Radio România Internațional

Tag: Norway

  • New F-16 planes for the Romanian Army

    New F-16 planes for the Romanian Army

    Three F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft purchased by Romania from the Kingdom of Norway landed, on Friday, at the 71st Air Base ‘General Emanoil Ionescu’ at Câmpia Turzii (center), to equip the 48th Fighter Squadron. The purchase of these F-16 aircraft and the related package of goods and services will ensure an increase in Romania’s security, by defending the national and NATO airspace in peacetime and in crisis situations, through the Permanent Combat Service – Air Policing under NATO command – writes a communique by the Romanian Defense Ministry. The F-16 aircraft that have just arrived at Câmpia Turzii are the second series of three such planes bought by Romania from Norway, the first being received at the end of November 2023, in the 86th Air Base ‘Lieutenant Aviator Gheorghe Mociorniţă’ from Borcea (south- east).

     

    According to the Defense Ministry, through the gradual arrival, during this year and the next, of 32 multi-role F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft that will equip two more squadrons of the Air Force, Romania is strengthening its air defense at a level adapted to the security challenges in the region. These planes will have an important role in maintaining a credible allied defense and deterrence posture against any aggression on the Eastern Flank and, just as importantly, they will ensure the transition for the Romanian Air Force to the fifth-generation era of F-35 aircraft, the defense minister Angel Tîlvăr stated. The ministry he leads recalls that, according to the Concept of the gradual fulfillment of the air defense capability, within the program “Multirole aircraft of the Air Force”, the Romanian Government awarded the Government of Norway the contract for the purchase of 32 F-16 aircraft, with logistic support initially, and a package of complementary goods and services from the US Government.

     

    The aircraft will be delivered in operational condition, their available resource ensuring their operation for a transition period of at least 10 years to the 5th generation aircraft, which makes the acquisition of the Norwegian fighter jets a transfer of capability between two allied NATO countries, the defense ministry explains. The three aircraft that have just arrived will ensure the fulfillment of the new existing requirements within NATO, and later they will be included in the modernization program in the same configuration (M6.X) as the F-16 aircraft from the first squadron that entered the equipment of the Romanian Air Force. This solution ensures the involvement of the Romanian defense industry in the maintenance and modernization of F-16 aircraft, through the company Aerostar Bacău (est). At present, the Romanian Air Force has 20 F-16 aircraft. (LS)

  • Sports Flash

    During
    the WTA Transylvania Open underway in Cluj-Napoca, western Romania with 259,303
    dollars in prize money, Romanian Sorana Cîrstea, the odds-on favourite has been
    outperformed by Eva Lys of Germany, 6-3, 6-3. Another Romanian, Patricia Ţig also
    lost to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 in the eighth finals while
    a third Romanian, Miriam Bulgaru, has been defeated by Spanish Rebeka Masarova
    3-6, 7-6.




    Playing
    on their own turf, Romania’s basketball side CSM CSU Oradea has been defeated
    by Slovakian side Patrioti Levice 93-91 right at their debut in Group J of the
    men’s competition, FIBA Europe Cup.


    In
    the third leg of another basketball competition, Euro Cup, in Group B, Romanian
    side U-BT Cluj-Napoca has been defeated in an away match by French side Mincidelice
    JL Bourg-en-Bresse, 92-88.






    Romanian
    pugilist Paul Andrei Arădoaie has won the bronze medal in the EUBC Cup held in Budva,
    Montenegro. The Romanian was beaten on points by Slovakian, Andrej Csemez, in
    the 80 kilogram category. Romania participated with four boxers in the
    Montenegrin tournament, Adrian Preda in the 57 kilogram category, Iulian
    Bârsănescu in the 60 kilogram and Andrei Musteţ in the 67 kilogram category;
    all of them were eliminated in the quarter finals.


    . The Romanian under-17 female football
    selection ended in a goaless draw their match against Ukraine in Duisburg,
    Germany; the match counted towards the Group A4 in the preliminaries of the
    European Championship. Romania was earlier thrashed by Austria, 8-0 and is
    presently ranking last with only one point.


    In
    men’s competitions, Romania’s Under 20 side lost to Norway 5-0 in a match
    counting towards Elite League U 20. Romania had earlier won the match against
    England 2-0. Our side presently boasts 6 points and the fourth position in a
    group with 8 sides.

    (bill)

  • June 11, 2019

    June 11, 2019

    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football side on Monday night clinched
    a 4-0 win against the selection of Malta in group F of the 2020 European
    Football Championship preliminaries. On Friday Romania ended their away game
    against Norway in a 2-all draw but in March they lost to Sweden in Stockholm
    2-1. Our footballers have also secured a 4-1 home win against the Faeroe Islands.
    Spain tops the table with 12 points followed by Sweden and Romania, each with 7
    points. The preliminaries are to resume in September when Romania will be up
    against Spain in Bucharest. The first two sides in the group will book tickets
    for the final tournament whose lots are to be drawn in Bucharest on November 30th.
    The Romanian capital is to host four matches of the final tournament, three in
    the group stage and one in the round of 16. We recall that also this month,
    Romania’s Under 21 football selection will be playing in the European
    Championship in Italy and San Marino. Romania is part of group C together with
    England, France and Croatia.












    EXPLANATIONS Romania’s Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu has today been
    invited to the Chamber of Deputies upon a request from the opposition National
    Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union to speak in the ‘Government’s Hour’.
    Also on Tuesday the Senate is debating upon a simple motion tabled against the
    Foreign Minister on the situation during the May 26th election when many
    Romanians abroad had difficulty in casting their ballot. The opposition MPs are
    calling for Melescanu’s resignation. On Monday the Foreign Minister again asked
    the Romanians abroad to forgive him but said that the Ministry had fulfilled its
    legal obligations. Melescanu has announced that talks are to be held at the
    embassies where voters faced difficulty during the elections in order to find
    the culprits and see to it that the situation will not repeat.












    FILE The Prosecutor General of the Republic of
    Moldova, an ex-Soviet Romanian-speaking country, has opened a file on the
    possible funding of the Socialist Party of president Igor Dodon by the Russian
    Federation. In another development, Dodon has announced that he cancelled the
    decree signed by Pavel Filip on dismantling Parliament and staging snap election
    on September 6th. On June 9th the Constitutional Court in
    the Republic of Moldova suspended Dodon from the position of president and
    appointed Prime Minister Pavel Filip as the country’s interim president. The
    Democratic Party of controversial businessman Vlad Plahotniuc believes the
    legal government is that led by Filip. The first meeting of the new cabinet led
    by pro-European Maia Sandu, which enjoys the Socialists’ support, in spite of
    the Constitutional Court’s invalidation took place on Monday. Sandu has given
    assurances the government will succeed in unblocking foreign funding,
    especially from the EU. The meeting was held on the Parliament premises as the
    new cabinet was denied access to the government building, which is controlled
    by the executive team of Filip. The Democratic Party has invited all the
    Parliament parties to identify solutions for overcoming the political deadlock.
    Andrei Nastase, one of the leaders of the ACUM bloc, has answered favorably,
    saying these talks must take place.














    CONFERENCE Romania’s Foreign Ministry is today staging
    an international conference on the strategic partnership relations between the
    EU and China. The event, which is held under the auspices of Romania’s
    presidency of the EU, is aimed at promoting an inclusive dialogue platform for
    the relations between the EU and China. High on the agenda are talks about the
    future strategic EU-China partnership, the Europe-Asia connectivity and the
    cooperation between the EU and China in a multilateral format. The event has
    brought together representatives of the foreign ministries and the academic
    world from the EU members and China, as well as representatives of the European
    institutions.




    (translated by bill)







  • June 6, 2019

    June 6, 2019

    ASCENSION Orthodox Christians, who are a majority in Romania, and Eastern
    Catholics are today celebrating Ascension Day, which marks the moment Jesus literally
    ascended into heaven before his disciples, at the village of Bethany, near
    Jerusalem. Since 1920, after WWI, Romanians have also been celebrating their
    heroes on this very day. Religious services and military parades are being
    staged all over Romania on this occasion. In a message conveyed today, the
    country’s Prime Minister Viorica Dancila has said that Heroes’ Day is dedicated
    not only to those who died in the wars of the past centuries, but to those who
    devoted their lives to the motherland and its people – the heroes and martyrs
    of the communist prisons, those who died fighting the communist regime in
    Romania, in the anti-communist revolution of December 1989, as well as the
    Romanian servicemen who died in various operation theatres around the world.










    WEATHER A yellow warning for weather instability and heavy
    rainfalls, which has been issued for almost half of Romania’s territory, is valid
    until Friday night. Large areas in the country’s south-west, west, north and
    centre are expected to see extreme weather phenomena, such as thunderstorms,
    gale-force wind and hail. Maximum temperatures are ranging between 22 and 30
    degrees Celsius with a noon reading in Bucharest of 25 degrees. Yellow and
    orange warnings for flooding have been issued for the Danube, which are valid
    for the following two weeks. According to official data, 160 towns and villages
    in 28 Romanian counties as well as capital Bucharest have been affected by the
    latest heavy downpours. Landslides have temporarily disrupted traffic on
    several national and county roads.












    INITIATIVE Slovenia is these days hosting
    the fourth edition of the Three Seas Initiative Summit – a political platform
    at presidential level, which brings together the 12 EU members located between
    the Baltic Sea, the Adriatic and the Black Sea. Romania is represented by its
    president Klaus Iohannis, who on Wednesday in Ljubljana underlined the
    importance of the fact that this initiative had attracted other valuable
    partners like the USA, the EU and Germany. The summit’s plenary session, which
    is due in Brdo on Thursday, is expected to focus on the implementation of a list
    of major interconnection projects agreed upon last year. Also high on the summit’s
    agenda are ways of making the Initiative’s Investment Fund fully operational as
    well as the interconnectivity of the region’s trade chambers. The second
    edition of the Initiative’s business forum, which is to be held on the summit’s
    sidelines, is expected to be focusing on investment in economy, transport
    connections, energy infrastructure, environmental protection and digital
    communications.












    FOOTBALL Romania’s football side is in Norway where it will be up
    against the local selection in a match counting towards Group F of the European
    Championship preliminaries. On Monday, the Romanians will be playing Malta also
    in an away match. We recall that so far into the competition, our footballers
    lost to Sweden 2-1 in Stockholm in March and secured a 4-1 win at home against
    the Faeroe Islands. The first two sides in group F will qualify for the final
    tournament. Lots are to be cast for Euro 2020 in Bucharest on November 30th. Romania
    will be hosting four games of the final tournament, three in the group’s stage
    and one in the round of 16. We recall that also this month, Romania’s under-21
    side will be playing in the European Championship in Italy and San Marino. Our
    side is part of group C together with England, France and Croatia.




    (translated by bill)

  • May 3, 2016

    May 3, 2016

    The Prime Minister of Romania, Dacian Cioloş, is to submit to President Klaus Iohannis today a request to discharge Vlad Alexandrescu as Culture Minister and a nomination for his replacement. According to political sources, one of the favourites for this appointment is Corina Şuteu, former head of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, and currently a state secretary in the Culture Ministry. The dismissal comes against the backdrop of a scandal at the Romanian Opera House in Bucharest, triggered by discontent with the successive appointments for the director post as well as with the substantial imbalances between the salaries paid to the Romanian and the foreign dancers. Protests led to the cancellation of three shows, and PM Ciolos asked for Vlad Alexandrescus resignation. In messages posted on Facebook or published in the media, Vlad Alexandrescu says he was forced out because he upset various interest groups. The head of government said he had not been informed of the problems Vlad Alexandrescu claimed to have been facing and promised he would urge the new minister to carry on the reforms initiated by Alexandrescu.



    The second International Light Festival, Spotlight 2016, will take place in Bucharest between May 5 and 8. Apart from captivating shows, including 15 art installations, building lighting and video-mapping sessions prepared by the guest artists will transform representative buildings in Bucharest, such as the CEC Building, the National History Museum building and the National Military Society buildings. This year, Spotlight is part of the events supporting the candidacy of Bucharest for European Capital of Culture in 2021.



    May 3 is the World Press Freedom Day. On this occasion, the Council of Europe Secretary General, Thorbjorn Jagland, called on the 47 member countries to make sure that their national legislation on defamation does not silence the media and does not weaken public debate. The Council of Europe says it is critical for democracy that the media carry on its monitoring and criticising of those in power. In Romania, some people continue to abuse the journalist profession in order to intimidate, blackmail or trade influence, and some public authorities have attempted to block the access to information on major topics in the recent history of Romania – the 1989 Revolution, the miners riots of June ’90 or the Colectiv tragedy, reads the latest FreeEx report released by ActiveWatch. The document also reveals that the global Press Freedom Index worked out by Reporters without Borders puts Romania in the 49th place in the world, up three positions since the previous year.



    In Romania, companies that pay less than roughly 280 euros per month, the new national minimum wage for full-time employees, will be fined. Under a government resolution endorsed late last year, more than 1.1 million employees benefit from this increase, which took effect on May 1. The raise is intended to bring national minimum wages up to nearly 60% of the national average salary. Still, salaries in Romania remain some of the lowest in the EU, only higher than in Bulgaria, but below those in other former communist states. At the opposite pole, the highest national minimum wages are paid in Luxemburg, 1,923 euro/month, followed by Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Ireland, where national minimum wages are around 1,500 euro per month.



    The European Commission has warned Turkey that the prospective lift of visa requirements for Turkish citizens may be quickly suspended in case Ankara fails to meet the criteria set by the European bloc. Turkey, which wants its citizens to be able to travel freely in the EU in exchange for enforcing the migrant deal, must meet 72 criteria set by Brussels. The European Commission will decide on Wednesday whether these criteria are complied with, and should the report be positive, it will draft a legislative proposal to be endorsed by the European Parliament and the EU member states.



    Norway, as part of a US-headed international coalition with operations in Syria and Iraq, will deploy 60 troops to train Syrian rebels fighting against the terrorist groups in that country, the Norwegian PM, Erna Solberg announced, according to Le Figaro. The Norwegian troops selected into this special task force will be sent to Jordan, and the name of the groups they will train has not been disclosed. Norway is already present in areas where the international coalition is fighting against the IS group, particularly in Erbil (Iraq), where soldiers are training peshmerga fighters for countering terrorist groups.



    The Romanian Irina Begu (no. 34 WTA) managed a surprising win against Spains Garbine Muguruza (4 WTA), 5-7, 7-6, 6-3, in the second round of the WTA tournament in Madrid, with 4.7 million USD in prize money. In the eighth-finals, Irina will be facing the American Christina McHale (59 WTA). Also qualified in the eighth-finals is another Romanian player, Patricia Ţig (134 WTA). Two other Romanians have qualified into the second round of the Madrid tournament, Simona Halep, no. 7 WTA, and Sorana Carstea (no. 127 WTA). Halep played the final of the Madrid tournament in 2014, when she lost to Russias Maria Sharapova.

  • January 23, 2016

    January 23, 2016

    The code yellow alert for frost continues in Romania until Tuesday, except for 5 counties in the west and northwest. The lowest temperatures will range from minus 20 degree C to minus 15 degrees C. On isolated areas temperatures will drop down to minus 28 degrees C. Fog and white frost have been reported on small areas in the south and west. The noon reading in Bucharest was minus 10 degrees C.



    The Fitch rating agency has reconfirmed the ratings for Romania’s long-term debts in hard currency and local currency at “BBB minus” and “BBB” respectively, the outlook for both ratings being stable, Reuters reports. The issue ratings on Romanias senior unsecured foreign and local currency bonds have been affirmed at BBB-and BBB, respectively. The Country Ceiling has been affirmed at BBB+. Romania’s ratings are supported by the more robust economic prospects, the current better fiscal position and the more favorable governance indicators in comparison with other states with a “BBB” rating. However, for 2016, Fitch is concerned about the fiscal sustainability on medium term. The agency estimates that tax cuts will lead to a drop in governmental incomes by 2% of the GDP this year, which will put pressure on the fiscal structural deficit. Fitch also estimates that Romania’s economic growth in 2016 will stand at almost 4%.



    Romanian MP Mircea Dolha, the head of the parliamentary delegation that visited Norway this past week, said Saturday that the Bodnariu family, who lost custody of their 5 children for having physically hit them, might recover their children. Dolha pointed out that during the talks with the Norwegian government and the child protection ministry they have been given clear signals in this regard. He said the Norwegian authorities promised to issue an internal order so as to make the authorities involved in such cases be more careful when making decisions. The MPs have called on the governor of the city where the Romanian-Norwegian family resides to look again into the order of placing the children into foster care, because the measure was disproportionate, being an abusive interpretation of the principle of best interest of the child. Further protests will take place Saturday to support the Bodnariu family.



    A massive blizzard bringing snow and powerful winds is advancing up the US East Coast, the BBC reports. More than 50 million people from more than 10 states have been warned to stay at home as the blizzard moves north. In the capital Washington, the snow layer might reach a record level of 76 centimeters. At least 8 people have been killed, 6 states have declared states of emergency and thousands of flights have been cancelled. The weather system affects a huge swathe of the country, from Arkansas in the south to Massachusetts in the northeast. Supermarkets ran out of food because people rushed for supplies before the first snowfall on Friday.


    (News translated by Lacramioara Simion)

  • January 22, 2016 UPDATE

    January 22, 2016 UPDATE

    ENERGY – At present Romania has no problems with its natural gas supplies, the National Natural Gas Transport Company, Transgaz, announced on Friday. According to a news release issued by the institution, the system is balanced and operates at normal standards in spite of the extremely low temperatures reported these days. The situation is under permanent monitoring and there is no emergency in the system, Transgaz added. Romania has 1.3 billion cubic metres of natural gas stored in its six underground facilities, and the daily consumption is around 50 million cubic metres. The low temperatures of the past few days pushed the daily electricity and natural gas consumption figures to record levels.



    JUDICIARY – The Mayor of the town of Hârlău (in eastern Romania), the Social-Democrat Constantin Cernescu, and the deputy Florin Ţăpuşă, have been taken by anti-corruption prosecutors under charges of bribe taking, abuse of office, forgery and criminal incitement. In the same case, which probes into illegal transactions with wood carried out over the past two years, the head of the local forestry office and his personal driver have also been arrested.



    DIPLOMACY – The Minister delegate for the Romanian diaspora, Dan Stoenescu, is on a three-day visit to neighbouring Ukraine as of Friday. During the talks with Ukrainian officials, Stoenescu reiterated Romanias support for the EU accession efforts made by Ukraine, and Bucharests willingness to provide assistance in extending domestic reforms in the field of national minorities. The agenda also includes meetings with members of the Romanian community in Ukraine, which is nearly half a million people, mostly living in villages and towns near the common border.



    BODNARIU CASE – A delegation of the Parliament of Romania is in Norway, in an attempt to contribute to the settlement of the situation of Romanian families whose children were taken over by the Norwegian social services. The Orthodox Bishop Macarie Dragoi of Northern Europe is also on a visit to Norway. He said the family is the most appropriate environment for educating children. These visits come against the backdrop of strong emotional responses in Romania after the Norwegian authorities decided to take five children, aged between 4 months and 10 years, from a Romanian-Norwegian family, on grounds that the children were subjected to physical punishments by their parents. Thousands of Romanians, both in Romania and abroad, took part in rallies to voice their solidarity with Ruth and Marius Bodnariu.



    MIGRANTS – More than 40 migrants drowned off the Greek and Turkish coastlines, in two separate incidents, while trying to reach the EU. According to commentators, such tragedies are the result of a deadly combination of bad weather, overloaded boats and huge numbers of refugees from Africa and Asia, who try to cross the sea into Europe every day. According to the International Organisation for Migration, 31,000 people arrived on Greek islands since the beginning of the year, which is 21 times more than in January 2015. Last year over a million migrants and refugees crossed the Mediterranean to get into Europe, and 3.700 drowned.

  • January 13, 2016 UPDATE

    January 13, 2016 UPDATE

    ECONOMY– World Bank representatives are optimistic about Romanias economic performance but they warn however that some potential risks must not be neglected. A delegation of the World Bank, led by the Regional Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia, Cyril Muller, was received in Bucharest on Wednesday by Romanias President Klaus Iohannis. During the talks, the economic experts reiterated the WBs interest in further supporting economic and institutional reforms meant to boost Romanias development in the long run. These reforms are mainly destined for the sector of state enterprises and are also aimed at improving corporatist governance as well as at developing and modernising key sectors, such as transports. The meeting was held just days after the technocratic cabinet in Bucharest and the World Bank signed a new memorandum under which the World Bank grants technical assistance to Romanian public institutions until 2023. Thanks to a first memorandum, some 20 public institutions benefited from over 30 million Euro worth of funding, between 2012 and 2015.



    CHILD WELFARE – The Romanian Ambassador to Oslo has held talks at the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, where he has underlined the Norwegian authorities taking into custody five children of a mixed Romanian-Norwegian family, with residence in Norway, is a social case with a huge emotional and media impact. He made the proposal to the Norwegian side to start political cooperation with the relevant Romanian authorities in order to manage the case, the spokesperson for the Romanian Foreign Ministry, Raluca Lunculescu, announced on Wednesday. She added that law observance and the familys sensibility had been taken into consideration before starting any form of public communication on the case. Earlier, the Norwegian Embassy in Bucharest explained that an order of foster care placement is issued only when the child has been severely neglected, maltreated or abused. Rallies of support for Ruth and Marius Bodnariu have been staged in several cities across Romania and abroad. We recall that the five children of the family, aged between 4 months and 10 years, have been taken into custody by the Norwegian state, for reportedly having been disciplined by their parents. Their father, Marius Bodnariu, of Romanian descent, denounces the move, deeming it an abuse but he admitted to having applied small physical corrections on children. A joint delegation of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies and Senate will pay an official visit to Oslo next week for talks with representatives of the Norwegian Parliament on child protection laws, starting from the Bodnariu case. In turn, President Klaus Iohannis expressed his support for the efforts made by the Romanian Government to assure “the observance of human rights for the Romanian citizens, wherever they may be.



    DIPLOMACY– Romanian Foreign Minister, Lazar Comanescu, on Thursday and Friday will attend the informal meeting on foreign policy and security related issues, Snow Meeting, at the invitation of his counterpart, Linas Linkevicius. According to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the event will bring together decision-makers and experts in foreign policy and security from NATO and EU member states, high ranking officials of the two organisations and academics. Security developments in NATOs eastern and southern neighbourhood, as well as the alliances response to such developments are the focal points of Snow Meeting 2016. Other issues high on the agenda of the meeting are the prospects of the NATO Summit due in Warsaw in July and the stage of implementation of the decisions made at the previous summit held in Great Britain in September 2014.



    STRASBOURG – An employer has the right to monitor the employees online communications during work time, according to a ruling issued by the European Court of Human Rights, following a complaint made by a Romanian engineer who got fired in 2007 for having spent time chatting on the computer during work time. He brought the issue to the European court, saying that by having his private conversations intercepted, his right to privacy was violated. In turn, the employer justified the decision to lay out the engineer for not using the electronic mail for professional purposes, but to communicate with his brother and girl-friend, against the backdrop of internal rules and regulations which forbid employees to use the companys resources for personal use. The man who was made redundant initially brought the issue to a Romanian court, which issued an unfavourable ruling, so he took the case to the European court, to no avail. In the ruling it issued, the European Court of Human Rights says an employer does not commit an abuse when checking on its employees to see whether or not they accomplish their professional tasks during work hours. Also, the European Court of Human Rights considers that the first Romanian court kept a correct balance between the employers interests and the observance of private correspondence confidentiality, because only transcripts of the conversations attesting to the fact that the employee used the companys computer for his personal interest during work time, have been used in court, and the identity of other people involved in the conversations has not been disclosed.



    MOLDOVA– The President of the Republic of Moldova (a former Soviet state with a predominantly Romanian speaking population), Nicolae Timofti, on Wednesday announced he had rejected the proposal made by the Democratic Party for the position of Prime Minister, namely the controversial businessman Vlad Plahotniuc. Timofti called on the parliamentary majority to come up with a new candidacy and underlined that his rejection of Plahotniuc is based on Constitutional provisions and on rulings issued by the Constitutional Court, which stipulate that the nomination of people suspected of integrity-related issues for leading positions runs counter to the principles of the rule of law. A member of the Democratic Party and backed by a heterogeneous majority, ranging from pro-European Liberals to ex-communists, who are traditionally of pro-Russian orientation, Plahotniuc is described by his opponents as an oligarch who has repeatedly been accused of involvement in illegal activities which mar the image of the Republic of Moldova. If a new government does not get endorsement until January 29, the President will have to dissolve Parliament and call for snap elections.



    SPORTS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, WTAs no.2, on Thursday will meet Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova (WTAs no.25) in the semi-finals of the Sydney tournament, with 687,000 dollars prize money up for grabs. Halep has an overall 3-2 lead on the Russian player in the direct matches.


    (Translated and edited by Diana Vijeu)

  • International Support for Bodnariu Family

    International Support for Bodnariu Family

    Late last week, thousands of Romanians took to the streets, both in the country and abroad, to voice their solidarity with a mixed Romanian-Norwegian family whose children were taken two months ago by the Norwegian social services and placed in foster care. An international adoption procedure has also been started for the five children of Ruth and Marius Bodnariu, a nurse and an IT engineer respectively. Aged between four months and nine years, the children were taken from their parents after the principal of the school attended by the older daughters reported that the couple subjected their children to physical punishments. Moreover, as members of the Pentecostal faith, the Bodnarius are suspected of what Norway defines as religious indoctrination of children.



    For Romanians, a mostly Orthodox nation with strong religious sensibilities and a firm commitment to traditional values, which include minor physical punishments as part of the common education methods, such accusations are absurd. And the idea of a new-born being taken from his mother and from a functional family to be placed in an institution, together with his siblings, is completely unacceptable. The participants in the support rallies held in Bucharest, Cluj, Timisoara and Constanta described the Norwegian legislation in this respect as ridiculous, outrageous, or even Nazi-like.



    Soundbite: “This is unacceptable. No other state has legislation of this kind. The children belong in their families, they dont belong to the state.



    Outside Romanian borders, in Rome, Madrid, Brussels or The Hague, thousands of people demanded the involvement of the Government and Presidency in the Bodnariu case. Here is the president of the Federation of Romanian Associations in Spain, Daniel Tecu:



    Daniel Tecu: “I have a direct message for the President: we are the ones who get presidents elected, and we are also the ones who bring them down if they fail to protect our interests. And I also have a message for all politicians in Romania: the diaspora has awoken.



    This is an emotional response, and one that has no grounds, because the Romanian authorities have already reacted to the case. The Foreign Ministry and the Ambassador of Norway to Bucharest, Tove Bruvik Westberg, have agreed to work together to resolve the issue. Also at the initiative of the Romanian diplomacy, the Child Welfare Authority sent a proposal to the corresponding body in Norway regarding the integration of the five children in their uncles family in Romania, and an answer is expected within days. A delegation of Parliaments Committee on Romanian communities abroad will travel to Norway next week. In turn, the Bodnariu family challenged in court the measures taken by the Norwegian authorities.


    (translation by: Ana Maria Popescu)

  • January 10, 2016 UPDATE

    January 10, 2016 UPDATE

    CHILD WELFARE- The Romanian and Norwegian authorities will continue talks next week on the five children of the Bodnariu family, who have been taken into custody by the Norwegian child welfare services, Barnevernet, after reportedly having been physically disciplined by their parents. Romanias Ambassador to Oslo is due to meet representatives of the Norwegian Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion on January 13. Also, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced that, at its initiative, the Romanian Child Protection Authority has issued a proposal for the Norwegian side to agree with the childrens integration into their uncles family in Romania and is waiting for an answer in the coming days. In turn, the Bodnariu family have contested in court the measures taken by the Norwegian local authorities. Meanwhile, rallies of support for the Bodnariu couple have been staged in several cities across Romania and abroad.



    HEAVY PRECIPITATION-The National Meteorological Authority has issued a warning against heavy precipitation valid for western, northern and central Romania until Tuesday morning. Meteorologists forecast very heavy rainfalls in the north, where 25-30 litres are likely to fall per square meter, and even 40-50 litres per square meter, in isolated places. Sleet is expected to fall in the mountains. On Monday, the sky will continue to be overcast in most regions, but temperatures will be higher than usual for this time of the year. The lowest temperatures will range between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, whereas the highs will vary from 6 to 14 degrees Celsius.



    EXPULSION– A Jordanian national, Jamal Khalil, was expelled from Romania on Saturday, for national security reasons. The High Court of Cassation and Justice has dismissed the defences appeal against a ruling issued by the Court of Appeals in Bucharest in late 2015. Jamal Khalil has been declared undesirable for 15 years, after the relevant authorities have discovered solid evidence leading to the conclusion that the Jordanian citizen carried out activities which put in jeopardy Romanias national security. According to the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) Jamal A. Abdel Jabbar Khalil Shalash, who has been living in Romania since 1991, was monitored by the Service since 2014. The intelligence agency said the Jordanian national was unconditionally supporting the Islamic State terrorist group, for which he was conducting online propaganda campaigns, being willing to get involved in prospective actions targeting Romanias security.


    TOUGHER ASYLUM LAWS -
    German Justice Minister, Heiko Maas, has said he
    believes the sexual assaults and street muggings against women in Cologne on
    New Year’s Eve were coordinated and
    prepared ahead of time. In an interview with the German newspaper Bild
    am Sonntag, Maas has said his suspicion is that a specific date was
    picked up, and a certain number of people expected, which adds a whole new
    dimension to the investigation. He accused xenophobic organisations of using
    these crimes in order to stir up hatred against immigrants. The New Year’s
    string of attacks created a shock wave in Germany and magnified criticism
    against the openness policy towards migrants, pursued by German chancellor     Angela
    Merkel. On Saturday, at the end of a political meeting, Merkel stood for
    toughening laws to expedite deportation for asylum seekers who commit crimes.


    EU-UKRAINE – The EC President, Jean Claude Juncker, stood in favour of the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine, ahead of a referendum in the Netherlands, set for April 6, that might block the ratification of the document. In an interview to the Dutch media, the President of the European Commission urged Dutch voters to say “yes in the referendum on the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine. A negative vote is tantamount to a victory scored by Russia and could open the doors to a continental crisis. The Dutch should go to the polls on April 6 and should vote in the referendum as a European strategist, being aware that the agreement is also to the benefit of the Netherlands, says Jean Claude Juncker. The initiators of the referendum say however that a rejection of the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine will help stabilise the relations with Russia and calm things down



    H-BOMB TEST– North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the hydrogen bomb test carried by his country is a self-defensive step against a U.S. threat of nuclear war. Kim Jong Un has also said his country has “the legitimate right of a sovereign state to do that and deemed it “a fair action that nobody can criticize, the Korean state news agency has reported. A fourth nuclear test carried out by North Korea on Wednesday angered both China, its main ally, and the United States, who hadn’t been earlier notified of the test, although the U.S. government and weapons experts doubt North Koreas claim that the device was actually a hydrogen bomb, Reuters reports. Analysts believe the test, which produced an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 degrees, too weak for a real hydrogen bomb test, was meant to open the stage for a rare congress of the ruling Workers Party, the first such meeting since 1980. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has expressed concern, saying it is a provocation to peace and security.


    FIRE -
    Three people who sustained severe burn injuries in a fire which broke out in a
    coffee shop in the capital city of the Republic of Moldova, Chishinau, on
    Sunday were flown over to Bucharest by a specially equipped aircraft of the
    Romanian Air Forces. 17 people, among whom children, with burns and smoke
    inhalation injuries were taken to various hospitals in Chishinau. The authorities
    say the fire might have been caused by the explosion of a gas cylinder, but the
    circumstances of the accident should still be investigated.


    BUCHAREST ON VOGUES “MUST-TRAVEL LIST– Romanias capital city, Bucharest, has been added by the US Vogue Magazine on the “Must-Travel List. In an article posted on the Vogue website, the American journalists present seven urban attractions, to help tourists “discover all of the newness this old city has to offer, as “while the historic wartime architecture remains, Bucharest also upholds a modern, cosmopolitan vibe. These include several bars, coffee shops and stores in the city centre, apart from well-known tourist objectives such as the Romanian Athenaeum or the National Contemporary Art Museum, hosted by the Peoples Palace. One such attraction is considered to be a bar with “an industrial design and an urban vibe, boasting a delicious Italian menu and a club downstairs, “one of the coolest nightclubs and concert venues in the city. Other locations include a coffee shop where they roast their own coffee, “a slightly concealed storefront in an old typography building, that houses some of the worlds coolest fashion labels, or a store which is “the place to visit for exclusive fragrances, niche colognes and obscure scents.

    TENNIS– Romanian tennis player, Simona Halep, WTA’s no.2, on Tuesday will meet French Caroline Garcia in
    the second round of the Sydney Tournament, with 753,000 dollars in prize money
    up for grabs. The two tennis
    players will be meeting for the first time, with Halep being first seeded. Last week, the Romanian tennis player withdrew
    from the Brisbane International, after suffering injuries ahead of a second round
    match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who won the tournament.


    (Translated and edited by Diana Vijeu)

  • January 10, 2016

    January 10, 2016

    CHILD WELFARE- The Romanian and Norwegian authorities will continue talks next week on the five children of the Bodnariu family, who have been taken into custody by the Norwegian child welfare services, Barnevernet, after reportedly having been physically disciplined by their parents. Romanias Ambassador to Oslo is due to meet representatives of the Norwegian Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion on January 13. Also, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced that, at its initiative, the Romanian Child Protection Authority has issued a proposal for the Norwegian side to agree with the childrens integration into their uncles family in Romania and is waiting for an answer in the coming days. In turn, the Bodnariu family have contested in court the measures taken by the Norwegian local authorities. Meanwhile, rallies of support for the Bodnariu couple have been staged in several cities across Romania and abroad.



    EXPULSION– A Jordanian national, Jamal Khalil, was expelled from Romania on
    Saturday, for national security reasons. The High Court of Cassation and
    Justice has dismissed the defence’s appeal against a ruling issued by the Court
    of Appeal in Bucharest, in late 2015. Jamal Khalil has been declared undesirable
    for 15 years, after the relevant authorities have discovered solid evidence
    leading to the conclusion that the Jordanian citizen carried out activities
    which put in jeopardy Romania’s national security. According to the Romanian
    Intelligence Service, Jamal A.
    Abdel Jabbar Khalil Shalash, who has been living in Romania since 1991, was
    monitored by the Service since 2014. The intelligence agency said the Jordanian
    national was unconditionally supporting the Islamic State terrorist group, for
    which he was conducting online propaganda campaigns, being willing to get
    involved in prospective actions targeting Romania’s security.



    HEAVY PRECIPITATION-The National Meteorological Authority has issued a warning against heavy rainfall and precipitation valid for western, northern and central Romania until Tuesday morning. 25- 30 litres per square meter are likely to be registered in the north and even 40-50 litres per square meter in places. Mixed precipitation is expected in the mountains. The sky is overcast in most regions, but it is warmer than usual for this time of the year in all regions of the country. The highs of the day range between 2 and 12 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 5 degrees.



    EU-UKRAINE – The EC President, Jean Claude Juncker, stood in favour of the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine, ahead of a referendum in the Netherlands, set for April 6, that might block the ratification of the document. In an interview to the Dutch media, the President of the European Commission urged Dutch voters to say “yes in the referendum on the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine. A negative vote is tantamount to a victory scored by Russia and could open the doors to a continental crisis. The Dutch should go to the polls on April 6 and should vote in the referendum as a European strategist, being aware that the agreement is also to the benefit of the Netherlands, says Jean Claude Juncker. The initiators of the referendum say however that a rejection of the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine will help stabilise the relations with Russia and calm things down



    H-BOMB TEST– North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the hydrogen bomb test carried by his country is a self-defensive step against a U.S. threat of nuclear war. Kim Jong Un has also said his country has “the legitimate right of a sovereign state to do that and deemed it “a fair action that nobody can criticize, the Korean state news agency has today reported. A fourth nuclear test carried out by North Korea on Wednesday angered both China, its main ally, and the United States, who hadnt been earlier notified of the test, although the U.S. government and weapons experts doubt North Koreas claim that the device was actually a hydrogen bomb, Reuters reports. Analysts believe the test, which produced an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 degrees, too weak for a real hydrogen bomb test, was meant to open the stage for a rare congress of the ruling Workers Party, the first such meeting since 1980. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has expressed concern, saying it is a provocation to peace and security.



    SPORTS – Romanias national mens handball team is today meeting Finland, on home soil, in a fourth match for the 2017 World Championship qualification. In the first match, played away from home, in Vantaa, Romania won 34-21 to Finland. Sports commentators say this return match seems to be more like an official training game, open to the public, ahead of the real test, the match with Austria, due in Romania, on January 14. The Romanian handball players will have to secure a victory, after having lost a match in Vienna, 24-27. If they manage to secure a net victory, they will qualify for the World Championship Play-offs.

    (Translated and edited by Diana Vijeu)

  • January 9, 2015 UPDATE

    January 9, 2015 UPDATE

    DIPLOMACY – Romanias relationship with Germany is strategic, and the visit made to Berlin on Thursday by the Romanian delegation headed by PM Dacian Cioloş proves the importance and attention that Bucharest pays to this country, said the Foreign Minister Lazăr Comănescu in an interview to Radio Romania News and Current Affairs. The Romanian official added that next week he would once again travel to Berlin, for a bilateral visit. Lazar Comanescu highlighted the importance of Germany as the economic engine of Europe, and as a partner of Romania. According to the Foreign Minister, over 20% of Romanias foreign trade involves Germany. He also explained that more than 20,000 companies running on German capital operate in Romania and have created more than 300,000 jobs here.



    PROTESTS – In several cities in Romania, protests took place on Saturday to express support for the Bodnariu family, whose children were taken in November 2015 by child protection authorities in Norway. Solidarity marches were also organised in Italy, Netherlands, and Belgium. On Friday, Romanian and Norwegian officials discussed this topic in Bucharest, and agreed to work together to settle the issue. The Ambassador of Romania to Oslo will have a meeting on January 13 with representatives of Norways Ministry for Children, Equality and Social Inclusion. A parliamentary delegation made up of members of the Committee on Romanian communities abroad will make a visit to Norway between January 18 and 22, to discuss the case. The Norwegian social services took the 5 Bodnariu children from their parents, after the principal of the school attended by the older daughters reported that the children were subjected to physical punishment by their parents.



    BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced support, at the end of a political meeting on Saturday, for tougher legislation on deporting asylum seekers who commit crimes and receive sentences in German courts, France Presse reports. The move comes after the attacks on New Years Eve in the city of Cologne, which involved immigrants having applied for asylum in Germany. At present, under German law, asylum seekers can only be sent back if they are sentenced to at least three years in prison, but on condition that their life and health are not threatened in their country of origin. As many as 1.1 million asylum seekers reached Germany in 2015. The attacks on the New Year night sparked outrage in Germany and fuelled criticism against Chancellor Merkels open-door policy towards migrants, AFP also says. Several hundreds of supporters of the far-right Pegida movement Saturday staged a protest against the immigrants in Cologne, concurrently with a left-wing counter-demonstration.



    WEATHER – The Romanian Meteorology Agency issued a notice warning of substantial rainfalls in the west, north and centre of the country, valid until Tuesday morning. In the mountains, rains will turn into sleet and snow. In the northern part of the country, rainfalls will amount to 25-30 litres per square metre.



    SPORTS – The Romanian player Monica Niculescu Saturday won the first title for Romanian tennis in 2016. Jointly with the American Vania King, she won the doubles final of the tournament in Shenzhen (China), which has 430,000 US dollars in prize money. In the final, Niculescu/King won 6-1, 6-4, the match against the Chinese Yi-Fan Xu / Saisai Zheng, seeded no. 1. Monica Niculescu also won the doubles tournament in Shenzhen, in 2014, together with Klara Koukalova (the Czech Republic).

  • January 9, 2015

    January 9, 2015

    DIPLOMACY – Romanias relationship with Germany is strategic, and the visit made to Berlin on Thursday by the Romanian delegation headed by PM Dacian Cioloş proves the importance and attention that Bucharest pays to this country, said the Foreign Minister Lazăr Comănescu in an interview to Radio Romania News and Current Affairs. The Romanian official added that next week he would once again travel to Berlin, for a bilateral visit. Lazar Comanescu highlighted the importance of Germany as the economic engine of Europe, and as a partner of Romania. According to the Foreign Minister, over 20% of Romanias foreign trade involves Germany. He also explained that more than 20,000 companies running on German capital operate in Romania and have created more than 300,000 jobs here.



    PROTESTS – In several cities in Romania, protests are taking place today to express support for the Bodnariu family, whose children were taken in November 2015 by child protection authorities in Norway. Solidarity marches will also take place in Italy, Netherlands, and Belgium. Yesterday, Romanian and Norwegian officials discussed this topic in Bucharest, and agreed to work together to settle the issue. The Ambassador of Romania to Oslo will have a meeting on January 13 with representatives of Norways Ministry for Children, Equality and Social Inclusion. A parliamentary delegation made up of members of the Committee on Romanian communities abroad will make a visit to Norway between January 18 and 22, to discuss the case. The Norwegian social services took the 5 Bodnariu children from their parents, after the principal of the school attended by the older daughters reported that the children were subjected to physical punishment by their parents.



    EXPULSION – The Jordan national Jamal Khalil will be expelled from Romania today, for national security reasons. The High Court of Cassation and Justice yesterday dismissed the defences appeal against a Bucharest Court of Appeals ruling issued last year. Jamal Khalil was declared undesirable in Romania for 15 years, after authorities found solid indications that the individual in question conducted actions likely to threaten national security. According to the Romanian Intelligence Service, Jamal A. Abdel Jabbar Khalil Shalash, who has been in Romania since 1991, was monitored by the Service since 2014. The Intelligence agency said the Jordanian citizen was an unconditional supporter of the IS terrorist group, for which he was conducting online propaganda campaigns, and was willing to get involved in operations targeting Romanias security.



    COUNTER-TERRORISM TASK FORCE – The White House announced on Friday the set-up of a new task force, combining members of several federal agencies, to counter the IS group propaganda both on US territory and abroad. The task force will focus particularly on the internet and social media, which have been extensively used by extremists to disseminate their message. The announcement comes after several White House officials met in Silicon Valley (California) with leaders of internet giants like Facebook, Google, Twitter, YouTube, to analyse means to prevent the use of social media for IS terrorist purposes.



    S. KOREAN PROPAGANDA – North Korea responded to the South-Korean propaganda broadcasts, which was resumed on Friday, Reuters reports. Seoul resumed broadcasting propaganda via loudspeakers on its North Korean border, in response to Pyongyangs latest nuclear test. Loudspeakers placed on the heavily militarised buffer zone between the two countries broadcast pop music, weather reports, information or criticism of the North Korean regime. The resumption of this psychological warfare method, which in August triggered threats of military retaliation from North Korea, comes as the international community is trying to identify an effective response to Pyongyangs announcement on Wednesday that it had successfully conducted an H-bomb test.



    SPORTS – The Romanian player Monica Niculescu Saturday won the first title for Romanian tennis in 2016. Jointly with the American Vania King, she won the doubles final of the tournament in Shenzhen (China), which has 430,000 US dollars in prize money. In the final, Niculescu/King won 6-1, 6-4, the match against the Chinese Yi-Fan Xu / Saisai Zheng, seeded no. 1. Monica Niculescu also won the doubles tournament in Shenzhen, in 2014, together with Klara Koukalova (the Czech Republic).

  • January 9, 2015 UPDATE

    January 9, 2015 UPDATE

    DIPLOMACY – Romanias relationship with Germany is strategic, and the visit made to Berlin on Thursday by the Romanian delegation headed by PM Dacian Cioloş proves the importance and attention that Bucharest pays to this country, said the Foreign Minister Lazăr Comănescu in an interview to Radio Romania News and Current Affairs. The Romanian official added that next week he would once again travel to Berlin, for a bilateral visit. Lazar Comanescu highlighted the importance of Germany as the economic engine of Europe, and as a partner of Romania. According to the Foreign Minister, over 20% of Romanias foreign trade involves Germany. He also explained that more than 20,000 companies running on German capital operate in Romania and have created more than 300,000 jobs here.



    PROTESTS – In several cities in Romania, protests took place on Saturday to express support for the Bodnariu family, whose children were taken in November 2015 by child protection authorities in Norway. Solidarity marches were also organised in Italy, Netherlands, and Belgium. On Friday, Romanian and Norwegian officials discussed this topic in Bucharest, and agreed to work together to settle the issue. The Ambassador of Romania to Oslo will have a meeting on January 13 with representatives of Norways Ministry for Children, Equality and Social Inclusion. A parliamentary delegation made up of members of the Committee on Romanian communities abroad will make a visit to Norway between January 18 and 22, to discuss the case. The Norwegian social services took the 5 Bodnariu children from their parents, after the principal of the school attended by the older daughters reported that the children were subjected to physical punishment by their parents.



    BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced support, at the end of a political meeting on Saturday, for tougher legislation on deporting asylum seekers who commit crimes and receive sentences in German courts, France Presse reports. The move comes after the attacks on New Years Eve in the city of Cologne, which involved immigrants having applied for asylum in Germany. At present, under German law, asylum seekers can only be sent back if they are sentenced to at least three years in prison, but on condition that their life and health are not threatened in their country of origin. As many as 1.1 million asylum seekers reached Germany in 2015. The attacks on the New Year night sparked outrage in Germany and fuelled criticism against Chancellor Merkels open-door policy towards migrants, AFP also says. Several hundreds of supporters of the far-right Pegida movement Saturday staged a protest against the immigrants in Cologne, concurrently with a left-wing counter-demonstration.



    WEATHER – The Romanian Meteorology Agency issued a notice warning of substantial rainfalls in the west, north and centre of the country, valid until Tuesday morning. In the mountains, rains will turn into sleet and snow. In the northern part of the country, rainfalls will amount to 25-30 litres per square metre.



    SPORTS – The Romanian player Monica Niculescu Saturday won the first title for Romanian tennis in 2016. Jointly with the American Vania King, she won the doubles final of the tournament in Shenzhen (China), which has 430,000 US dollars in prize money. In the final, Niculescu/King won 6-1, 6-4, the match against the Chinese Yi-Fan Xu / Saisai Zheng, seeded no. 1. Monica Niculescu also won the doubles tournament in Shenzhen, in 2014, together with Klara Koukalova (the Czech Republic).

  • January 9, 2015

    January 9, 2015

    DIPLOMACY – Romanias relationship with Germany is strategic, and the visit made to Berlin on Thursday by the Romanian delegation headed by PM Dacian Cioloş proves the importance and attention that Bucharest pays to this country, said the Foreign Minister Lazăr Comănescu in an interview to Radio Romania News and Current Affairs. The Romanian official added that next week he would once again travel to Berlin, for a bilateral visit. Lazar Comanescu highlighted the importance of Germany as the economic engine of Europe, and as a partner of Romania. According to the Foreign Minister, over 20% of Romanias foreign trade involves Germany. He also explained that more than 20,000 companies running on German capital operate in Romania and have created more than 300,000 jobs here.



    PROTESTS – In several cities in Romania, protests are taking place today to express support for the Bodnariu family, whose children were taken in November 2015 by child protection authorities in Norway. Solidarity marches will also take place in Italy, Netherlands, and Belgium. Yesterday, Romanian and Norwegian officials discussed this topic in Bucharest, and agreed to work together to settle the issue. The Ambassador of Romania to Oslo will have a meeting on January 13 with representatives of Norways Ministry for Children, Equality and Social Inclusion. A parliamentary delegation made up of members of the Committee on Romanian communities abroad will make a visit to Norway between January 18 and 22, to discuss the case. The Norwegian social services took the 5 Bodnariu children from their parents, after the principal of the school attended by the older daughters reported that the children were subjected to physical punishment by their parents.



    EXPULSION – The Jordan national Jamal Khalil will be expelled from Romania today, for national security reasons. The High Court of Cassation and Justice yesterday dismissed the defences appeal against a Bucharest Court of Appeals ruling issued last year. Jamal Khalil was declared undesirable in Romania for 15 years, after authorities found solid indications that the individual in question conducted actions likely to threaten national security. According to the Romanian Intelligence Service, Jamal A. Abdel Jabbar Khalil Shalash, who has been in Romania since 1991, was monitored by the Service since 2014. The Intelligence agency said the Jordanian citizen was an unconditional supporter of the IS terrorist group, for which he was conducting online propaganda campaigns, and was willing to get involved in operations targeting Romanias security.



    COUNTER-TERRORISM TASK FORCE – The White House announced on Friday the set-up of a new task force, combining members of several federal agencies, to counter the IS group propaganda both on US territory and abroad. The task force will focus particularly on the internet and social media, which have been extensively used by extremists to disseminate their message. The announcement comes after several White House officials met in Silicon Valley (California) with leaders of internet giants like Facebook, Google, Twitter, YouTube, to analyse means to prevent the use of social media for IS terrorist purposes.



    S. KOREAN PROPAGANDA – North Korea responded to the South-Korean propaganda broadcasts, which was resumed on Friday, Reuters reports. Seoul resumed broadcasting propaganda via loudspeakers on its North Korean border, in response to Pyongyangs latest nuclear test. Loudspeakers placed on the heavily militarised buffer zone between the two countries broadcast pop music, weather reports, information or criticism of the North Korean regime. The resumption of this psychological warfare method, which in August triggered threats of military retaliation from North Korea, comes as the international community is trying to identify an effective response to Pyongyangs announcement on Wednesday that it had successfully conducted an H-bomb test.



    SPORTS – The Romanian player Monica Niculescu Saturday won the first title for Romanian tennis in 2016. Jointly with the American Vania King, she won the doubles final of the tournament in Shenzhen (China), which has 430,000 US dollars in prize money. In the final, Niculescu/King won 6-1, 6-4, the match against the Chinese Yi-Fan Xu / Saisai Zheng, seeded no. 1. Monica Niculescu also won the doubles tournament in Shenzhen, in 2014, together with Klara Koukalova (the Czech Republic).