Radio România Internațional

Tag: Billie Jean King Cup

  • November 14, 2024 UPDATE

    November 14, 2024 UPDATE

    VISIT – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, will pay an official visit to Germany from Friday to Monday, in response to an invitation extended by his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. According to the Presidential Administration in Bucharest, the agenda of the visit includes official talks between the two heads of state and meetings between president Iohannis and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as well as the president of the Bundestag (the lower house in the German Parliament), Barbel Bas. On Sunday, president Iohannis is expected to give a speech at the Federal Parliament on the sidelines of a solemn ceremony devoted to the Day of Commemoration of the victims of war and dictatorship. According to official statistics, Germany is Romania’s top trade partner and the second-largest investor in Romanian economy. The two countries are allies in NATO and partners in the European Union. An ethnic German, Iohannis next month will conclude his second and last term as president. The first round of the presidential election is scheduled for November 24, while the second round will take place on December 8. The parliamentary election has been slated for December 1, the National Day of Romania.

     

    SALARIES – The law raising the minimum wage to half of the average earnings in the country has been ratified and will come into effect on January 1, 2025. The increases will be operated according to a formula based on clear economic indicators, and in a first stage, the amount of the minimum gross salary will be approximately 800 EUR, according to a government-employer-union agreement. This is an increase between 47 and 52% of the average gross earnings at national level, according to a formula developed by specialists from the Ministry of Labor, based on criteria such as purchasing power, wage growth rate and labor productivity at national level. 1,8 million people are expected to benefit from these wage increases.

     

    GDP GROWTH – Romania’s gross domestic product did not change in the third quarter of this year, compared to the previous quarter, and it went down by 0.2% compared to the same quarter in 2023, according to data published on Thursday by the National Statistics Institute. In its latest “World Economic Outlook” report, the International Monetary Fund has downgraded to 1.9% its forecast on the Romanian economy this year, from 2.8% in April. In September, the National Strategy and Forecast Commission revised the economic growth projection for this year, from 3.4% previously to 2.8%.

     

    F-35 – As a decision-making body, the Bucharest Senate approved the draft law regarding Romania’s purchase of 32 F-35 fighter jets from the USA. The F-35 aircraft has very advanced technological performance features, the STEALTH one in particular, which ensures a reduced radar signature. The 32 F-35 planes would gradually replace, starting from 2030, the second-hand F-16 planes bought by Romania in the last decade. Later, Bucharest would buy another 16 F-35 planes, with the final goal being to constitute 3 complete squadrons of fighter planes. According to the American company Lockheed Martin, more than 1,060 F-35s have been built so far and have accumulated more than 940,000 flight hours. More than 2,600 pilots and 17,000 technicians have already been trained in the world. 19 countries, most of them NATO members, are involved in the program.

     

    FLOODS – The October 29 devastating floods in southeastern Spain killed at least 26 people of foreign nationality, including 9 Romanians, according to an official report published on Thursday, AFP reports. The Data Integration Center, a body established after the floods of October 29, which allows the authorities to collect information about victims in the Valencia region, announced that there were a total of 216 fatalities, 190 of Spanish nationality, and the rest foreign citizens from 11 different countries. In Spain, the areas of Valencia (south-east) and Malaga (south) were affected by a code red alert against heavy rain these days. The rivers overflowed and several localities were flooded. Over 4,000 people were evacuated in Malaga. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent, heavy rains were also reported in the south of Catalonia, the north of the Castellón region, the Balearic Islands and the Granada area.

     

    MOLDOVA – The new Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, amended by the October 20 referendum, was published on Wednesday in the Official Gazette of Chișinău. In its new form, the Fundamental Law of the Republic of Moldova provides that integration into the European Union is a strategic objective of the country, the European course is irreversible, and the identity of the people of the Republic of Moldova is European, Radio Chișinău reports. The new version of the Constitution also includes the fact that Romanian is the official state language in the Republic of Moldova. The October 20 referendum passed with a fragile majority: 50.38% of the voters said “Yes” to amending the Constitution to include the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU, and the difference compared to the “No” option was 11,400 votes.

     

    TENNIS – Romania lost 2-1 to Japan in the first round of the Billie Jean King Cup final tournament in a match hosted by Malaga on Thursday. In the first match, Ana Bogdan won 6-2, 6-4 to Nao Hibino. Ena Shibahara then defeated Jaqueline Cristian 6-4, 7-6. In the doubles match, Monica Niculescu and Gabriela Ruse lost to Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi. Japan will play Italy in the quarterfinals. This is the first time Romania has qualified to the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup. (VP)

  • April 13, 2024

    April 13, 2024

    Salary – In Romania, the average net salary rose to 4,876 lei (about 980 Euros) in February, up 17 lei compared to the previous month, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics. The lowest values ​​are still in the field of clothing manufacturing, and the highest in information technology. As to the evolution of consumer prices, the average wage was actually slightly lower than in January, but, compared to February 2023, it increased by 14%. The minimum wage in Romania will increase, from July 1, from 3,300 lei to 3,700 lei (740 Euros).

     

    Aid – The European Commission sent the member states the proposal to extend the measures regarding state aid, in the context of the crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. Until June 30, the EU countries can grant a series of facilities to limit the negative effects of the conflict in such domains as agriculture and energy. The Commission made this decision following the difficulties faced by European farmers in particular and as a result of their consultation through the online survey completed on March 27. According to the survey, the markets of the member states are still unbalanced by the effects of the war, and also by the measures taken by the EU to support the Ukrainian export of agricultural products. According to the commission’s proposal, member states can grant state aid of up to 280,000 Euros to agricultural companies, up to 335,000 Euros to those in the field of fishing and aquaculture and up to 2.25 million Euros to those in the rest of the affected sectors. A second type of aid is aimed at compensating energy costs, and primarily targets the large industrial consumers.

     

    Tennis – Romania is led by Ukraine 2-0 after the first matches played, on Friday, in the USA, in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers. Elina Svitolina defeated Jaqueline Cristian, and Ana Bogdan lost to Lesia Ţurenko. Today, Bogdan will face Svitolina, and the last singles match will pit Cristian against Ţurenko. The pair Liudmila Kicenok/Nadia Kicenok and Mara Gae/Anca Todoni will meet in the doubles match. Romania and Ukraine have met four times so far, with the Romanians leading with the score 3-1. In November, Romania defeated Serbia in the play-off to stay in the World Group of the competition, while Ukraine defeated Lithuania.

     

    Middle East – The American forces in the Middle East and the Israeli forces are on alert to respond to a possible Iranian attack. Tehran has threatened to respond to the April 1 attack, blamed on Israel, on a building belonging to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, in which a prominent commander of the Revolutionary Guards was killed. According to the Radio Romania News and Current Affairs (RRA) correspondent, Israel’s defense system announced that all the military departments of the army are prepared for the conflict with Iran at any moment it may occur. In order to prepare in advance the reaction to a possible launch of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or drones, the Israeli air force keeps patrolling and observation planes in the air 24 hours a day, and all interception systems are on high alert.

     

    Kyiv – The situation on the Eastern Front has deteriorated considerably in the last few days, the Ukrainian Chief of Staff, Oleksandr Sîrski, said on Saturday. He said that this was mainly due to a significant intensification of the Russian offensive after the presidential election in Moscow. Kyiv has been asking its Western allies for months for more ammunition and anti-aircraft defense systems. However, the aid is running out due to political blockages in Washington, which forces the Ukrainian military to save ammunition, the press agencies write. The Ukrainian military are also having difficulty in the recruiting process, to face larger and better-equipped Russian forces. (LS)

     

  • November 26, 2023 UPDATE

    November 26, 2023 UPDATE

    Kyiv. Romania has assumed a role of utmost importance in ensuring the transit of Ukrainian grain to international markets and remains in solidarity with that country, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Saturday, in an online intervention at the Kyiv Summit on world food security. More than 60% of the total Ukrainian exports of agricultural products were made through the transport corridors in Romania, the head of the Bucharest government also said, and in the next period an increase in the transport capacity would follow, with the direct support of the international partners and the European Union. Ciolacu condemned in the strongest terms the illegal and unjustified attacks by Russia in Ukraine, which constitute war crimes, as well as the Russian bombings near the border with Romania, which affect the infrastructure necessary for the transport of grain to international markets.



    Abuse of office. The legal Committee of the Romanian Senate must react by Wednesday to the National Anticorruption Directorates request for the prosecution of the former Prime Minister, Liberal Senator Florin Cîțu. Former Health Ministers Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Mihăilă, members of the Save Romania Union, are also accused of abuse of office, and president Klaus Iohannis would have to green-light the lifting of their immunity. Prosecutors say the three purchased 52 million doses more than necessary, causing a prejudice of 1 billion EUR. The vaccines were purchased at a very difficult time during the pandemic, dominated by uncertainty regarding the evolution of the virus, the availability of mass-production of vaccines and the need for re-vaccination, Vlad Voiculescu explained. The former Health Minister blamed Florin Cîțu for taking the final decision, and in turn the former Liberal Prime Minister said that every decision made during his mandate was in good faith and in compliance with the law. The President of the Save Romania Union, Catalin Drula, claims that the case against Vlad Voiculescu is an alarming evidence of how state institutions are used against the political opposition, given that elections are due next year. In turn, the Liberal Justice Minister Alina Gorghiu has criticized the accusations brought by the leader of SRU.



    Gaza. Two hostages with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, residing in Israel, are among those released from the Gaza Strip, the Romanian MFA announced on Sunday. Thus, currently, four people with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, are still hostages in the Gaza Strip, a context in which the ministry reiterates the need to release all hostages from Gaza. At the same time, the MFA welcomes the diplomatic efforts of the USA, the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt for the release of the hostages from the Gaza Strip. The Embassy of Romania in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General of Romania in Haifa stay in contact with the Israeli authorities.



    Vehicles. The Romanian state offers the biggest subsidies in the European Union for the purchase of electric and hybrid cars, the state secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, Bogdan Balanişcu, said on Friday. These are vouchers that can reach over 10,000 euros, benefiting those Romanian citizens who want to buy an electric car. It is a way to remove 250 thousand cars from the streets and to stop the pollution that these old cars create, the official explained. According to the latest data provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, approximately 8,000 vehicles with zero CO2 emissions were registered in Romania in the first semester of 2023. This past summer, there were some 33 thousand electric vehicles and 154 thousand hybrid vehicles registered in Romania.



    Counterfeit. The Romanian Customs Authority will carry out, next month, the “Pinocchio” operation, consisting of extensive controls on the traffic of counterfeit toys. Statistics show that at the end of the year, more than a third of the counterfeit goods that enter Romania are imported to be sold around Christmas. The authorities draw attention to the fact that these products, although they are often valued below the price of the original products, disappoint primarily due to their lower quality and non-compliance with standards.



    Gaudeamus. The Gaudeamus Radio Romania book fair, the longest-running event of its kind in the country, closed its doors on Sunday in Bucharest. The Gaudeamus trophies, by public vote, went, in order, to the publishing houses Humanitas, Litera and Polirom. The most coveted book, also determined by the publics vote, was More like the past, by Ana Blandiana, and the Education Award went to the Publishing House of the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. The Excellence Award, awarded by a jury, went to Vellant Publishing for the quality of its presence at the fair and for the long line of literature and arts books, published in refined graphic conditions and for its always attractive stand at the fair. Tens of thousands of people visited the Gaudeamus Book Fair over the course of a week.



    Handball. Romanian womens national handball team won, on Saturday, in Bistrita (north), the Carpathian Trophy, after defeating Austria with a score of 41-35, in the last match of the competition. Previously, Romania won against Switzerland 33-28 and Portugal with 32-22. The tournament in Bistrita was a final check before participating in the World Championship in Denmark, Norway and Sweden (November 29-December 17), where Romania will play in Group E. The Romanians will face Chile on December 1, Serbia on December 3 and Denmark on December 5. The top 3 will qualify for the main groups and then, from those, the top two are bound for the quarter-finals. The national team aims to rank among the first 7 places, in order to be able to participate in the pre-Olympic tournament. Romania is the only team that has participated in all 26 editions of the Womens Handball World Championship. (MI)



    Tennis. The Romanian womens tennis team will face the Ukrainian team, away from home, in the qualifications for the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup competition, according to the draw made on Sunday in London. The match will take place on April 12-13, 2024. This month, Romania beat Serbia 4-0, in Kraljevo, in the play-off to stay in the World Group of the competition, while Ukraine beat Lithuania 3-1, in Vilnius. Romania and Ukraine have met four times so far, and the Romanians lead 3-1. (MI)


  • Athlete of the Week on RRI – Tennis player Jaqueline Cristian

    Athlete of the Week on RRI – Tennis player Jaqueline Cristian

    The Romanian national tennis team defeated Serbia 4-0 in
    the Billie Jean King Cup playoffs. The match was played in Kraljevo, Serbia. Starting
    next year, Romania will thus play in the preliminaries for the Billie Jean King
    Cup final.


    In the
    first two singles matches played on Friday, Gabriela Ruse (WTA 125) defeated
    Mia Ristic (WTA 353), 7-6, 6-3, while Jaqueline Cristian (WTA 98) won 7-5, 6-4
    against Alekandra Krunic (WTA 689). On Saturday, Jaqueline Cristian grabbed the
    winning point for Romania after defeating Lola Radivojevic (WTA 276), final
    score 7-5, 4-6, 7-5. Aged 25, Jaqueline Cristian defeated Radivojevic at the
    end of three hours of playtime. The match was disputed, with the Serbian player
    leading 4-2 in the final set. Jaqueline Cristian upped her game and eventually
    won the tie-break 7-5.


    In the doubles match, Monica Niculescu and Anca Todoni won
    6-1, 7-6 against Katarina Kozarov and Aleksandra Krunic.


    For her performance of winning two games in the Billie Jean
    King Cup match, we have designated Jaqueline Cristian Athlete of the Week on
    RRI.


    Jaqueline Adina Cristian was born in Bucharest in 1998. In
    2015, at the age of 17, she made her debut in a WTA tournament in the doubles
    alongside Gabriela Ruse. So far, Jaqueline Cristian has won 14 ITF tournaments
    and played a WTA final in Linz, Austria, in 2021, losing to Alison Riske of the
    United States. Her best performance in Grand Slam tournaments was reaching the
    second round at the Australian Open in 2022 and the second round in Wimbledon
    this year. In the doubles, Jaqueline Cristian reached the third round at the
    Australian open in 2022. (VP)





  • Săptămâna sportivă

    Naţionala feminină de tenis a României a
    învins Serbia cu 4-0 în play-off-ul competiţiei Billie Jean King Cup, meci
    disputat în Serbia. Vineri, Gabriela Ruse a învins-o pe Mia Ristic cu 7-6, 6-3,
    iar Jaqueline Cristian a dispus de Aleksandra Krunic cu 7-5, 6-4. Sâmbătă, Jaqueline
    Cristian a întrecut-o pe Lola Radivojevic cu 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, iar în partida de
    dublu, româncele Monica Niculescu şi Anca Todoni au trecut cu 6-1, 7-6 de
    sârboaicele Katarina Kozarov și Aleksandra Krunic.


    Înotătorul David
    Popovici, multiplu campion european şi mondial, a câştigat proba de 50 m liber
    în ultima zi a Campionatelor Naţionale în bazin scurt de 25 metri. Popovici a
    câștigat la Naţionalele în bazin scurt patru medalii de aur, la 100 metri
    liber, 200 metri liber, 50 metri liber şi ştafetă combinată 4 x 50 metri.


    În al doilea meci în
    grupa F pentru calificarea la Campionatul European 2025 la baschet feminin, România
    a fost învinsă de Slovacia cu 93-77. În celălalt meci al grupei, Turcia a trecut
    de Islanda cu 72-65.


    În
    Liga Campionilor la handbal feminin, în grupa A, echipa română CSM București a
    terminat la egalitate pe teren propriu cu echipa maghiară Schaeffler, scor
    29-29. În grupa B, o altă echipă română, Rapid București, a trecut de echipa
    norvegiană Kristiansand cu 30-29. În Liga Europeană, echipa română Dunărea
    Brăila a învins în deplasare echipa germană Dortmund cu 25-24.


    În
    etapa a 16-a a superligii române la fotbal, în primele patru meciuri s-au înregistrat
    remize. Vineri, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe și Rapid București au încheiat la
    egalitate, 0-0, iar sâmbătă Universitatea Cluj – Petrolul Ploiești 0-0,
    Politehnica Iași – CFR Cluj 3-3 și Farul Constanța – FC Hermannstadt 1-1.
    Duminică, FC Botoșani – FC Voluntari 3-3, CSU Craiova – Dinamo București 1-0 și
    FCSB – FCU Craiova 2-1. Luni este programată ultima întâlnire, UTA Arad -
    Oțelul Galați. În clasament conduce
    FCSB cu 34 de puncte, urmată de CFR Cluj cu 31 de puncte și Rapid București cu
    30 de puncte


  • November 11, 2023 UPDATE

    November 11, 2023 UPDATE

    VETERANS DAY – Romania celebrated the Day of Veterans of Military
    Operations on November 11. On This occasion, garrisons in Bucharest and across
    the country where military carried out missions in theatres of operations
    abroad played host to military and religious ceremonies. President Klaus
    Iohannis said this day symbolizes the triumph of peace over war, adding that
    veterans are genuine role models for the younger generations. In a message
    marking the occasion, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in turn referred to the
    sacrifice of Romanian servicemen, underscoring the importance of peace. November
    11 is a day chosen for its significance, the day the armistice was signed
    between the Allies of World War I and Germany to end World War 1 and created
    the premises of the Great Union in Romania, on December 1, 1918. It was also on
    this day in 2003 that the first Romanian servicemen was killed in action in
    Afghanistan. 30 Romanian servicemen were killed and over 200 were wounded in
    theatres of operations over 1996-2022. We recall War Veterans Day is celebrated
    on April 29.




    RESOLUTION – Social-Democrat leaders from across
    Europe on Friday adopted a resolution expressing support for the immediate
    Schengen accession of Bulgaria and Romania, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has
    said. The Romanian official attended the European Socialists Congress hosted by
    Málaga, Spain. More Europe also entails protecting and strengthening one of the
    European Union’s greatest achievements: the Schengen Agreement, the resolution
    reads, also underlining that Romania and Bulgaria have fulfilled Schengen
    accession criteria. In a post on social media, Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances
    he will do everything in his power to persuade Austria and the Netherlands that
    Romania belongs in Schengen. On the sidelines of the event, Marcel Ciolacu met
    with counterparts from Spain, Malta and Denmark as well as with Germany’s
    Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.




    WAR IN GAZA – The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced that dialogue
    with the Israeli and Egyptian authorities continues with a view to evacuating
    the remaining Romanians and family members from Gaza. At present, three mobile
    consular teams are deployed with a view to assisting in specific
    border-crossing procedures. According to the Ministry, the Rafah border
    crossing point used to evacuate civilians from Gaza into Egypt remained close
    on Friday. We recall that on Thursday, 41 Romanian citizens and family members
    were evacuated from Gaza through the Rafah checkpoint, adding to the 93
    citizens who were safely brought home onboard a special flight operated by the
    national airline TAROM. Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting, world
    countries calling on Israel to accept an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and take
    measures to limit the loss of human lives. Too many Palestinians have been
    killed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said in what has been his
    firmest response to Israel’s actions since hostilities broke out in the region.
    In turn, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, said Israel should stop
    bombing Gaza and killing civilians. Both officials have however expressed
    support for Israel’s actions targeted against the Islamist terrorist
    organization Hamas. In another development, on the sidelines of a joint summit
    of the Arab League and the Islamic Cooperation Organization devoted to the
    developments in Gaza, hosted by Riyadh on Saturday, the president of the
    Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, called on the USA to pressure Israel to
    stop its offensive in Gaza. Palestinians need international protection from
    Israeli attacks, president Abbas went on to say. In turn, the Crown Prince of
    Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman, has called an end to what he was termed the
    siege on Gaza, while Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, called for an
    immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza without restrictions or conditions.
    On the ground, the Israeli army on Saturday announced it has captured 11 Hamas
    outposts in Gaza, adding that Israeli forces destroyed a vehicle carrying
    explosives as well as a tunnel used by Hamas militants.




    TENNIS – Romania’s tennis team defeated Serbia 4-0 in the Billie
    Jean King Cup World Group playoffs. On Saturday, Jaqueline Cristian won 7-5,
    4-6, 7-5 against Lola Radivojevic. In the doubles match Anca Todoni and Monica
    Niculescu won 6-1, 7-6 against Katarina Kozarov and Aleksandra Krunic.
    On Friday, Jaqueline Cristian won 7-5, 6-4 against Aleksandra Krunic while
    Gabriela Ruse defeated Mia Rustic 7-6, 6-3. Romania will advance to the Billie
    Jean King Cup preliminaries, while Serbia will play in Group 1. In April,
    Romania lost 3-2 to Slovenia, failing to qualify to the final tournament. (VP)





  • November 11, 2023

    November 11, 2023

    VETERANS DAY – Romania celebrated the Day of Veterans of Military
    Operations on November 11. On This occasion, garrisons in Bucharest and across
    the country where military carried out missions in theatres of operations
    abroad played host to military and religious ceremonies. President Klaus
    Iohannis said this day symbolizes the triumph of peace over war, adding that
    veterans are genuine role models for the younger generations. In a message
    marking the occasion, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in turn referred to the
    sacrifice of Romanian servicemen, underscoring the importance of peace. November
    11 is a day chosen for its significance, the day the armistice was signed
    between the Allies of World War I and Germany to end World War 1 and created
    the premises of the Great Union in Romania, on December 1, 1918. It was also on
    this day in 2003 that the first Romanian servicemen was killed in action in
    Afghanistan. 30 Romanian servicemen were killed and over 200 were wounded in
    theatres of operations over 1996-2022. We recall War Veterans Day is celebrated
    on April 29.




    RESOLUTION – Social-Democrat leaders from across Europe on Friday
    adopted a resolution expressing support for the immediate Schengen accession of
    Bulgaria and Romania, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has said. The Romanian
    official attended the European Socialists Congress hosted by Málaga, Spain.
    More Europe also entails protecting and strengthening one of the European
    Union’s greatest achievements: the Schengen Agreement, the resolution reads,
    also underlining that Romania and Bulgaria have fulfilled Schengen accession
    criteria. In a post on social media, Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances he will do
    everything in his power to persuade Austria and the Netherlands that Romania
    belongs in Schengen. On the sidelines of the event, Marcel Ciolacu met with counterparts from Spain, Malta and Denmark as well as with Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.




    WAR IN GAZA – The Rafah border crossing point used to evacuate
    civilians from Gaza into Egypt remained closed on Friday, the Romanian Foreign
    Ministry reports. As a result, Romanian citizens and members of their families
    who received permission to evacuate are still on standby. Romania’s
    Representative Office in Ramallah remains in permanent contact with people
    who’ve asked for assistance to evacuate, the Ministry also says. A third mobile
    consular team as part of the Rapid Response Unit set up at the level of the
    Crisis Room monitoring developments in Gaza was deployed in Cairo with a view
    to assisting in specific border-crossing procedures. Romania’s diplomatic
    representatives in Cairo and Tel Aviv remain in permanent contact with Egyptian
    and Israeli authorities until all citizens are evacuated, the Ministry also
    assures. On Thursday, 41 Romanian citizens and family members were evacuated
    from Gaza through the Rafah checkpoint, adding to the 93 citizens who were
    safely brought home. Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting, world
    countries calling on Israel to accept an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and take
    measures to limit the loss of human lives. Too many Palestinians have been
    killed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said in what has been his
    firmest response to Israel’s actions since hostilities broke out in the region.
    In turn, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, said Israel should stop
    bombing Gaza and killing civilians. Both officials have however expressed
    support for Israel’s actions targeted against the Islamist terrorist
    organization Hamas. In another development, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia,
    Mohammad bin Salman, has condemned Israel’s repeated violations of
    international humanitarian legislation. Riyadh on Saturday hosted a joint
    summit of the Arab League and the Islamic Cooperation Organization devoted to
    the developments in Gaza. Following the October 7 Hamas attack, which killed
    over 1,400 people, Tel Aviv declared war against the Islamist organization.
    According to the Health Ministry on Gaza, over 11,000 Palestinians were killed
    in Israeli bombings in Gaza, of whom the majority are civilians. Gaza is now
    struggling with a humanitarian crisis, Reuters reports.




    TENNIS – Romania’s tennis team leads 2-0 in the Billie Jean King
    Cup playoffs against Serbia. On Saturday, Jaqueline Cristian is playing Mia
    Ristic, while Gabriela Ruse will take on Aleksandra Krunic. The doubles match
    will pit Katarina Kozarov and Natalija Stefanovic against Irina Bara and Monica
    Niculescu. On Friday, Jaqueline Cristian won 7-5, 6-4 against Aleksandra Krunic
    while Gabriela Ruse defeated Mia Rustic 7-6, 6-3. The winner will advance to
    the Billie Jean King Cup preliminaries, while the loser will play in Group 1.
    In April, Romania lost 3-2 to Slovenia, failing to qualify to the final
    tournament. (VP)





  • May 24, 2023 UPDATE

    May 24, 2023 UPDATE

    VISIT – The president of Romania, Klaus
    Iohannis, on Wednesday met his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier who
    is paying a three-day state visit to Romania. The two presidents discussed
    political, security and economic cooperation and conveyed a joint message of
    solidarity with and support for Ukraine and of support for the Republic of
    Moldova. Klaus Iohannis expressed Romania’s appreciation for Germany’s firm
    support for Romania’s Schengen accession. In turn, president Steinmeier said
    Germany has long believed Romania belongs in Schengen. The German official also
    met with Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă. The two highlighted the privileged
    status of Romanian-German relations, grounded on a consistent political
    dialogue and a robust economic collaboration. Prime Minister Ciucă hailed the
    activity of the over 25 thousand companies with German capital in Romania,
    which makes Germany the top investor in a number of major sectors of the
    Romanian economy.


    DEFENSE – Defense spending is an investment,
    a lesson Romania understands, Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr has told Radio
    Romania. The current security context has highlighted a need to increase
    defense spending, the Romanian official said, arguing this allows Romania to
    access state-of-the-art technologies and capabilities and help ensure a climate
    of peace, predictability and stability. The Romanian official on Tuesday
    attended the EU Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels, discussing military aid
    to Ukraine. According to the EU’s chief of diplomacy, Josep Borrell, Member
    States have managed to deliver a quarter of shells promised for an entire year
    within just a few days. However, the next installment of military aid disbursed
    to Ukraine remains blocked due to opposition from Hungary. Attending the event,
    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also referred to heavy tanks delivered
    to Kyiv by a number of allied states, as well as the training of Ukrainian
    pilots to fly F-16 jets.


    HEALTHCARE – A
    strike action in the healthcare system depends on how negotiations with
    government representatives will unfold, Leonard Bărăscu, the leader of the
    SANITAS Federation has said on Wednesday upon meeting with Chamber of Deputies
    Speaker Marcel Ciolacu, who is expected to be appointed Prime Minister in the
    upcoming period. Leonard Bărăscu said the salary law must be observed to the
    letter, while revenues for nurses, for instance, should be increased two-three
    times. Healthcare trade unions have announced a strike action on June 15.


    BOOKFEST – The Bookfest International Book Fair got under
    way in Bucharest in the presence of the Romanian minister for culture Lucian
    Romaşcanu and Italy’s ambassador to Romania Alfredo Maria Durante Mangoni.
    Italy is the fair’s guest country this year. On this occasion, Ambassador
    Mangoni said relations between Italy and Romania are very strong at all levels.
    Over 200 exhibitors from around the country and the neighboring Republic of
    Moldova, alongside foreign cultural institutes will be present every day until
    Sunday, according to the Book Publishers’ Association in Romania, the organizer
    of the event. Twelve Italian writers are taking part in book presentations and
    debates, almost half of them having already had their works translated into
    Romanian. A project co-funded by the ministry of culture, Bookfest also travels
    to Timişoara, Cluj-Napoca, Târgu Mureş, Braşov and Chişinău.


    TENNIS – Romania will play Serbia in the Billie
    Jean King Cup playoffs following Wednesday’s draw in London. The matches will
    be played in November, and the winner is set to play the preliminaries for the
    final tournament. The loser will play in Group I. In April, Romania lost to
    Slovenia 3-2 after leading 2-0, thus failing to qualify to the final
    tournament. (CM & VP)

  • April 16, 2023

    April 16, 2023

    Easter. In Romania, Orthodox (majority) and Greek-Catholic Christians celebrate today the Resurrection of Jesus, the biggest holiday in the Christian calendar. On Saturday, at midnight, belivers received the holy light from the priests and listened to the evangelical account of the Resurrection in front of churches. In his sermon, Patriarch Daniel of the Orthodox Church explained how the Resurrection of the Lord gave a new orientation to the Christians life and a new meaning to death. “The source of joy and peace in a Christians life is their connection with the Crucified and Resurrected Christ, that is why on Easter we should not be sad, but rejoice”, said Patriarch Daniel.



    Protests. Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv again on Saturday evening to protest against the justice reform desired by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which the demonstrators consider an attack on democracy, FP reports. Smaller demonstrations also took place in other Israeli cities. Since the announcement of the controversial reform project in early January, tens of thousands of Israelis have gathered every week to protest it. Prime Minister Netanyahu announced on March 27 a break to give a chance to dialogue, after the start of a general strike and the emergence of tensions within the government majority. The government claims that the reform aims, among other things, to rebalance the powers by reducing the prerogatives of the Supreme Court, which the executive considers politicized, for the benefit of Parliament. Critics of the reform believe, on the contrary, that it risks opening the way to an authoritarian drift, AFP also reports.



    Electricity. Romanians consumed less electricity in the first two months of this year compared to the same period in 2022, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics. The decrease was more than 18%. Businesses also consumed less, by 3%, and public lighting was reduced by more than a quarter. INS reports that in January and February the production in hydropower plants increased by almost a third compared to the beginning of last year. Wind energy production increased, but the production of nuclear energy slightly decreased.



    G7. The G7 Energy and Environment Ministers set on Sunday the goal of reducing the C02 emissions of motor vehicles by at least 50% by 2035, compared to the levels of 2000. The goal appears in a Joint Declaration adopted at the end of the two-day meeting that took place in Sapporo (northern Japan), and which focused on accelerating efforts to combat climate change. The measure is part of the global goal of reaching net zero emissions in the automotive sector by 2050. This will require key industry actions in all countries, including measures already implemented by the G7 members to achieve 100% electric vehicle sales by 2035.



    Tennis. In Koper, in Slovenia, the doubles match between the womens tennis teams of Romania and Slovenia is taking place today, interrupted on Saturday due to rain. It is the decisive match for the qualification for the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup competition. After the singles matches, the score is equal, 2-2. The doubles match between the pairs Irina Bara/Monica Niculescu and Kaja Juvan/Tamara Zidansek was interrupted at the score of 3-3. The only direct match between the two teams took place in 2000 and was won by Slovenia 3-0, in Spain, in Group I of the Europe/Africa zone.



    Weightlifting. On Saturday evening, Romanian athlete Mihaela Cambei won three gold medals in the 49 kg. category at the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan (Armenia). Cambei won in the snatch with 92 kg, in the throw with 106 kg, and in total with 198 kg. She also set two new European records, in snatch and total. Romania aims to win four medals at the European Games in Yerevan, which are qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.



    Weather. The Romanian National Meteorological Administration has issued an information of quantitatively moderate rains and wind intensifications, valid in almost all of Romania, from Sunday noon to Monday morning. In this interval, rains, especially in the form of showers, accompanied in some places by thunder storms, will be expanding from the south to most of the country. ANM reports that for most of next week there will be periods of showers in most areas. The highs of the day range between 13 and 22 degrees centigrade, with a 17 degree reading in Bucharest at noon. (MI)


  • April 15, 2023

    April 15, 2023

    Holy Saturday. For Orthodox Christians, the majority in Romania, and Greek Catholics, today is Holy Saturday, the last day until the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holy light will be brought from Jerusalem, this evening, and will be offered to the delegations of the dioceses present at Henri Coandă International Airport (near Bucharest). The light will then be distributed to all parishes in Romania. The Holy Light is the most obvious miracle that takes place, year after year, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, on the Saturday before Easter. In a message sent on the occasion, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, urges people to offer light, peace and joy to those around them, especially to the poor, the sick, the lonely or the refugees.



    Easter. In Romania, more than 24,000 policemen, gendarmes and firefighters are ensuring order and safety measures during the free days of the Easter holidays. During this period, high traffic is expected on the roads, as well as approximately 800,000 believers attending the religious services. Every day, over 2,700 gendarmes will be present at all the religious and cultural-artistic events taking place during this period, so that crowding or other incidents are avoided.



    Art. On World Art Day, celebrated today, the Romanian Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu, has stated that art remains an expression of freedom and urged people to honor artists and enjoy their creations. “This year, World Art Day takes place on Holy Saturday, an extremely important day for the Orthodox believers who await the Resurrection of the Lord, another occasion in which we take care to feed our souls”, said the Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu. World Art Day, an initiative of the International Art Association at its 17th General Assembly in Guadalajara, Mexico, is celebrated on April 15. Celebrated for the first time in 2012, the date was symbolically chosen to honor the memory of Leonardo da Vinci, a complex sculptor, painter, architect and inventor, born on April 15, 571 years ago.



    Visit. Between April 18-26, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis, will pay formal visits to Brazil, Chile and Argentina. According to the Presidential Administration, these visits are aimed at relaunching high-level dialogue with Latin American states and boosting bilateral interactions at the political-diplomatic level. They are intended to open up new opportunities for collaboration in areas of increased interest, including those regarding the common response to a series of challenges at global level. One of the main goals of these visits is the promotion of sectoral contacts and the development of concrete bilateral projects in the fields of economy, trade, research, environmental protection and climate change, agriculture, education, culture, civil protection.



    Rating. Fitch Ratings confirmed on Friday, the BBB minus ratings for the long-term debt in foreign currency and local currency of the municipality of Bucharest and improved the outlook from negative to stable. Last month, Fitch reconfirmed Romanias government debt rating at BBB-/F3 for long- and short-term foreign currency debt and revised the countrys outlook from negative to stable. Fitch also revised the individual credit profile of the Romanian capital from BBB plus to A, reflecting the revision of the risk profile from low medium level to medium level, the solid operational performance and the ambitious investment plan . Bucharest is responsible for more than 30% of the countrys economy, and the local level of wealth is more than four times higher than the national average, the release states. The citys capital expenditures are expected to remain high during 2023-2025, leading to an average deficit of 3% of total revenues, Fitch estimates.



    Tennnis. Romanias womens tennis team leads Slovenia 2-0 after Jaqueline Cristian (180 WTA) defeated Tamara Zidansek (102 WTA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 on Friday , in Koper, in the qualifications for the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup competition. In the first singles match, Ana Bogdan (58 WTA) dramatically defeated the Slovenian Kaja Juvan (121 WTA), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Today, the first singles match is due between Ana Bogdan and Tamara Zidansek. The last singles match pits Jaqueline Cristian against Kaja Juvan. In the doubles match, the pair Irina Bara/Monica Niculescu will play against Pia Lovric/Nina Potocnik . (MI)



  • Săptămâna sportivă

    Săptămâna sportivă

    Echipa de tenis de
    câmp a României a învins Ungaria cu 4-0 în play-off-ul competiţiei feminine Billie
    Jean King Cup, sâmbătă, la Oradea. Vineri, românca Ana Bogdan a învins-o pe unguroaica
    Dalma Galfi cu 6-1, 6-4. În al doilea meci, românca Jaqueline Cristian a trecut
    de unguroaica Anna Bondar cu 6-2, 4-6, 7-6. În partida de dublu, româncele Jaqueline
    Cristian și Monica Niculescu a învins cuplul Reka Luca Jani și Panna Udvardy cu
    5-7, 6-4, 10-4. Ultimul punct al româncelor a fost adus de Ana Bogdan,
    învingătoare în fața unguroaicei Panna Udvardy cu 6-0, 6-2. Româncele vor
    evolua în calificările din 2023 pentru turneul final, în timp ce unguroaicele
    vor juca în zona lor din Grupa I.


    Naţionala de rugby a României a fost
    învinsă cu scorul de 16-21, la pauză 13-6, de naționala Uruguay-ului, duminică,
    într-un meci-test disputat pe Stadionul Naţional de Rugby Arcul de Triumf din
    Bucureşti. Într-un alt meci jucat pe stadionul Arcul de Triumf din București,
    sâmbătă, Tonga a învins Chile cu 39-10.


    În etapa a 9-a a campionatului
    național de hochei pe gheață al României, vineri s-au înregistrat rezultatele SC
    Miercurea Ciuc – Háromszéki Ágyúsok 1-3 și Sportul studențesc – ACSH Gheorgheni
    2-18. Sâmbătă, rezultatele au fost Sportul studențesc – ACSH Gheorgheni 1-14 și
    SC Miercurea Ciuc – Háromszéki Ágyúsok 6-1. În clasament, conduce ACSH
    Gheorgheni cu 20 puncte, urmată de CSM Galați cu 19 puncte, și Háromszéki
    Ágyúsok cu 18 puncte.


    În etapa a 18-a a ligii 1 române la
    fotbal s-au consemnat rezultatele: vineri, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe – Petrolul
    Ploiești 2-0; sâmbătă, Chindia Târgoviște – Farul Constanța 1-1 și Rapid
    București – CS Universitatea Craiova 2-2; duminică, UTA Arad – FC Voluntari
    1-1, CS Mioveni – CFR Cluj 0-1 și FC Universitatea Craiova – FCSB 0-2. Luni se
    joacă alte două meciuri, Universitatea Cluj – FC Argeș și FC Botoșani – FC
    Hermannstadt. În clasament conduce Farul Constanța cu 41 puncte, urmată de CFR
    Cluj 34 puncte și Rapid București 33 puncte.


  • Săptămâna sportivă

    Săptămâna sportivă

    Echipa de tenis de
    câmp a României a învins Ungaria cu 4-0 în play-off-ul competiţiei feminine Billie
    Jean King Cup, sâmbătă, la Oradea. Vineri, românca Ana Bogdan a învins-o pe unguroaica
    Dalma Galfi cu 6-1, 6-4. În al doilea meci, românca Jaqueline Cristian a trecut
    de unguroaica Anna Bondar cu 6-2, 4-6, 7-6. În partida de dublu, româncele Jaqueline
    Cristian și Monica Niculescu a învins cuplul Reka Luca Jani și Panna Udvardy cu
    5-7, 6-4, 10-4. Ultimul punct al româncelor a fost adus de Ana Bogdan,
    învingătoare în fața unguroaicei Panna Udvardy cu 6-0, 6-2. Româncele vor
    evolua în calificările din 2023 pentru turneul final, în timp ce unguroaicele
    vor juca în zona lor din Grupa I.


    Naţionala de rugby a României a fost
    învinsă cu scorul de 16-21, la pauză 13-6, de naționala Uruguay-ului, duminică,
    într-un meci-test disputat pe Stadionul Naţional de Rugby Arcul de Triumf din
    Bucureşti. Într-un alt meci jucat pe stadionul Arcul de Triumf din București,
    sâmbătă, Tonga a învins Chile cu 39-10.


    În etapa a 9-a a campionatului
    național de hochei pe gheață al României, vineri s-au înregistrat rezultatele SC
    Miercurea Ciuc – Háromszéki Ágyúsok 1-3 și Sportul studențesc – ACSH Gheorgheni
    2-18. Sâmbătă, rezultatele au fost Sportul studențesc – ACSH Gheorgheni 1-14 și
    SC Miercurea Ciuc – Háromszéki Ágyúsok 6-1. În clasament, conduce ACSH
    Gheorgheni cu 20 puncte, urmată de CSM Galați cu 19 puncte, și Háromszéki
    Ágyúsok cu 18 puncte.


    În etapa a 18-a a ligii 1 române la
    fotbal s-au consemnat rezultatele: vineri, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe – Petrolul
    Ploiești 2-0; sâmbătă, Chindia Târgoviște – Farul Constanța 1-1 și Rapid
    București – CS Universitatea Craiova 2-2; duminică, UTA Arad – FC Voluntari
    1-1, CS Mioveni – CFR Cluj 0-1 și FC Universitatea Craiova – FCSB 0-2. Luni se
    joacă alte două meciuri, Universitatea Cluj – FC Argeș și FC Botoșani – FC
    Hermannstadt. În clasament conduce Farul Constanța cu 41 puncte, urmată de CFR
    Cluj 34 puncte și Rapid București 33 puncte.


  • April 15, 2022

    April 15, 2022


    Ordinance. The Romanian Government approved yesterday an emergency bill on support for the construction sector, to make up for the rise in the prices for building materials and execution services. The Development Minister Cseke Attila has announced that the state will allocate 1.77 billion, because otherwise there are contracts that would have to be frozen and many entrepreneurs that would go bankrupt.



    Ukraine. Ukraine claims to have sunk the Moskva cruiser, following a rocket attack on the Black Sea ship. The Russians confirmed the sinking, but said it was because of the “stormy sea”. The Moskva cruiser is the most serious loss registered by the Russian forces since the start of the military operation in Ukraine. The ship, which started it service in 1983 and was named Slava until 1996, became known in December 1989, when it covered, together with the American ship Belknap, the security of the summit in Malta. Later, the ship participated in the campaigns in Georgia in 2008 and Syria in 2015. On the first day of the campaign in Ukraine, Moskva participated in the occupation of Snake Island, an operation in which 82 Ukrainian soldiers were taken prisoner and then, according to the Ukrainian media, participated in the blockade of the ports of Odesa, Mykolaiv and Ochakiv. Heavy explosions took place last night in the capital, Kyiv, and in the southern city of Kherson. On Thursday, the Ukrainian parliament described as “genocide” the crimes committed by the Russian troops in the neighboring country. According to the Ukrainian Prosecutors Office, at least 198 children have been killed and 355 injured since the beginning of the Russian invasion.



    Refugees. Some 10,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed Romanias borders in the past 24 hours, the Border Police Inspectorate has announced. According to Romanian authorities, some 714 thousand Ukrainians have arrived in Romania since February 24th, the start of the Russian invasion. 30 thousand of them are children, and more than 4 thousand have requested asylum.



    Food security. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations World Food Program and the World Trade Organization have called for urgent and coordinated food security measures and urged countries to avoid export bans on food or fertilizers. In a joint statement, the leaders of the four institutions warned that the war in Ukraine is adding to the existing pressures due to the Covid-19 crisis or climate change. The biggest risk – they say – is for poor countries, but there is a growing vulnerability in middle-income countries as well.



    Collective. The Bucharest Court of Appeal has again postponed its final ruling in the Collective case, the Bucharest club in which 64 people died and almost 200 were injured, almost seven years ago, after a fire broke out there. A final ruling was expected today after several postponements since December last year, when the trial ended. In the first instance, the district mayor Cristian Popescu Piedone, the three owners of the club, the pyrotechnicians and the administrators of the company that provided the pyrotechnic material, the firemen from the Emergency Situations Inspectorate and employees of the City Hall received sentences of 4 to 13 years in prison. The defendants should also pay damages of tens of millions of euros together with the City Hall of the Sector in which the club is located and ESI Bucharest Ilfov.



    Cannes. Directors Cristian Mungiu and Alexandru Belc will represent Romania at the 75th edition of the Cannes International Film Festival, which takes place this year, between May 17-28. Cristian Mungiu will compete with the film “R.M.N.”, a French-Romanian-Belgian co-production, in the official competition for the coveted La Palme dOr, while Alexandru Belc will compete with the film “Metronom” in the second most important section of festival, Un Certain Regard. A veteran of the festival, Mungiu was awarded the La Palme dOr in 2007 for “4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days”. At the same festival, his film “Beyond the Hills” was awarded, in 2012, the best screenplay award, and the film “Baccalaureate” won the trophy for best director in 2016. “Metronome” is Alexandru Belcs debut film. 18 films will compete this year for the grand prize of the Cannes Film Festival, and 15 were included in the Un Certain Regard section. The official selection was made from 2,200 films received by the organizers.



    Tennis. Romanian Irina Begu will face Magda Linette, today, at Radom, in the first singles match of the competition between the womens tennis teams of Romania and Poland, in the qualifications for the Billie Jean King Cup competition. In the second singles match, Mihaela Buzărnescu will play, also today, against the world leader Iga Swiatek. On Saturday, the other singles matches are scheduled, Begu – Swiatek and Buzărnescu – Linette, as well as the doubles match between Magdalena Frech / Alicja Rosolska and Andreea Mitu / Andreea Prisăcariu. Romanias best player, Simona Halep, is unavailable for this competition, as are Monica Niculescu, Raluca Olaru, Gabriela Ruse and Jaqueline Cristian. Poland leads 4-2 in the direct matches with Romania. (MI)


  • Info Sport

    Info Sport

    Formaţia de baschet masculin U-BT Cluj-Napoca a fost învinsă în deplasare de echipa germană Riesen Ludwigsburg, cu scorul de 92-75, miercuri, în al doilea meci disputat în sferturile de finală ale Ligii Campionilor. Campioana României, care s-a impus, miercurea trecută, la Cluj, cu 76-73, va juca meciul decisiv pentru calificarea în semifinale pe teren propriu, săptămâna viitoare. Sferturile se dispută după sistemul “cel mai bun din trei partide”.



    Echipa de handbal feminin Rapid Bucureşti a învins, miercuri, cu 34 la 31, formaţia Minaur Baia Mare, vicecampioana en titre, şi a revenit pe primul loc în Liga Naţională. Cea mai eficientă marcatoare a feroviarelor a fost Eliza Buceschi, care a înscris de 9 ori. Pentru echipa oaspete, Cristina Laslo a marcat 9 goluri. Tot miercuri, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea a dispus, acasă, de HC Zalău cu 38-28, iar Măgura Cisnădie a trecut de pe SCM Craiova, cu 25-24, în deplasare. În clasament, Rapid conduce la o distanţă de un punct faţă de CSM Bucureşti, campioana en titre şi reprezentanta României în Liga Campionilor.



    Echipa feminină de tenis a României întâlneşte Polonia, vineri şi sâmbătă, în deplasare, la Radom, în calificările pentru Billie Jean King Cup. Echipa română nu poate conta pe mai multe jucătoare de top. Marţi, Monica Niculescu a devenit a treia jucătoare indisponibilă pentru acest meci din cauza Covid-19, după Raluca Olaru şi Gabriela Ruse. Nu fac parte din echipă nici Simona Halep sau Jaqueline Cristian, fiind accidentate. În aceste condiţii, Horia Tecău, căpitanul nejucător al echipei României, va conta pe Irina Begu, Mihaela Buzărnescu, Andreea Prisăcariu şi Andreea Mitu. Dintre ele, singura sportivă clasată între primele o sută de jucătoare ale lumii este Irina Begu, numărul 63 WTA la simplu şi 48 la dublu.



    Din lotul Poloniei fac parte Iga Świątek, Magda Linette, Magdalena Fręch, Maja Chwalińska şi Alicja Rosolska. Świątek este noul număr unu mondial, Linette ocupă locul 58 în clasamentul WTA la simplu şi 26 la dublu, iar Fręch, locul 87 la simplu şi 179 la dublu.






  • Info Sport

    Info Sport

    Formaţia de baschet masculin U-BT Cluj-Napoca a fost învinsă în deplasare de echipa germană Riesen Ludwigsburg, cu scorul de 92-75, miercuri, în al doilea meci disputat în sferturile de finală ale Ligii Campionilor. Campioana României, care s-a impus, miercurea trecută, la Cluj, cu 76-73, va juca meciul decisiv pentru calificarea în semifinale pe teren propriu, săptămâna viitoare. Sferturile se dispută după sistemul “cel mai bun din trei partide”.



    Echipa de handbal feminin Rapid Bucureşti a învins, miercuri, cu 34 la 31, formaţia Minaur Baia Mare, vicecampioana en titre, şi a revenit pe primul loc în Liga Naţională. Cea mai eficientă marcatoare a feroviarelor a fost Eliza Buceschi, care a înscris de 9 ori. Pentru echipa oaspete, Cristina Laslo a marcat 9 goluri. Tot miercuri, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea a dispus, acasă, de HC Zalău cu 38-28, iar Măgura Cisnădie a trecut de pe SCM Craiova, cu 25-24, în deplasare. În clasament, Rapid conduce la o distanţă de un punct faţă de CSM Bucureşti, campioana en titre şi reprezentanta României în Liga Campionilor.



    Echipa feminină de tenis a României întâlneşte Polonia, vineri şi sâmbătă, în deplasare, la Radom, în calificările pentru Billie Jean King Cup. Echipa română nu poate conta pe mai multe jucătoare de top. Marţi, Monica Niculescu a devenit a treia jucătoare indisponibilă pentru acest meci din cauza Covid-19, după Raluca Olaru şi Gabriela Ruse. Nu fac parte din echipă nici Simona Halep sau Jaqueline Cristian, fiind accidentate. În aceste condiţii, Horia Tecău, căpitanul nejucător al echipei României, va conta pe Irina Begu, Mihaela Buzărnescu, Andreea Prisăcariu şi Andreea Mitu. Dintre ele, singura sportivă clasată între primele o sută de jucătoare ale lumii este Irina Begu, numărul 63 WTA la simplu şi 48 la dublu.



    Din lotul Poloniei fac parte Iga Świątek, Magda Linette, Magdalena Fręch, Maja Chwalińska şi Alicja Rosolska. Świątek este noul număr unu mondial, Linette ocupă locul 58 în clasamentul WTA la simplu şi 26 la dublu, iar Fręch, locul 87 la simplu şi 179 la dublu.