January 29, 2020 UPDATE

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 29.01.2020, 20:13

PEACE PLAN Bucharest has taken note of the US peace plan for the Middle East
and is analyzing it, Romania’s Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu says in a
message posted on a social network. Aurescu says that Romania supports the plan
based on the two-state solution and will try to participate in the dialogue
inside the EU and to promote diplomatic efforts with all the partners involved.
On Tuesday, the US president Donald Trump released the long-awaited Middle East
peace plan, which proposes a realistic two-state solution but was rejected by
the Palestinians. The plan promises to keep Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided
capital, an independent Palestinian state, and the recognition of Israeli
sovereignty over West Bank settlements. Under the plan some territories will be
ceded to the Palestinians who will have a capital in eastern Jerusalem. The
document also comprises security guarantees for Israel and economic stimulus
packages for the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab
Emirates have hailed the US peace plan, which has been criticized by Jordan and
Turkey. The EU has reiterated its firm commitment to a negotiated and viable
two-state solution.

VIRUS The general director of the World Health Organisation on Thursday
summoned a fresh meeting of the committee on the new Chinese coronavirus to
decide whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency situation at
international level. Air
companies across the world have decided to suspend or decrease the number of
flights to continental China, following the spread of the coronavirus that has
killed 132 people so far. The total number of confirmed infections has reached
6,000. More and more countries have evacuated or are planning to evacuate their
citizens from the province of Wuhan, where the virus emerged. A Romanian
national has also asked to be evacuated from the affected area. Although
experts say the virus is not that lethal as SARS, its rapid spread and unknown
characteristics has triggered a lot of concern.

VOTE The Liberal government in Bucharest on Wednesday assumed
responsibility in Parliament for amending the law on returning to the two-round
voting system in the election of mayors. The National Liberal Party says the
move is meant to increase the candidates’ representation and according to the
country’s Liberal Prime Minister, Ludovic Orban, the present system limits the
citizens’ right to replace a mayor they aren’t satisfied with. The opposition Social-Democrats
say the election laws cannot be amended less than a year before the election, and
have announced their intention to table a censure motion. Since its coming to
office last November the new cabinet has repeatedly assumed responsibility for several
laws and amendments including the budget draft this year.

TENNIS Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on Wednesday
got through to the semifinals of the Australian Open, the year’s first Grand
Slam tournament. In the quarterfinals, it only took Halep 55 minutes to thrash
WTA 31st-placed tennis player, Estonian Annet Kontaveit, 6-1, 6-1.
Simona Halep’s run in the Melbourne tournament so far has been a win-all one. Halep’s
qualification for the semifinals brought her a cheque worth 1,040,000 AUD and
780 WTA points. It is the second time when Halep has made headway into the
Australian Open’s semifinals. We recall that Simona first reached the finals in
2018, when she was defeated by Danish challenger Caroline Wozniacki. Also in
2018, Halep won the Roland Garros, also winning the Wimbledon tournament in
2019. The Romanian will be next playing Spanish challenger Garbine Muguruza.

(translated by bill)