2 September 2020

Government announces new measures for reopening of schools./ Two Romanian players in second round at US Open.

Newsroom, 02.09.2020, 13:55

Covid-19. Almost 90,000 coronavirus
infections have been confirmed in Romania since the start of the outbreak, with
some 1,300 new cases being reported in the last 24 hours. The death toll passed
3,700 and 519 patients are in intensive care. Health minister Nelu Tataru says
the European Union has reserved a first batch of 30 million doses of a
potential vaccine, of which Romania is allocated 4%, accounting for 1.3
million, based on number of inhabitants.

Schools. The measures regulating the
educational activity in the new school year have been made public, aiming at
reducing the risk of infection with Covid-19. There are three scenarios each
school will be able to put into practice depending on the infection rate
revised every 14 days. The ministerial order detailing the new measures also
stipulates that teachers and pupils have to wear facemasks in school. If one
coronavirus case is found in a class, the activity of the respective class will
be suspended for 14 days. If three separate cases are confirmed in a school,
then the whole school is to close for 14 days.

Trip. Romanian foreign minister
Bogdan Aurescu is making an official trip to Israel and Palestine on Wednesday
and Thursday. According to a ministry statement, Aurescu’s agenda includes
talks with his counterpart Gabriel Ashkenazi, president Reuven Rivlin, prime
minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. Talks are focusing on
ways to develop and expand bilateral strategic ties with emphasis on the
political, economic and security areas. The latest developments in the region
will also be discussed, in particular those concerned with the Middle East
peace process. The Romanian minister’s trip to Palestine features talks with
the minister of foreign and expatriates affairs Riad Malki and prime minister
Mohammad Shtayyeh. Talks will look mainly at ways to develop and diversify
Romanian-Palestinian relations and means to consolidate collaboration. In the
last few months I have had open and meaningful dialogue with both my Israeli
counterpart Gabriel Ashkenazi and my Palestinian counterpart Riad Malki, in
keeping with the traditional position of Romania, which nurtures friendly and
trusted relations with both sides, minister Bogdan Aurescu said in a
statement.

Drugs. Romania’s organised crime prosecutors
and the police on Tuesday night announced the largest drug seizure in their history.
At the end of August, they found 1.5 tonnes of hashish and 751 kg of captagon, a stimulant sometimes also referred
to as the drug of Jihad, in the Romanian port of Constanta. The market value
of the seizure is estimated at over 60 million euros. A ship was identified
carrying two containers with 40 tonnes of non-food products shipped from
Latakia, in Syria, and which transited Turkey on its way to Constanta. A number
of persons are being investigated, both Romanian and foreign nations, to
establish their involvement in organising this drug shipment.

US Open. Romania’s Sorana Cirstea
has reached the second round at the US Open, the first Grand Slam tennis
tournament held since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. Cirstea defeated
the American player Christina McHale in
straight sets. Another Romanian player, Patricia Tig, who is no. 88 in
the world, also made it to the second round as she defeated Japan’s Kurumi Nara,
while Mihaela Buzarnescu lost to Sloane Stephens. In the women’s doubles, the
Romanian-Spanish pair Raluca Olaru and Sara Sorribes Tormo are today playing
their opening match against the Czech-Slovenian pair Lucie Hradecka and Andreja
Klepac. In the men’s doubles, Romania’s Horia Tecau and The Netherlands’ Jean-Julien
Rojer are today facing Marcelo Arevalo of San Salvador and Jonny O’Mara of Britain. (CM)