EASTER – The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the greatest holiday in the Christian calendar, is marked on Sunday by Orthodox and Eastern-Catholic Christians around the world, including in Romania. In his Easter sermon, Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church said that healing the world of passing illnesses was not the ultimate design of Jesus Christ, but rather saving mankind from sin and death. The Patriarch urged Romanians to pursue good deeds. “During these days of celebration, light and joy for our Christian way of life, let us pray for global peace, let us convey a message of brotherly love to all Romanians living abroad”, the Patriarch went on to say. “The Resurrection of Christ recalls the Christian appeal to love thy neighbor and live in peace and understanding”, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis also said in his Easter message.
AWARD – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, has been designated as one of the recipients of the 2024 Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Awards, which will be bestowed in a special gala held on May 8 in Washington. The Romanian president will be honored for his remarkable career, exemplary leadership of Romania, and his transatlantic and European leadership role. The other recipients of the award are U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher G. Cavoli, and Academy Award-winning actress and producer Michelle Yeoh. Each year, the Distinguished Leadership Awards convenes a high-level international audience of more than six hundred policy, business, military, artistic, and civil-society leaders to celebrate individuals, including policy leaders, business executives, military brass and artistic and humanitarian champions, who best represent the pillars of the global relationship. Past recipients include US presidents George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and then-Vice President Joe Biden, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, current and former International Monetary Fund managing directors Kristalina Georgieva and Christine Lagarde. Set up in 1961, the Atlantic Council is a non-profit organization whose staff must observe high standards of personal and professional integrity, candor and honesty in communications and interactions with one another as well as with other organizations, government officials, the media and the public.
WAR IN UKRAINE – Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressed the nation on Easter, saying the Ukrainian people will get down on its knees only to pray. He said Ukrainians are holding a common prayer for the servicemen celebrating Easter in the trenches and on the frontline. Russia on Saturday night launched 24 Shahed drones, of which 23 were shot down, the Ukrainian Air Forces announced on Sunday. The attack followed Russian attacks on Saturday on the Kharkiv and Dnipro regions and the port of Odesa, which killed at least two civilians, destroyed a food factory and damaged other civilian infrastructure targets, residential and commercial buildings, regional officials say. President Zelenskyy said Russia used eight different types of missiles and nearly 70 guided missiles to strike settlements and positions on the frontline. In turn, Moscow persuaded Cuban citizens to join the Russian army, offering monthly wages of approximately 2,000 USD plus Russian passports, to be delivered within months of signing up.
LIFE EXPECTANCY – Spain has the highest life expectancy rate at EU level – 84 years, above the EU average of 81.5 years. According to a Eurostat report, Romania has the third-lowest life expectancy in the EU, 76.6 years, followed only by Latvia with 75.9 years and Bulgaria with 75.8 years. However, the biggest increase in life expectancy rates across the EU over 2019-2023 was reported in Romania. 15 of the 27 EU Member States exceed the EU life expectancy average. Countries with lower rates are those in Eastern Europe and the Baltics, whereas countries in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Central Europe have higher life expectancy rates.
GYMNASTSTICS – Romanian athlete Sabrina Maneca Voinea won silver in the floor final on Saturday at the European Gymnastics Championships hosted by Rimini, Italy. The gold went to Manila Esposito of Italy, whereas another Italian, Angela Andreoli, scooped bronze. Sabrina Maneca Voinea previously won gold in the beam finals. Last year, Sabrina won bronze in the floor final at the European Championships in Antalya, Turkey. Romania is competing in the team final on Sunday, after ranking 4th in the qualifiers. (VP)
