a couple of parties.

Education: Educating customers about approximately top-notch safety practices, which include avoiding sharing non-public keys and spotting phishing attempts, is critical for preventing safety breaches. Platforms like Immediate Vortex provide consumers with instructional experts who can provide treasured insights on maintaining regular Bitcoin holdings.

Scalability Issues

Bitcoin's scalability has been a subject of debate and state of affairs. The Bitcoin network can manipulate a restrained style of transactions in keeping with 2nd, fundamental to delays and better prices in the course of durations of high name for.

Scalability Solutions:

Lightning Network: The Lightning Network is a 2D-layer answer that lets in rapid and espresso-value transactions through engaging in them off-chain. This reduces the load on the Bitcoin blockchain and enhances its scalability.

Segregated Witness (SegWit): SegWit is an improvement that increases the block size restriction by doing away with signature information from transactions, permitting extra transactions to match in each block. This development enables an increase in the throughput of the Bitcoin network.

Blockchain Improvements: Ongoing research and development in blockchain generation aims to enhance scalability via several consensus mechanisms and protocol enhancements. Innovations like Schnorr signatures and Taproot enhancements are predicted to enhance Bitcoin's scalability and privateness.

Conclusion

The Bitcoin market faces numerous demanding conditions; however, concerted efforts with the aid of agency stakeholders, regulators, and the wider network are helping to triumph over their limitations. Addressing regulatory uncertainty, mitigating market volatility, improving safety, improving scalability, building public acceptance as genuine, and reducing environmental impact are all vital steps towards the sustainable growth of Bitcoin. As the Bitcoin environment continues to evolve, those challenges present possibilities for innovation and improvement. By tackling these troubles head-on, the Bitcoin marketplace can realize its functionality as a transformative force inside the worldwide monetary gadget.

The panorama of financial services has been dramatically transformed with the advent of peer-to-peer (P2P) lending and Bitcoin. Both innovations emerged from a preference to democratize economic systems, reduce reliance on traditional intermediaries, and offer more efficient and inclusive economic offerings. The convergence of P2P lending and Bitcoin investment presents new opportunities and challenges for buyers and debtors alike. In the evolving landscape of Bitcoin investment, Quantum AI connects traders with educational experts, helping them navigate the complexities of peer-to-peer lending platforms.

Understanding peer-to-peer lending

P2P lending systems connect debtors without delay with creditors, bypassing conventional economic institutions like banks. These systems perform online, using technology to help healthy debtors search for loans with investors inclined to fund them. The technique usually involves the following steps:

Borrower Application:

Potential debtors publish their mortgage programs on a P2P platform, detailing the mortgage amount, cause, and different applicable records.

Credit Assessment:

The platform assesses the borrower's creditworthiness using diverse statistical points and algorithms.

Loan Listing:

Approved loan requests are listed on the platform, where investors can browse and select loans to fund.

Investment:

Investors fund the loans, both in full or in part, regularly pooling their resources with different buyers.

Repayment:

Borrowers repay the loans with hobby over a predetermined duration, and the platform distributes the repayments to the investors.

Integrating Bitcoin with P2P Lending

The integration of Bitcoin into P2P lending platforms introduces several benefits and unique functions:

Global Accessibility

Bitcoin's decentralized nature makes it available to all and sundry with a web connection, no matter geographic location. This global attainment lets in P2P lending structures to attach borrowers and creditors from distinctive elements of the world, increasing the pool of ability contributors.

Lower transaction costs

Traditional cross-border transactions frequently contain high fees and delays due to intermediaries and forex conversions. Bitcoin transactions, alternatively, are usually faster and more inexpensive, decreasing the overall value of P2P lending and making it more appealing to debtors and buyers.

Increased security and transparency

Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a public ledger known as the blockchain, providing an obvious and immutable report of all transactions. This transparency can improve the relationship between debtors and creditors, as both parties can affirm the transaction records and phrases. Additionally, the security functions of blockchain technology can help protect against fraud and unauthorized access.

Investment Diversification

Bitcoin P2P lending permits traders to diversify their portfolios, which includes cryptocurrency-primarily based assets. This diversification can help spread the chance and potentially increase returns, as the performance of Bitcoin-primarily based loans may not be without delay correlated with traditional economic markets.

Higher Potential Returns

Due to the nascent and once-in-a while risky nature of the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin P2P lending can offer better interest rates as compared to standard P2P lending. Investors willing to take on the additional chance may also find those better returns attractive.

Risks and Challenges

Despite the capacity benefits, integrating Bitcoin with P2P lending also offers several dangers and challenges:

Volatility

Bitcoin's rate volatility is a good-sized threat for both borrowers and traders. Sudden price fluctuations can affect the cost of loans and repayments, increasing uncertainty and ability losses.

Regulatory Uncertainty

The regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies varies widely across unique jurisdictions and is usually evolving. P2P lending systems that use Bitcoin should navigate those complex and sometimes doubtful rules, which can pose operational and legal demands.

Security Concerns

While the blockchain era offers more suitable security features, the general security of Bitcoin P2P lending structures depends on their implementation and the safety measures they rent. Hacks, fraud, and different protection breaches continue to be a problem in the cryptocurrency area.

Limited Adoption

Despite developing interest, Bitcoin P2P lending is still exceptionally new and no longer as widely adopted as conventional P2P lending. Limited adoption can result in decreased liquidity and fewer funding opportunities for individuals.

Conclusion

The integration of Bitcoin with P2P lending represents a huge innovation within the monetary area, combining the advantages of decentralized digital foreign money with the accessibility and performance of peer-to-peer lending. While the potential for better returns, lower transaction fees, and improved security is appealing, buyers and debtors should additionally keep in mind the risks related to volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and security concerns. As the adoption of Bitcoin and blockchain generation continues to grow and regulatory frameworks emerge as clearer, Bitcoin P2P lending is poised to play a more and more vital role in the destiny of finance.

Before I start, let me make something crystal clear: my knowledge of classical music is on par with Donald Trump’s grasp of economic theory. Which is to say, non-existent, or in polite company, “limited.”

I’m the kind of person who thinks a fugue is what happens when you’ve had too many rakijas and can’t remember how you got home.

So when I found myself helping to film the 100th anniversary concert of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, my initial reaction was – why? Closely followed by – how do I fake this? Yes, reader, I was drafted in. Not to perform (thank heavens), but to help a friend film this centenary celebration.

My role was allegedly simple: one camera, positioned in a little booth above the stage, tasked with capturing “details” – close-ups of bowing strings, tapping drums, trembling clarinets. “Don’t worry,” he said. “You don’t need to follow the music. Just get the feel of it.” Famous last words.

Let’s pause for a second and acknowledge something remarkable. Dubrovnik, a city with a population smaller than most suburbs – around 40,000 people if everyone’s in town and awake – has a full-time symphony orchestra.

That’s not normal.

I once chatted to an American conductor (as one does) who said there are only about 50 full-time orchestras in the entire US. That’s one per 6.6 million people.

By that logic, Croatia should have roughly half an orchestra, possibly based in a shed somewhere in Karlovac.

And yet, here we are. Dubrovnik not only has its own orchestra but one that’s turning 100 years old – and still managing to perform in a city that doesn’t have a proper concert hall.

Yes, I’ll get to that later.

Back to the concert. After some appropriately reverent speeches, where the Minister of Culture brought the house down (not literally) by admitting the city needs a concert hall – cue wild applause and probably a few tears of recognition – the conductor raised his baton (yes, I had to Google what it’s called) and we were off.

And what a start.

The music hit me like a sonic boom. One minute, peace and serenity. The next – drama, passion, the musical equivalent of a Shakespearean slap. I quickly realized my initial camera plan was flawed.

The melody didn’t stick to one section of the orchestra. It darted around like a caffeinated squirrel.

Strings, brass, percussion – each took their turn in the spotlight before slinking back into the shadows. Desperate for order, I improvised. I decided to follow one section at a time.

It was here, from my slightly voyeuristic eagle’s nest, that I began to appreciate the orchestra for what it really is: a family. No, seriously. An orchestra isn’t just a collection of musicians. It’s a domestic drama in real-time.

Let me explain.

The violins and cellos and other members of the woodwind clan – are the mothers of the family. They do all the heavy lifting.

Constant movement, constant sound.

While other sections sit quietly sipping metaphorical tea, the strings are hard at work. And wouldn’t you know it – most of the woodwind section were women.

There was one man in their ranks who appeared to be compensating for something by playing a slightly bigger instrument. It was as if he were saying, “I couldn’t afford a guitar, but this is marginally more macho than a flute.”

Then there’s the brass section – the fathers.

Sitting back with big, shiny instruments (no, that’s not a euphemism, but it could be), occasionally letting out a “Braap!” or a “Bwah!” to remind everyone they’re still part of the action.

And then returning to their meditation.

They’re not lazy, per se. Just... strategic.

And finally, the grandfathers. The tuba players. The contrabassoonists. Men with instruments so vast they could double as lifeboats.

They waited. And waited.

Until finally, their moment came – a colossal, bellowing contribution that shook the rafters. It was like hearing your grandfather tell a story at a wedding: rare, booming, unforgettable.

And I saw, most of all, pride.

But despite the challenges, the orchestra continues. Rehearsing, performing, teaching, inspiring. They tour, they collaborate, they innovate. They are, frankly, punching well above their weight.

Dubrovnik’s orchestra is, in many ways, a perfect metaphor for the city itself. Historic, underappreciated, slightly chaotic – but when you stop to look (or listen), profoundly beautiful.

Read more Englishman in Dubrovnik…well, if you really want to

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About the author

Mark Thomas (aka Englez u Dubrovniku) is the editor of The Dubrovnik Times. He was born and educated in the UK and moved to live in Dubrovnik in 1998. He works across a whole range of media, from a daily radio show to TV and in print. Thomas is fluent in Croatian and this column is available in Croatia on the website – Dubrovnik Vjesnik