RRI – As of Sunday, October 29, RRI broadcasts a weekly, experimental show in Hebrew, devoted to Jews born in Romania and their families, but also to all Hebrew speakers who are interested in learning about Romania. The show will be broadcast every Sunday, from 7:05 pm to 8 pm Romanias time, on short waves and via the internet. Also, contents in Hebrew will be available on RRIs web site, Android and iOS applications, on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud. RRI boast a rich experience in producing shows devoted to the hundreds of thousand of Jews originating from Romania, who since 1990 have had the opportunity to listen to a show in the Romanian language. Their descendants, now at the third generation after Aliyah, the immigration of Jews from the Diaspora to the Land of Israel, speak Hebrew and their ties with their parents and grandparents birth country should be developed and maintained, including with the help of RRI.
BREXIT – The Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu will hold talks in London, on November 3-4, with representatives of the Romanian community in Great Britain on the implications of Brexit. The meeting is part of the public consultations campaign titled Romania against the background of Great Britains exiting the EU. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, there are some 328,000 Romanian citizens living in Great Britain.
WINTER TIME – On Sunday morning, Romania passed on to the winter time. Thus, 4 am became 3 am (GMT +2 hours), and October 29th was the longest day of the year. This change reverts the passing to the daylight saving time in March, aimed at using natural day light at the maximum and preserving energy. Romania will return to the official summer time on the last Sunday in March 2018.
CATALONIA – Nobody will recognize the independence of Catalonia and the Spanish government is right in its attempt to restore constitutional order in the region, said on Sunday the European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, Associated Press reports. He stated that the independence referendum held in early October was illegal, also stressing that the EU would not broker the conflict, as the crisis is a Spanish domestic issue. According to Tajani, Spains decision to organize early elections in the region was the best. The Madrid Government has started to directly govern the province of Catalonia. The Catalan leaders and the heads of the police have been sacked. The Catalan police chief has stated he accepts his dismissal and has urged his subordinates to show loyalty to the new chiefs. The former head of the Catalan Government Carles Puigdemont has urged the Catalans to manifest a democratic and peaceful opposition to the measures enforced by the central government. We recall that Romania has reasserted its firm support for Spains sovereignty and territorial integrity and has firmly and irrevocably rejected Catalonias unilateral declaration of independence.
DAVIS CUP – Israel is leading Romania 4-0 after Mor Bulis defeated Vasile Antonescu in two sets on Sunday, in Ramat Hasharon, in a match counting for maintaining a position in Group I of the Davis Cup’s Europe-Africa Zone. Previously, the Israeli Dudi Sela was supposed to play against the Romanian Dragos Dima, but the match was cancelled. Sunday’s matches are no longer important, as Israel secured its victory on Saturday already, and Romania was relegated from Group I after 24 years. This year, Romania has also lost to Belarus 2-3 and to Austria 1-4.
TENNIS – On Sunday, the worlds best tennis player, the Romanian Simona Halep, received the WTA world no. 1 trophy, although she was defeated in the group stage of the Finals tournament. The only one who could have changed the rankings was Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, but she was eliminated in the semifinals of the Singapore tournament. Halep, aged 26, became number one in the WTA rankings early this month, when she qualified for the Beijing final.
BAD WEATHER – All mountain areas in Romania are under orange warning for snow and blizzard until Monday evening. Also, a yellow warning for strong wind and mixed precipitations has been issued for the rest of the country. The wind will blow hard and will accentuate the feeling of cold, reaching as much as 120 km/h in the mountains and 80 km/h in other parts of the country. It’s already snowing across extended areas and blizzard has left several villages without power.