May 7, 2016 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 07.05.2016, 12:15
The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, the PM Dacian Cioloş, the interior, foreign affairs and defense ministers have conveyed condolences to the families of the two Romanian soldiers who died on Saturday night during a mission in Afghanistan. A third soldier has been wounded. The two Romanians who were part of the Special Operations Forces died near Kandahar during a training mission of the Afghan policemen. So far 26 Romanian soldiers have died in Afghanistan.
The Cameroonian footballer Patrick Ekeng with the Romanian football club Dinamo Bucharest died Friday night on the ground. He died of a cardiac arrest during the match with Viitorul Constanta. Taken to the hospital right away, Patrick Ekeng, aged 26, could not be saved. The Department for Emergency Situations with the Interior Ministry and representatives of the Health Ministry started controls at the headquarters of the private ambulance service. The police and the prosecutor’s office opened a criminal investigation. The prosecutors seized documents from the Dinamo Bucharest club headquarters and from other institutions. Following this tragedy, the final of Romania’s Football Cup scheduled for May 10 was postponed for May 17. Other matches scheduled between May 7th and 9th were also put off. Famous world footballers deplore the death of Patrick Ekeng.
The Romanian PM Dacian Cioloş said Saturday that the disinfectants used in medical units will be tested for concentration and efficiency and their control will be regulated by law. We recall that a recent journalistic investigation revealed that the substances of the company providing the disinfectants had a concentration ten times lower than the standard concentration. On Saturday the Romanian prosecutors made searches at several buildings belonging to the company accused of providing hospitals across Romania with diluted disinfectants as well as at the company owner’s home. At the same time, representatives of the Economic Police and the Health Ministry took samples from several medical units in Bucharest and across Romania and seized documents related to the inefficient substances. Following checks of the quality of disinfectants used, irregularities have been unveiled in tens of Romanian medical units.
The US Deputy Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, is paying a two-day visit to Romania as part of his European tour. The American official will talk with the Romanian government officials about the agenda and the preparations for the NATO summit due in July, in Warsaw, as well as about bilateral cooperation in such fields as security, economic partnership, the rule of law and the reform process. The US Deputy Secretary of State also visited Poland and Bulgaria. Next he will visit France, the last leg of his European diplomatic tour.
These days the capital of Romania, Bucharest, and the mountain resort of Sinaia will be hosting events devoted to the anniversary of 150 years since the setting up of the Romanian Royal House. Among the events we can mention the inauguration, in Bucharest, of the School called “Mother Queen Elena”, a royal concert held on Friday evening at the Radio Hall, and the final of the Royal Rounders Cup. On Monday the Romanian Academy will host a solemn session while on Tuesday a Garden Party will be organized at the Peleş Castle in Sinaia. May 10 marks the Royalty Day in Romania. Until the Communists’ coming to power in 1947, May 10 was also the National Day of Romania. On May 10 1866 King Carol I became ruler of Romania. 11 years later the Romanian state proclaimed its independence and on May 10, 1881 Romania became a kingdom.
London has a new mayor as of Friday: Labour politician Sadiq Khan, 45, of Pakistani origin. With 57% of the votes, he defeated his counter candidate, Conservative Zac Goldsmith. Sadiq Khan is the third person to become the mayor of London after fellow Labour politician Ken Livingstone and Conservative Boris Johnson. The son of a London bus driver, he is a human rights solicitor. He joined the Labour Party at 15. As a mayor, Sadiq Khan promised to focus on social policies. He wants to build cheap houses and freeze the public transport fares for 4 years. He also wants Great Britain to remain in the EU. (news translated by Lacramioara Simion)
