PULLOUT In his first public address after the Taliban’s conquest of
capital Kabul, US president Joe Biden says he stands ‘squarely behind’ his
decision to pull out troops from Afghanistan. Biden has blamed the Taliban takeover
on the Afghan political leaders who fled as well as on the security forces who
refused to fight. Biden’s decision to pull out the US troops from Afghanistan
has attracted criticism from both Republicans and Democrats and his address
comes after a dramatic day at Kabul’s international airport where hundreds of
civilians desperate to leave the country forced their way inside. According to
Reuters, flights were cancelled on Monday, when at least five people were
killed, although it was unclear whether they had been shot or crushed in a
stampede. The Taliban captured Afghanistan’s biggest cities in days rather than
months as the US experts had predicted.
REPATRIATION Romania is going to fly a
plane to Afghanistan as soon as possible to repatriate the 27 Romanian citizens
who are still in that country, the country’s Prime Minister Florin Citu has
announced. 16 Romanian citizens managed to leave the country last night. According
to Citu those to be repatriated aren’t part of the embassy personnel but people
working in the private sector and for the UN. The Romanian official has called
on all the Romanian citizens to leave that country while the Foreign Ministry
in Bucharest firmly recommends that they refer to Romania’s embassy in
Islamabad and provide data about their location so that they may be contacted in
emergency situations.
GDP According to a report made public today by the
National Institute for Statistics (INS), Romania’s Gross Domestic Product rose
by 6.5% in the first half of the year as compared to the same period of 2020.
In the second quarter of 2021, the country’s GDP grew by 1.8% compared to the
same period last year against a 13% economic growth. According to the European
Commission, Romania’s economy is to see a 7.4% growth in 2021 and 4.9% next
year, exceeding the forecasts made in spring. Under the budget readjustment
project published by the Finance Ministry late last week, Romania’s GDP should
stay around 239 billion Euros, out of a real growth of 7% this year.
FOOTBALL Romania’s football champions,
CFR Cluj are today up against Serbian side Red Star Football Club in an away
match counting towards the first round of the Europa League’s play off. The
Romanians failed to qualify for the Champions League’s play-offs after being
defeated by Swiss side Young Boys Bern. If they are eliminated from Europa
League, CFR will be playing in the groups of Europa Conference League.
COVID-19 The Covid-19 infections are on the rise in Romania where authorities
reported over 24 hundred new cases between August 9th and 16th.
280 fresh cases were announced on Monday out of 18,700 tests conducted as well
as five new fatalities. The number of
those admitted to hospitals has also risen to over 940 with 120 of them in
intensive care. On the other hand, people’s interest in getting the vaccine
remains low in this country in spite of the authorities’ repeated appeals. Only
12 thousand people reportedly got the jab on Monday. Almost 5 million Romanians
have been fully vaccinated since the country’s vaccine rollout kicked off in
December last year.
(bill)