Radio România Internațional

Tag: George Enescu contest

  • September 1, 2020

    September 1, 2020


    COVID-19 – 1053
    new infections with SARS CoV-2 have been reported in the last 24 hours in
    Romania, the Group for Strategic Communication announced earlier today. The
    total number of infections is close to 89 thousand. Also today, 60 new
    fatalities were reported, taking the death toll to 3.681. 522 patients are in
    intensive care. 6.590 Romanians have tested positive for COVID-19 abroad, and
    126 have died. According to worldometers.info, 25.6 million cases have been
    reported worldwide. The global death toll exceeds 850.000. The World Health
    Organization on Monday urged countries around the world to uphold their efforts
    to counter the pandemic. WHO General Director, Tedros Ghebreyesus warned that
    opening up without control of the virus would be a recipe for disaster. Also
    on Monday, the European Regional Office of the WHO and representatives of the
    53 member states discussed ways of protecting children after the start of the
    new school year. Ensuring proper hand hygiene, physical distancing, the wearing
    of face masks and staying at home in case of displaying symptoms are some of
    the measures considere. WHO officials pointed out the pandemic is responsible
    for the biggest disruption of education systems in history, affecting nearly
    1.6 billion students in over 190 countries.


    PARLIAMENT – Romanian MPs are today convening in a new session, the last of
    the current parliamentary term. The previous session was marked by the COVID-19
    pandemic, MPs meeting mostly online. High on the agenda is the budget
    adjustment law, already passed by the Government, which will be voted in the
    two chambers. Other projects in the fields of healthcare, education and social
    protection, aimed at helping the authorities deal with the coronavirus
    pandemic, are pending adoption.


    LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONS – Restaurants, cinemas and theatres are reopening today
    with certain health safety provisions in place. Nightclubs and bars remain
    closed. Also starting today the number of people attending private events,
    training classes and workshops is increased.


    ELECTION
    – The campaign for the local election due on September 27 continues in Romania.
    The authorities have announced the set of regulations candidates and their
    teams must observe to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. According to the
    Interior Ministry, face masks are compulsory, while all people attending
    election events and meetings will undergo triage and will have to sanitize
    their hands. Access rules and individual health safety measures will be
    publicly displayed. Participants will also have to observe the minimum 1-meter distance.
    A maximum of 50 people are admitted for indoor activities for a maximum
    duration of 2 hours. In the case of outdoor events, the participation is
    limited to a hundred people. Candidates are vying for one of the 41 positions
    of presidents of county councils, 3.200 mayor seats, 1.300 county councilmen
    and 40.000 local councilmen mandates. Originally slated for June, the local
    election was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and the mandates of
    elected officials were extended by another six months.




    UNEMPLOYMENT
    – The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 5.4% in July, by 0.1%
    higher than in June, the National Statistics Institute announced today. Some
    484.000 people aged 15-74 were unemployed in July 2020, more than the previous
    month (474.000 people) as well as compared to the same month last year
    (362.000). Unemployed adults aged 25-74 accounted for 4.3% of the total
    population in July. Gender ratios point to a 4.9% rate for men and 3.6% for
    women.




    FESTIVAL
    – As of Thursday Bucharest is hosting the 6th edition of the
    Bucharest International Dance Film Festival. For four days the city will play
    host to film screenings, workshops, short-reel contests and conferences
    featuring prestigious guests. According to organizers, this year’s theme is
    Utopia/Dystopia, aimed as a reflection on the present and exploring the future.
    Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain’s latest feature, EMA, will be premiered in the
    opening of the festival. Some 32 short-reels from 14 countries around the world
    are competing in the three sections – international films, national films and
    musicals. Organizers have also prepared a series of events devoted to the film
    and dance industry.




    GEORGE
    ENESCU – The George Enescu prestigious international music contest
    continues in Bucharest. Some 205 young musicians from 39 countries are enrolled
    in the competition, 184 in the violin, cello and piano sections and 21 in the
    composition sections. Total prizes stand at €100.000. The competition is
    unfolding mostly online due to the coronavirus pandemic.




    TENNIS -
    Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea and Mihaela Buzarnescu are today playing
    in the first round at the US Open, the first Grand Slam tournament held after
    the hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cirstea (77 WTA) is playing
    Christina McHale of the United States (75 WTA), while Buzarnescu (122 WTA) will
    take on another American, Sloane Stephens (39 WTA). Another Romanian player,
    Irina Begu (73 WTA) was knocked out in the first round after losing to
    sixth-seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday. Our fourth
    representative, Patricia Tig (88 WTA) will play Kurumi Nara of Japan (142 WTA).
    Simona Halep, world no. 2, will not take part in the tournament. No player will
    represent Romania in the men’s singles. In the men’s doubles, Horia Tecau will
    once again team up with Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands, while in the
    women’s doubles, Raluca Olaru will play together with Sara Sorribes Tormo of
    Spain. The first round in the doubles competitions will be held on Wednesday.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • August 30, 2020 UPDATE

    August 30, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – 952 new COVID infections have been reported
    in Romania in the last 24 hours, the Group for Strategic Communication
    announced on Sunday. 39 people have died, taking the death toll to 3.578. 7.213
    people infected with SARS CoV-2 are now hospitalized, 492 people being in
    intensive care. 9.132 people are in home isolation while 5.839 are in
    institutionalized isolation. 32.955 are in home quarantine while 71 in
    institutionalized quarantine. 6.589 Romanians living abroad have tested
    positive for COVID-19, of whom 126 have died.




    COVID-19 WORLDWIDE – The number of COVID infections has exceeded
    25 million worldwide, the official death toll standing at some 840.000. Nearly
    40% of the total number of cases have been reported in the United States, where
    182.000 people have died, as well as in Brazil, the second-most affected
    country, with over 120.000 deaths. This morning, India has confirmed the
    biggest daily increase in the number of new infections, over 78.000. In Europe,
    Hungary will shut down its borders starting September 1 to limit the spread of
    the virus. Romania’s Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Saturday had a
    telephone conversation with his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó, the
    latter saying the transit of Romanian nationals to their home country would not
    be affected. In turn, Poland will ban flights to 46 countries, including
    Romania, starting September 2. Ukraine too has shut down its borders to foreign
    citizens, with some exceptions. People exempted to this ban must present a
    medical insurance upon crossing the border, which should cover the costs of a
    potential COVID treatment and related quarantine expenses.




    ELECTION – The campaign for the local election due on September 27
    continues in Romania. The authorities have announced the set of regulations
    candidates and their teams must observe to prevent the coronavirus from
    spreading. According to the Interior Ministry, face masks are compulsory, while
    all people attending election events and meetings will undergo triage and will
    have to sanitize their hands. Access rules and individual health safety
    measures will be publicly displayed. Participants will also have to observe the
    minimum 1-meter distance. A maximum of 50 people are admitted for indoor
    activities for a maximum duration of 2 hours. In the case of outdoor events, the
    participation is limited to a hundred people. Candidates are vying for one of
    the 41 positions of presidents of county councils, 3.200 mayor seats, 1.300
    county councilmen and 40.000 local councilmen. Originally slated for June, the
    local election was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.




    ROMANIAN LANGUAGE DAY – Cultural events will be held on Monday in
    Romania, the Republic of Moldova and abroad to mark Romanian Language Day. Set
    up on August 31, 2013, the event pays an homage to the national reawakening
    movement in the Republic of Moldova. On August 31, 1989, some 750 thousand
    people, a sixth of the Republic’s population at the time, protested in front of
    the Parliament building in Chisinau, which decided to declare Romanian an
    official state language and switch to the Latin alphabet and replace the Cyrillic
    alphabet, which had been used since 1940, when the USSR annexed Moldova.




    MOTION – Parliament on Monday is debating and voting a
    no-confidence motion against the Liberal Government. The Social-Democrats in
    opposition are accusing Ludovic Orban’s cabinet of poor management of the corona
    crisis. In turn, the Government has referred the motion to the Constitutional
    Court, as Parliament is in its summer recess. President Klaus Iohannis has said
    the Social-Democrats are trying to generate political instability that would
    benefit their election campaign.




    STATISTICS – 5% of Romanian students were enrolled in universities
    abroad in 2018, the EUROSTAT reports. At European level, 8% of students were
    studying abroad. The leader of this ranking is Luxembourg, with a 48% share of
    the total number of students, Cyprus with 24%, Austria, the Czech Republic and
    the Netherlands. The lowest shares were reported in Croatia and Greece, 3%,
    followed by Spain and Poland, 4%, and Lithuania and Romania, 5%. In 2018, some
    408 thousand students were officially enrolled in state and private
    universities. Of these, 6% were foreigners.




    HANDBALL – The Romanian men’s handball team HC Dobrogea Sud
    Constanta on Saturday defeated HC Victor Stavropol of Russia 26-18 in the first
    leg of the EHF European League first preliminary round. In the same
    competition, AHC Potaissa Turda lost 24-26 to HRK Gorica of Croatia at home.
    The return leg is scheduled next week. The Romanian champions Dinamo Bucharest
    will play directly in the European League group phase, to kick off in October.




    GEORGE ENESCU – The George Enescu prestigious international music
    contest continues in Bucharest. Some 205 young musicians from 39 countries are
    enrolled in the competition, 184 in the violin, cello and piano sections and 21
    in the composition sections. Total prizes stand at €100.000. The competition is
    unfolding mostly online due to the coronavirus pandemic.


    (Translated
    by V. Palcu)











  • August 30, 2020

    August 30, 2020

    COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – 952 new COVID infections have been reported
    in Romania in the last 24 hours, the Group for Strategic Communication
    announced on Sunday. 39 people have died, taking the death toll to 3.578. 7.213
    people infected with SARS CoV-2 are now hospitalized, 492 people being in
    intensive care. 9.132 people are in home isolation while 5.839 are in
    institutionalized isolation. 32.955 are in home quarantine while 71 in
    institutionalized quarantine. 6.589 Romanians living abroad have tested
    positive for COVID-19, of whom 126 have died.




    COVID-19 WORLDWIDE – The number of COVID infections has exceeded
    25 million worldwide, the official death toll standing at some 840.000. Nearly
    40% of the total number of cases have been reported in the United States, where
    182.000 people have died, as well as in Brazil, the second-most affected
    country, with over 120.000 deaths. This morning, India has confirmed the
    biggest daily increase in the number of new infections, over 78.000. In Europe,
    Hungary will shut down its borders starting September 1 to limit the spread of
    the virus. Romania’s Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Saturday had a
    telephone conversation with his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó, the
    latter saying the transit of Romanian nationals to their home country would not
    be affected. In turn, Poland will ban flights to 46 countries, including
    Romania, starting September 2. Ukraine too has shut down its borders to foreign
    citizens, with some exceptions. People exempted to this ban must present a
    medical insurance upon crossing the border, which should cover the costs of a
    potential COVID treatment and related quarantine expenses.




    ELECTION – The campaign for the local election due on September 27
    continues in Romania. The authorities have announced the set of regulations
    candidates and their teams must observe to prevent the coronavirus from
    spreading. According to the Interior Ministry, face masks are compulsory, while
    all people attending election events and meetings will undergo triage and will
    have to sanitize their hands. Access rules and individual health safety
    measures will be publicly displayed. Participants will also have to observe the
    minimum 1-meter distance. A maximum of 50 people are admitted for indoor
    activities for a maximum duration of 2 hours. In the case of outdoor events, the
    participation is limited to a hundred people. Candidates are vying for one of
    the 41 positions of presidents of county councils, 3.200 mayor seats, 1.300
    county councilmen and 40.000 local councilmen. Originally slated for June, the
    local election was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.




    ROMANIAN LANGUAGE DAY – Cultural events will be held on Monday in
    Romania, the Republic of Moldova and abroad to mark Romanian Language Day. Set
    up on August 31, 2013, the event pays an homage to the national reawakening
    movement in the Republic of Moldova. On August 31, 1989, some 750 thousand
    people, a sixth of the Republic’s population at the time, protested in front of
    the Parliament building in Chisinau, which decided to declare Romanian an
    official state language and switch to the Latin alphabet and replace the Cyrillic
    alphabet, which had been used since 1940, when the USSR annexed Moldova.




    MOTION – Parliament on Monday is debating and voting a
    no-confidence motion against the Liberal Government. The Social-Democrats in
    opposition are accusing Ludovic Orban’s cabinet of poor management of the corona
    crisis. In turn, the Government has referred the motion to the Constitutional
    Court, as Parliament is in its summer recess. President Klaus Iohannis has said
    the Social-Democrats are trying to generate political instability that would
    benefit their election campaign.




    STATISTICS – 5% of Romanian students were enrolled in universities
    abroad in 2018, the EUROSTAT reports. At European level, 8% of students were
    studying abroad. The leader of this ranking is Luxembourg, with a 48% share of
    the total number of students, Cyprus with 24%, Austria, the Czech Republic and
    the Netherlands. The lowest shares were reported in Croatia and Greece, 3%,
    followed by Spain and Poland, 4%, and Lithuania and Romania, 5%. In 2018, some
    408 thousand students were officially enrolled in state and private
    universities. Of these, 6% were foreigners.




    HANDBALL – The Romanian men’s handball team HC Dobrogea Sud
    Constanta on Saturday defeated HC Victor Stavropol of Russia 26-18 in the first
    leg of the EHF European League first preliminary round. In the same
    competition, AHC Potaissa Turda lost 24-26 to HRK Gorica of Croatia at home.
    The return leg is scheduled next week. The Romanian champions Dinamo Bucharest
    will play directly in the European League group phase, to kick off in October.




    GEORGE ENESCU – The George Enescu prestigious international music
    contest continues in Bucharest. Some 205 young musicians from 39 countries are
    enrolled in the competition, 184 in the violin, cello and piano sections and 21
    in the composition sections. Total prizes stand at €100.000. The competition is
    unfolding mostly online due to the coronavirus pandemic.


    (Translated
    by V. Palcu)