Radio România Internațional

Tag: Halep

October 22, 2022

COVID The European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control has cautioned against the spread of a new Omicron
subvariant, which is expected to increase the number of infections in Europe,
the EFE Agency has reported. Preliminary surveys conducted in Asia have shown
the aforementioned subvariant could evade the immune response of the human
body. Andrea Ammon, director of the aforementioned institution has called on European
states to remain vigilant about the spread of the new subvariant and monitor the
number of infections as well as the hospital treatment of patients. According
to the same institution, raising the vaccination rate remains a priority, and
that risk groups, such as the elderly and the people with comorbidities, need
additional booster doses.

TENNIS Romania’s best tennis player and
two-times major winner, Simona Halep, has been provisionally suspended after
testing positive for a banned anti-anemia blood-booster called roxadustat at
the latest edition of the US Open. The world’s former number one, Halep
described the ban as ‘the biggest shock of her life’ and denied knowingly
taking any banned substance. Throughout my whole career, the idea of cheating
never even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have
been educated with. Facing such an unfair situation, I feel completely confused
and betrayed, the athlete wrote on Twitter. The 31 year old Romanian athlete
and winner of the Roland Garros tournament in 2018, says that her fight was not
about ‘titles and money’ but her honour and that she hoped the truth would
eventually come out.

PERMITS Specialised structures with the
Romanian Interior Ministry have in the past 24 hours issued 302 residence
permits for Ukrainian refugees. A total of 78 thousand such permits have been
issued since March. According to authorities in Bucharest only one Ukrainian
citizen has applied for asylum in the past 24 hours. Roughly 44 hundred
Ukrainians have applied for asylum in Romania since the beginning of the
conflict and they are benefitting from all the rights stipulated in the
national legislation. According to the same sources, 83 thousand people have
crossed the borders into Romania in the past 24 hours, out of which 93 hundred
are Ukrainian citizens.

HANDBALL Romania’s vice-champions in
women’s handball, CSM Bucharest are today playing defending champions Vipers
Kristiansand of Norway in an away match counting towards the Champions League
group A. In their previous game, CSM managed to outperform the last side in the
group’s ranking Banik Most of the Czech Republic. CSM ranks second in the group
after German side Bietigheim and before Kristiansand. Romanian champions Rapid
Bucharest is also ranking second in the Champions League’s group B after
Hungarian side Gyor. Rapid will be playing a home game against the Norwegians
of Storhamar on Sunday. Rapid comes after a draw against Buducnost Podgorica of
Montenegro.

VISIT The use by Russia of the nuclear
weapon would be ‘an act of hostility against humankind’, Japanese Prime
Minister Fumio Kishida said during his visit to Australia on Saturday, France
press reports. The Russian intimidation concerning the use of nuclear weapon is
a severe threat to the peace and security of the international community and is
absolutely unacceptable, says the leader of the only country ever hit by a
nuclear weapon. In 2023, Kishida is expected to welcome the G7 leaders in
Hiroshima, the town which was razed to the ground by an atomic bomb in 1945
when 140 thousand people died. The city of Nagasaki was also bombed three days
later. In another development, Australia and Japan on Saturday signed an agreement
on security issues aimed at offsetting China’s military power in the region.

(bill)

22 October 2022
September 16, 2022

TENNIS The worlds former number one tennis player, Romanian Simona Halep, has announced her intention to stay away from competitions this year. She had earlier informed her supporters of having recently undergone nose surgery, and that is going to keep her out of competitions for a while. Halep was eliminated in the first round of the US Open but stays in WTA top ten. A Roland Garros Champion in 2018 and in Wimbledon, a year later, Halep turns 31 in late September.

ENERGY The ruling coalition in Bucharest has been assessing a series of potential amendments to the ordinance regulating energy prices and is currently drawing up fresh support and energy-saving schemes. In order to reduce the energy consumption, coalition leaders have agreed that by next week, the Ministry of the Environment come up with a proposal to replace incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs. At the same time, every ministry must produce a measure plan to curb energy consumption. Coalition partners have decided the Ministry of Waters and Forests draw up a project to cap firewood prices for a period up to 6 months.

REFUGEES According to sources with the General Border Police inspectorate, 88,187 people entered Romania on Thursday, including 11,124 Ukrainian citizens, 2% more than the previous day. According to a communiqué, since the beginning of the conflict 2.3 million Ukrainians have entered Romania.

QUEEN Tens of thousands last night queued for hours in the center of London to pay their last respects to Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8th at the age of 96. According to Radio Romania correspondent in London, after the ceremonies that followed the Queens death, King Charles yesterday returned to his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire. He comes back today with his consort Camilla for a visit to Wales, the last of his UK tour after succeeding his mother to the throne. State funeral for the Queen is to take place on Monday. The first religious service at Westminster Abbey at 11 oclock is expected to be attended by three thousand people including heads of state, members of the royal families, high-ranking politicians and representatives of humanitarian organizations. The coffin will be carried through the streets of London and taken to Windsor Castle, where a new religious service is to be held. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, Her Majesty Margareta, custodian of the Romanian crown, and her consort Prince Radu, are also expected to attend the Queens funeral.

VACCINE Romania has received 5,060 doses of Monkeypox vaccine under a donation contract between the Health Ministry and the European Commission. The vaccine will be delivered to hospitals around Romania, in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, north-western Romania, Iasi in the east, Timisoara in the west and Constanta in the south-east. The vaccine is to be used for those who got into contact with the infected persons.

SPORTS Romanias football champions, CFR Cluj, on Thursday night conceded a 1-0 defeat to Turkish side Sivasspor in a home game counting towards Europa Conference League. CFR, which is presently ranking last in the groups standings will be up against Slavia Prague on October 6th and 13th. Also in the Conference League, Romanias vice-champions FCSB and the Belgians from Anderlecht Brussels ended in a goaless draw their game, hosted by the National Arena Stadium in Bucharest. FCSB will be playing Danish side Silkeborg in an away game on October 6th and in Bucharest, a week later. (bill)

16 September 2022
Hăbări ditu bana românească şi internaţională

DZUUA. Evenimentili culturali ndreapti tru idyiulu kiro tru România, Ripublica Moldova viţină și comunitățle istoriţi ditu Diaspora nsimneadză adză Dzuua a Limbăllei Române. Apufusită tru 2013 di Parlamentul di București, Dzuua Limbăllei Române easti idyea cu Dzuua națională tru Ripublica Moldova, viţină, românofonă. La 31 di agustu 1989, tru kirolu a regimlui sovietic, Parlamentul di Chișinău, pichetat di 750 di nilli di oamiñi, reprezentânda ună şisimi ditu populația di atumtea a văsiliillei, apufusi limba română ca limbă di stat și tricu di la alfabetul chirilic, băgatu cu zorea di aruşi, la atelu latinu.

SONDAJ. Giumitati ditu populația ali Românie easti tru ma marea parti aspăreată di inflație, iara anamisa di gaileadzlli di cafi dzuuă yinu crizili energetice și alimentare cum și majorarea a ratilor bancari, spuni un sondaj adratu di compania di cercetare sociologică Avangardi. Dauă cirecuri ditu români minduescu că ună mari criză economică va s’yină tu şvurtu kiro și aesta easti prota ispeti di găilipseari aesta arada. Uidisitu cu idyiulu sondaj, baş și tru aesti condiții, un cirecu ditu români pricunoscu că nu băgară un pără nanăparti.

TENIS. Agiucătoarea română di tenis Irina Begu s-califică tru turlu doi di la US Open, aţelu ditu soni turneu di Grand Slam ditu aestu an, după ună victorie cu 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 contra ali belgiancă Elise Mertens. Begu, 32 di ani, avu ună ascumbuseari spectaculoasă după ţi kiru protlu set și amintă agioclu tru 2 săhăţ și 24 di minute. Tru turlu doi, românca va s’agioacă cu Yue Yuan ditu China. Begu easti a treia româncă cari agiumsi tru etapa a daua a competițillei di la Flushing Meadows, după Gabriela Ruse și Sorana Cîrstea. Fostul numiru unu mondial Simona Halep și Jaqueline Cristian, tut ditu România, fură eliminate tru primlu tur ali competiție.

UCRAINA. Ună parei di inspectori ali Agenție Internațională pentru Energie Atomică (AIEA) nkisi cătă centrala nucleară ditu Zaporizhzhia, sudlu ali Ucraina. Tora nă minămu”, spuni directorul ali agenție ONU, argentinianlu Rafael Grossi. Uzina, nai ma marea ditu Europa, fu aputrusită di askerea arusă tru ahurhita a meslui marţu, ti şcurtu kiro după nkisita ali invazie. Kievlu u stipsi Moscova că dizvărti aclo suti di askeri diadunu cu echipamentu militar. Prezidintulu ucrainean Volodimir Zelenski, cari apruke experțălli ONU, căftă ali comunitati internațională s’bagă zori ali Rusie tra s’u dimilitarizeadză ună ş-ună zona. Piriclliulu a unlui fănico nuclearu di itia a acțiunilor arusești nu scadi niţi barimu ti ună săhati spusi ma largu Zelensky.

MEDALIE. Anutătorlli ditu România amintară malăma tru cursa di ștafetă 4×100 di meatri a Campionatelor Mondiale di anot ti juniori di Lima, Peru. Un alt anutătoru ditu România, Vlad Stancu amintă medalia di asimi la proba di 400 di meetri liber a idyillei competiții. Echipa ali Romanie adrată ditu David Popovici, Alexandru Constantinescu, Stefan Cozma si Patrick Sebastian Dinu, bitisi cursa tru 3 minute si 18 secundi, kiro tru cari multiplu campion Popvici feaţi un record ti competitie bitisinda partea a lui di cursa tru 47 di secundi si 7 sutimi. Ditu dilegația cari reprezintă România la Lima, Aissia Claudia Prisecaru și Rebecca Aimee Diaconescu s-calificară tru finala cursăllei di 100 di metri pi păltări dupu ţi bitisiră semifinalele pe pozițiile a patra, respectiv a ţinţea. România llia parti cu 9 anutători la campionatele di Lima.

Autoru: Udălu a hăbărloru

Armânipsearea: Taşcu Lala

31 August 2022
August 31, 2022

DAY Cultural events concurrently staged in Romania, the
neighboring Republic of Moldova and historical communities in the Diaspora are
today marking the day of the Romanian Language. Set in 2013 by Parliament in
Bucharest, the Romanian Language Day coincides with the national day in the
neighboring, Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova. On august 31st
1989, during the Soviet regime, the Parliament in Chisinau, picketed by 750
thousand people, accounting for a sixth of the country’s then population,
declared the Romanian language as the state language and passed from the
Cyrillic alphabet, imposed by the Russian occupants, to the Latin one.

POLL Half of Romania’s population is mainly
scared by inflation, next among their concerns come the energy and food crises
as well as raising bank installments, shows a survey conducted by the
sociological research company Avangarde. Two thirds of the Romanians believe a
big economic crisis is to come soon and this is the main reason for concern
this time. According to the same survey, even under these circumstances, one
third of the Romanians admit they haven’t put any money aside.

TENNIS Romanian tennis player Irina Begu has qualified for the
second round of the US open, the year’s last Grand Slam tournament after a 3-6,
6-2, 6-3 win against Elise Mertens of Belgium. Begu, 32, made a spectacular
come back after she lost her first set and won the game in 2 hours and 24
minutes. In the second round the Romanian will be up against Yue Yuan of China.
Begu is the third Romanian to have made it to the second stage of the
competition in Flushing Meadows after Gabriela Ruse and Sorana Cirstea. Former world
number one Simona Halep and Jaqueline Cristian also from Romania have been
eliminated in the competition’s first round.

UKRAINE A team of inspectors with the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is heading towards the nuclear power
plant in Zaporizhzhia, southern Ukraine. ‘Now we are moving’, says the director
of the UN agency, Argentinean Rafael Grossi. The plant, the largest in Europe,
was occupied by the Russian army in early March, shortly after the beginning of
the invasion. Kyiv has accused Moscow of having deployed hundreds of troops
there along with military equipment. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky,
who received the UN experts, has called on the international community to put
pressure on Russia to demilitarize the area immediately. The risk of a nuclear
catastrophe due to Russian actions is not diminishing for even an hour,
Zelensky went on to say.

MEDAL Swimmers from Romania have won gold in the 4×100 meter
relay race of World Junior Swimming Championships in Lima, Peru. Another
swimmer from Romania, Vlad Stancu became silver medalist in the 400 meter
freestyle race of the same competition. The Romanian team made up of David Popovici,
Alexandru Constantinescu, Stefan Cozma and Patrick Sebastian Dinu, ended the
race in 3 minutes and 18 seconds, while multiple champion Popvici has set a
record for the competition ending his part of the race in 47 seconds and 7
hundredths. From the delegation representing Romania in Lima, Aissia Claudia
Prisecaru and Rebecca Aimee Diaconescu have qualified for the finals of the 100
meter backstroke race after ending the semifinals on the fourth and the fifth
positions respectively. Romania is participating with 9 swimmers at the
championships in Lima.

(bill)

31 August 2022
RRI Sports Club

Three tennis players from Romania have qualified for the second round of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. The first was Gabriela Ruse, who, on Monday, defeated the Australian of Russian origin Daria Saville, formerly Gavrilova, in the first round. The 24-year-old Romanian, ranked 101 in the WTA classification, obtained the first main-draw win of her career at Flushing Meadows. The Romanian needed two hours and 15 minutes of play, but eventually she defeated 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 a player better placed in the world ranking, i.e. on 58th position. Its worth mentioning that Ruse had suffered surgery on her left wrist at the beginning of the month, and she had played her last game at a tournament in July.

Sorana Cîrstea (WTA 37) also moves on. On Tuesday, she defeated Germany’s Laura Siegemund, world number 182, 6-4, 6-4. The Romanian player had a more defensive performance only at the beginning of the second set, when Siegemund managed a break and took the lead with the score 4-2, but Cîrstea came back and took control, defeating the German 6-4, after winning four games in a row.

Irina Begu, world no. 42, needed three sets to defeat the Belgian Elise Mertens (WTA 33). The Romanian player lost the first set 3 to 6. She then came back and won 6-2 in the second set, winning the decisive set with the same score.

Another two tennis players from Romania were eliminated, on Monday, in the first round. Simona Halep, the tournaments 7th seed, who had won the WTA 1,000 title in Toronto, was defeated, after one hour and 40 minutes, by a 20-year-old player ranked 124th in the world classification, the Ukrainian Daria Snigur, who won in three sets, 6-2, 0-6, 6-4. Jaqueline Cristian, world no. 77, also lost to the tournaments 2nd seed, Anett Kontaveit, from Estonia. (LS)

31 August 2022
RRI Sports Club

Three tennis players from Romania have qualified for the second round of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. The first was Gabriela Ruse, who, on Monday, defeated the Australian of Russian origin Daria Saville, formerly Gavrilova, in the first round. The 24-year-old Romanian, ranked 101 in the WTA classification, obtained the first main-draw win of her career at Flushing Meadows. The Romanian needed two hours and 15 minutes of play, but eventually she defeated 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 a player better placed in the world ranking, i.e. on 58th position. Its worth mentioning that Ruse had suffered surgery on her left wrist at the beginning of the month, and she had played her last game at a tournament in July.

Sorana Cîrstea (WTA 37) also moves on. On Tuesday, she defeated Germany’s Laura Siegemund, world number 182, 6-4, 6-4. The Romanian player had a more defensive performance only at the beginning of the second set, when Siegemund managed a break and took the lead with the score 4-2, but Cîrstea came back and took control, defeating the German 6-4, after winning four games in a row.

Irina Begu, world no. 42, needed three sets to defeat the Belgian Elise Mertens (WTA 33). The Romanian player lost the first set 3 to 6. She then came back and won 6-2 in the second set, winning the decisive set with the same score.

Another two tennis players from Romania were eliminated, on Monday, in the first round. Simona Halep, the tournaments 7th seed, who had won the WTA 1,000 title in Toronto, was defeated, after one hour and 40 minutes, by a 20-year-old player ranked 124th in the world classification, the Ukrainian Daria Snigur, who won in three sets, 6-2, 0-6, 6-4. Jaqueline Cristian, world no. 77, also lost to the tournaments 2nd seed, Anett Kontaveit, from Estonia. (LS)

31 August 2022
Sports Flash

The Romanian athlete Bianca Ghelber on Wednesday won the gold medal at the European Championships in Munich, in the hammer throw event. She won with a throw of 72 meters and 72 centimeters, followed by the Polish Ewa Rozanska, with 72 meters and 12 centimeters, and the Italian Sara Fantini, with 71 meters and 59 centimeters. Romania thus obtained the first continental gold medal after a break of 20 years. Also in Munich, in 2002, Ionela Tîrlea won the only title for Romania, in the 400m hurdles.

The Romanian swimmer David Popovici, gold medalist in the 100m and 200m freestyle events, was named the best swimmer in the mens swimming events at the European Swimming Championships in Rome. We recall that, in the 100m event David Popovici registered a new world record, and in the 200m race he set a new competition record. In a ranking based on the best performances at the European Championships hosted by Italy, David Popovici took first place in the mens category, with 1,003 points. In the womens category, the first was the Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte, with 985 points. On Wednesday, David Popovici withdrew from the 400m freestyle final of the European Championships, to which he had qualified with the fourth time.

The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep withdrew from the WTA 1,000 tournament in Cincinnati on Wednesday, ahead of her second round match against Russian Veronika Kudermetova. According to the organizers, Halep withdrew due to an injury to her right thigh. In the first round, the Romanian had passed the Russian Anastasia Potapova, after, last week, she had won another WTA 1000 tournament, in Toronto. (LS)

18 August 2022
Sports Flash

The Romanian athlete Bianca Ghelber on Wednesday won the gold medal at the European Championships in Munich, in the hammer throw event. She won with a throw of 72 meters and 72 centimeters, followed by the Polish Ewa Rozanska, with 72 meters and 12 centimeters, and the Italian Sara Fantini, with 71 meters and 59 centimeters. Romania thus obtained the first continental gold medal after a break of 20 years. Also in Munich, in 2002, Ionela Tîrlea won the only title for Romania, in the 400m hurdles.

The Romanian swimmer David Popovici, gold medalist in the 100m and 200m freestyle events, was named the best swimmer in the mens swimming events at the European Swimming Championships in Rome. We recall that, in the 100m event David Popovici registered a new world record, and in the 200m race he set a new competition record. In a ranking based on the best performances at the European Championships hosted by Italy, David Popovici took first place in the mens category, with 1,003 points. In the womens category, the first was the Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte, with 985 points. On Wednesday, David Popovici withdrew from the 400m freestyle final of the European Championships, to which he had qualified with the fourth time.

The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep withdrew from the WTA 1,000 tournament in Cincinnati on Wednesday, ahead of her second round match against Russian Veronika Kudermetova. According to the organizers, Halep withdrew due to an injury to her right thigh. In the first round, the Romanian had passed the Russian Anastasia Potapova, after, last week, she had won another WTA 1000 tournament, in Toronto. (LS)

18 August 2022
July 6, 2022 UPDATE

DROUGHT 70% of Romania’s territory has
been affected by drought, Environment Minister Tanczos Barna has announced. He
made an appeal to the population to properly use drinkable water and refrain
from using it to water gardens. Barna has also said the country’s 40 strategic
reservoires are filled 68%, which means they have the necessary amount of
water. And although the Danube has a lower level at its entry into Romania it
doesn’t affect the nuclear power plant in Cernavoda, southern Romania.

TENNIS
Romanian Simona Halep has
qualified for the semifinals of the Grand Slam tournament in Wimbledon. On
Wednesday she secured a two-set win 6-2, 6-4 against the US challenger Amanda Anisimova
and will be next playing Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan. A former world number
one, Halep won the 2019 edition of the Wimbledon tournament and a year earlier
the one in Roland Garros.

COMMEMORATION The 73rd anniversary of the biggest wave of
Stalinist deportations was commemorated on Wednesday in the Republic of Moldova
(ex-Soviet, mostly Romanian-speaking). On the night of July 5-6, 1949, the
Soviet communist regime deported tens of thousands of peasant families,
including women, children, and the elderly. Their fortunes were seized by the
Bolshevik regime. The so-called Operation South was the culmination of mass
terror in Bessarabia and affected about 40,000 people. Last month marked the 81st anniversary of the
first wave of Soviet deportations from Bessarabia and northern Bukovina, when
25,000 people were taken to Siberia and Kazakhstan. Less than a year after the
annexation, following an ultimatum, the repressive bodies displaced, from the
night of June 12 to 13 and until June 22, 1941, tens of thousands of
Bessarabians, most of them ethnic Romanians. The wealthiest people, as well as
those who were perceived as a threat to the USSR, were taken to the most remote
regions of the former Soviet Union. According to historians, the deportations
were aimed at destroying the local elites, so that, later, the occupants would
have those left at home accept the collectivization and expropriation of goods.

SPORTS Romanian swimmer David Popovici on Wednesday won his second gold
medal, in the finals of the 200 meter freestyle race of the European Junior
Swimming Championships underway in Otopeni, southern Romania. In the
competition’s first day on Tuesday, the Romanian team won the first gold in the
4×100 meter relay event after an exciting race against Great Britain. The
competition in Otopeni, close to the capital city Bucharest has brought
together 500 athletes from 42 countries and Romania is being represented by 26
swimmers. We recall that David Popovici, 17, is the new double world champion
in the 100 and 200 meter freestyle races.

(bill)

6 July 2022
July 5, 2022

CODE
The latest amendments to Romania’s Fiscal Code have been in the so-called
decisional transparency phase until Friday and are to be endorsed by the
government next week. Among the amendments agreed upon by the PSD-PNL-UDMR
government coalition with the declared purpose of increasing state revenues,
are those focusing on raising tobacco and alcohol excise duties, the VAT in the
hospitality industry and property owner’s taxes. Gambling revenues up to 3,000
RON will be taxed by 10%, those between 3,000 and 10,000 RON by 20% and those
over 10,000 RON by 40%. According to government sources, another measure envisages
a 5% VAT for purchased houses with a maximum value of 600 thousand RON and a
surface up to 120 square meters. Other amendments are expected to increase house
owner’s taxes by 60%. Taxes in the hospitality industry may also change so they
may not be lower than 1% of the turnover starting next year.

REFUGEES According to the General Border Police Inspectorate, 107,837
people entered Romania on Monday, out of whom 9854 are Ukrainian citizens.
Since February 10th 2022, two weeks before the Russian invasion,
1,457,561 Ukrainian nationals have entered Romania.

SPORTS 494 swimmers from 42 countries are competing in the European Junior Swimming
Championships underway in Bucharest until July 10. The host country, Romania,
is being represented by 26 athletes, 14 boys and 12 girls including the double
world champion in the 100 and 200 meters freestyle race, David Popovici. The 17
year old champion has already qualified for the semifinals of the 200 meter
freestyle race. Aissia Claudia Prisecariu and Rebecca-Aimee Diaconescu have
qualified for the women’s 50 meter backstroke race while Ana Maria Sibiseanu
has qualified for the semifinals of the women’s 200 meter freestyle race.

TENNIS US
tennis player Amanda Anisimova will be playing Romanian Simona Halep in the
quarter finals of the Grand Slam tennis tournament in Wimbledon. In the round
of 16, Halep secured a 6-1, 6-2 win against Paola Badosa of Spain, while
Anisimova defeated Harmony Tan of France 6-2, 6-3. A former world leader, Halep
won the 2019 of Wimbledon and a year earlier the one in Roland Garros.

FOOTBALL Romania’s football champions CFR Cluj are tonight taking on Pyunik
Yerevan of Armenia in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers. The return
game is due in Cluj next week. If CFR qualify for the second round, they will
be playing the winner of the double match pitching F91 Dudelange of Luxembourg
and KF Tirana of Albania. If eliminated, the Romanians will be playing in the
Europa Conference League, which brings together Levadia Tallinn of Estonia,
Vikingur Reykjavik of Iceland, La Fiorita of San Marino and Inter Club
d’Escaldes of Andorra. In Europa League, FCSB will be playing the winner of the
game pitching FC Saburtalo of Georgia against Partizani Tirana of Albania;
Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe, winner of the Romanian Cup will be playing the winner of
the match opposing Olympia Ljubljana and Differdange 03 of Luxembourg.
Universitatea Craiova will be up against KF Vllaznia Shkoder, which won the Cup
of Albania.

(bill)

5 July 2022
July 2, 2022 UPDATE

Corruption — Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) informed that in May, 41 defendants were definitively convicted in corruption cases, for such crimes as taking and giving bribe, influence peddling and embezzling European funds. Among those who received a definitive sentence are persons who, at the time of perpetrating the crimes, held such positions as: senator, mayor of the capital, Bucharest sector mayor, officer with the Emergency Situations Inspectorate, director with the Bucharest City Hall, lawyer, school inspector, university lecturer, commune mayor, inspector at a County Inspectorate for Constructions — shows the DNA press release. According to the source, the sentences ruled by the judges against the 41 defendants vary between 6 months and 11 years in prison.

Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep qualified to the round of 16 of the Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon, England, on Saturday, after defeating in the 3rd round the Polish Magdalena Frech, 6-4, 6-1. A former world leader, Halep won the London tournament in 2019 and, a year earlier, the one at Roland Garros, in France.

Rugby — Romanias national rugby team was defeated by the Italian national team score 45-13 (19-6), in a test match held in Bucharest. The Italians, who play in the Six Nations Championship, the first continental tournament, dominated the entire game. The Romanian rugby players will play in the coming period in a tournament in South America, and will play two test matches with the Uruguayan team, on July 10 and 17, in Montevideo. They are qualified to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which will take place in France. Romania will play in Group B, and will have matches in Bordeaux and Lille, alongside South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and the team from the Asia-Pacific area that will obtain qualification. Since the inaugural tournament in 1987, Romania has participated in all the editions of the World Cup, except for 2019, when, although it had qualified on the field, it was disqualified for using a naturalized player from Tonga, even though he did not meet the eligibility conditions.

Weather — In Romania, the weather will remain warm on Sunday, locally hot in the plain areas, where the thermal discomfort will be high. Especially in the second part of the day, there will be showers, thunderstorms, wind intensifications, locally in the hilly and mountainous regions, in the northeast, in the center and southwest of the country. There will be torrential rains and on small areas the amounts of water will exceed 20 – 40 l/sq.m. The minimum temperatures will range from 16 and 22 degrees C, and the highs will be between 27 and 36 degrees. In Bucharest, the thermal discomfort will be equally high with unstable weather expected. The maximum temperature will be 35 degrees.

Theater — Six personalities from the performing arts world will have, as of Saturday, a star on the Star Alley, as part of the International Theater Festival in Sibiu (center). Thus two Romanians will have a star on the famous Alley, namely Ion Caramitru, one of the most important and appreciated theater and film actors in Romania, who passed away in September last year, and the cellist Götz Teutsch. Sasha Waltz, Claus Peymann, Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt and Krzysztof Warlikowski also have a star on the Star Alley. Sasha Waltz is one of the most respected choreographers of the moment, a dancer and director, a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts. The German Claus Peymann has directed numerous shows based on plays from the classical and contemporary repertoire, and Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt is a French-Belgian playwright, prose writer, novelist, screenwriter and director. His books are translated into 48 languages, and his plays are staged in over 50 countries. The Polish Krzysztof Warlikowski is the artistic director of the Nowy Theater in Warsaw. In 2021, he received the Golden Lion lifetime achievement award at the Venice Biennale.

Olympiad – The six students of Romania’s junior Olympic team won 4 gold and 2 silver medals at the 26th edition of the Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad, ranking first in the nations’ classification. With 224 points (out of 240 possible), Romanias team also sets a record in the history of the competition in terms of the overall score per teams, being the first to manage to get that score. The Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad takes place in Sarajevo from June 26 to July 3. Competitors from 18 countries took part in the competition for students aged under 15 and a half. (LS)

2 July 2022
Sports roundup

Our sports programme begins today with tennis with the upcoming Grand Slam tournament in Wimbledon, where Romania is represented only in the womens competition. The competitions main draw has 7 players from Romania, Simona Halep, Sorana Cirstea, Gabriela Ruse, Irina Begu, Ana Bogdan, Irina Bara and Mihaela Buzarnescu.

Romania ended the ECA Junior & U23 Canoe Sprint European Championship in Belgrade with two bronze medals. Adrian Stepan and Andrei Costache came third in the mens junior C2 1000 m final. In the K2 1000-meter final, George Ţenţa and Darius Zaharia, also from Romania, stepped onto the third step of the podium.

Romanias handball selection failed to qualify for the main groups of the Womens Junior World Championships in Slovenia. Our handballers came third in group E after beating Angola 26-23, and Lithuania 29-20, but they lost to the Czech Republic 25-32. With a better goal average Angola and the Czech Republic came first and second in the group respectively.

Romanias football side CFR Cluj secured a 2-0 win against Croatian runner-up Hajduk Splitin their last friendly in Austria. Ciprian Deac converted a penalty shot for Romania in the 39th minute and Cristian Manea added a second three minutes later. CFR ended their training campaign only with victories and no goal received. They defeated Slovenias runner-up FC Koper 2-0, then secured a 3-0 against Serbian side Napredak Krusevac, and 1-0 against Partizan Belgrade. In the first Champions League qualifiers, CFR Cluj will be up against Piunik Yerevan of Armenia. The first match is due in Armenia, on July 5 and the return game in Cluj-Napoca, western Romania, on July 13.

(bill)

27 June 2022
Sports roundup

Our sports programme begins today with tennis with the upcoming Grand Slam tournament in Wimbledon, where Romania is represented only in the womens competition. The competitions main draw has 7 players from Romania, Simona Halep, Sorana Cirstea, Gabriela Ruse, Irina Begu, Ana Bogdan, Irina Bara and Mihaela Buzarnescu.

Romania ended the ECA Junior & U23 Canoe Sprint European Championship in Belgrade with two bronze medals. Adrian Stepan and Andrei Costache came third in the mens junior C2 1000 m final. In the K2 1000-meter final, George Ţenţa and Darius Zaharia, also from Romania, stepped onto the third step of the podium.

Romanias handball selection failed to qualify for the main groups of the Womens Junior World Championships in Slovenia. Our handballers came third in group E after beating Angola 26-23, and Lithuania 29-20, but they lost to the Czech Republic 25-32. With a better goal average Angola and the Czech Republic came first and second in the group respectively.

Romanias football side CFR Cluj secured a 2-0 win against Croatian runner-up Hajduk Splitin their last friendly in Austria. Ciprian Deac converted a penalty shot for Romania in the 39th minute and Cristian Manea added a second three minutes later. CFR ended their training campaign only with victories and no goal received. They defeated Slovenias runner-up FC Koper 2-0, then secured a 3-0 against Serbian side Napredak Krusevac, and 1-0 against Partizan Belgrade. In the first Champions League qualifiers, CFR Cluj will be up against Piunik Yerevan of Armenia. The first match is due in Armenia, on July 5 and the return game in Cluj-Napoca, western Romania, on July 13.

(bill)

27 June 2022
May 17, 2022 UPDATE

MEETING The EU and its member states will continue to provide military support
to Ukraine the EU’s Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell has announced at the end
of the Foreign Affairs Council. The ministers have approved another 500 million
euros for the member countries, which offer military gear and weapons to
Ukraine. The event, which brought together EU defence ministers, was also
attended by Romania’s Defence Minister Vasile Dincu. High on the agenda was the
implementation of the Strategic Compass, (the new common defence policy) with
emphasis on increasing the effectiveness of the missions and operations run as
part of the Common Defence and Security Policy. Romania’s Foreign Minister
Bogdan Aurescu was also in Brussels on Monday to attend a meeting of his EU counterparts.
Among other things the Romanian official presented measures taken by Romania to
support Ukraine and said that Bucharest would carry on humanitarian efforts,
including by providing assistance to the refugees who had come and continue to come
to this country and by operating the international humanitarian hub in Suceava,
north-eastern Romania. Aurescu also voiced support for the sixth sanction
package against Moscow and underlined the need for a stepped-up international
effort for the creation of a corridor, including at sea, for shipping Ukrainian
products, mainly cereals to third destinations via Romania.

GAS Starting gas
exploitation in the Black Sea represents a major objective in the process of
becoming independent from Russian gas, Romania’s Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca
said on Tuesday during the talks he had with Eric Faillnet, director of the
Carlyle International Energy Partners, the main shareholder of Black Sea
Oil&Gas. The new offshore law, initiated at the level of the ruling
coalition, and to be endorsed shortly, creates a predictable and stable
framework for investors, Prime Minister Ciuca went on to say adding that it
offers a ballance between the interests of the state and private entrepreneurs.
Romania even has the opportunity of becoming a gas exporter in the region.
Representatives of Black Sea Oil&Gas have announced the project in Midia is
ready to kick off in June, after the last test are conducted, with a supply
capacity of one billion cubic meters annually.

TENNIS Romanian
tennis player Mihaela Buzarnescu on Tuesday secured a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 win against
Xinyun Han of China in the first round of the main draw of the Grand Slam
tournament of Roland Garros. The Rromanian player is to next play Susan
Bandecchi of Switzerland. Another Romanian player, Irina Bara on Tuesday made
it to the competition’s second qualifying round after a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win
against Jesika Maleckova of the Czech Republic. From the delegation
representing Romania at the event, Simona Halep, Sorana Cirstea, Gabriela Ruse,
Irina Begu and Ana Bogdan are directly qualified to the main draw. Also on Tuesday,
the Romanian-Russian pair Monica Niculescu/Alexandra Panova qualified for the
quarter finals of the WTA tennis tournament in Rabat, Morocco, with prize money
over 251 thousand dollars. The two had defeated Alicia Barnett and Olivia
Nicholls of Britain. The second-seeded Niculescu and Panova are to be playing next
Ana Danilina of Kazahstan and Ingrid Neel of the USA.

UKRAINE Roughly 265 Ukrainian soldiers who were holed up in the bunkers and
tunnels below Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant have surrendered to the Russian
troops and are considered POWs starting Monday, Russia’s Defence Ministry has
announced. According to Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the prisoners, some
of whom are wounded, would be treated in line with international norms. In
turn, Kyiv has said a prisoner swap will be taking place, as soon as the
situation of the wounded soldiers is improved. Ukrainian authorities last week
said that 1,000 troops, including 600 wounded, according to their commanders,
were holed up in the bunkers and tunnels below the Azov steelworks, which
became a symbol of the Ukrainian resistance after the Russian invasion of the
country. They retreated to Azovstal after more than a month siege of Mariupol,
a strategic port at the Sea of Azov, in south-eastern Ukraine, attacked by the
Russian troops since the beginning of the invasion and almost entirely
destroyed. The city on the coast of the Sea of Azov is strategically situated
between the Moscow-annexed Crimea and the mining region of Donbas, where the
two pro-Russia republics are and where Russia has stepped up its onslaught.

(bill)

17 May 2022
Athlete of the Week

The
WTA 1000 women’s tennis tournament in Madrid, is the first major clay
tournament of the summer season. This year’s competition boasts 6,575,560 euros
in prize money and the winner will walk away with over one million euros and
1,000 WTA points. The tournament has reached the round of 16 now and we already
know a couple of players qualified for the quarters. Among them there is also
Romanian Simona Halep who managed an excellent show in Madrid.

The
remarkable performance she obtained in Madrid is all the more so valuable as
Simona came after a recovery recess, from the injury she suffered at Indian
Wells in March. For the excellent show she has so far put up in Madrid, Radio
Romania International has designated Simona Halep the Athlete of the Week.

In
Madrid, Simona played her first game against Shuai Zhang of China, whom she
defeated in two sets 6-2, 6-3. Then she was up against two-seeded Paula Bados
of Spain whom she defeated 6-3, 6-1. In the eight finals, Halep played 14th-seeded
Cori Gauff of the USA in a balanced game, which the Romanian eventually won
6-4, 6-4. In the quarter finals, Simona will be up on Wednesday against Ons
Jabeur of Tunisia, who is also the odds-on favourite.

Simona
Halep was born on September 27, 1991, in Constanţa, south-eastern Romania. She
made her debut in major tennis competitions in 2006, when she played her first
matches in ITF tournaments. In 2010 she entered the world’s top 100 and in
August 2014 she made it for the first time to the second position in the
world’s ranking, the highest position ever occupied by a Romanian athlete.

Three
years later, in October 2017, she topped the ranking, a position she left in
January 2008. She made a comeback in the same year a month later and remained a
world leader until the beginning of 2019, after the Australian Open. Halep
topped the WTA ranking for 64 weeks and her prize closet includes two Grand
Slam titles, in Roland Garros in 2018 and in Wimbledon a year later.

3 May 2022