October 2, 2017 UPDATE
American scientists Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Newsroom, 02.10.2017, 19:23
CATALONIA — European Council President Donald Tusk has called on Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to “avoid further escalation and use of force” in the standoff over the Catalonian independence referendum. Also, Germanys foreign minister has called for urgent talks between the opposing sides in the dispute. The Catalan government says more than 40% of the regions electorate, thats 2.5 million voters, cast their ballots in Sundays independence referendum, with 90% backing independence. The leader of the regional government, the secessionist Carles Puigdemont, said the citizens of Catalonia “have won the right to an independent state in the form of a republic”. The Spanish government, which declared the referendum illegal, has come under harsh criticism by its European partners for the excessive zeal of the police forces sent in to prevent the voting. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Spain, the police wounded hundreds of people, stormed schools and public buildings used as polling stations, confiscated electoral material and seized control of the centre where votes were to be counted.
ATTACK — United States President Donald Trump delivered brief remarks Monday on the deadly mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert the night before, calling the attack “an act of pure evil.” “We are joined together today in sadness, shock, and grief,” Trump said at the White House. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has sent his American counterpart a condolence message. Over 58 people have been killed and more than 100 wounded in a mass shooting on Sunday night in Las Vegas. A gunman fired on the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas from an overlooking hotel. Police have named the suspect as Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old local man. They believe he shot and killed himself on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino. At least 10 guns were found in his hotel room. He is not believed to be connected to any militant group.
JOINT MEETING — The Romanian and Bulgarian governments will convene on Tuesday in a joint meeting in Varna, Bulgaria, where prime ministers Mihai Tudose and Boiko Borisov will witness the signing of some bilateral documents in the fields of transport, energy, labour, social policy, home affairs and economy. Ahead of the meeting the two officials will inaugurate the Lipniţa- Kainargea border checkpoint between Romania and Bulgaria. Also on Tuesday, a meeting of the Bulgarian, Romanian and Greek prime ministers with Serbia’s President will be held, to discuss joint infrastructure projects and security and stability in Europe.
NOBEL PRIZE – American scientists Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young on Monday were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2017 for their research on molecular mechanisms controlling circadian rhythms. The Nobel Prize in Medicine is the first to be announced. The following awards to be announced this week will be those for physics, chemistry and peace, and that for economics on the 9th of October. The Swedish Academy has announced that the prize for literature, which is traditionally announced on a Thursday, will also be made public this week, on 5th of October.
VISIT – Croatia’s president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović met on Monday, on the first day of her visit to Romania, with her Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis. The two officials discussed about developing and expanding bilateral relations and European, regional and security issues. According to a press release by the Romanian presidents office, special emphasis will be placed on aspects related to the future of the European project and the prospect of the two countries holding the EU rotating presidency for the first time. On Tuesday, the two presidents will open the Romanian-Croatian business forum.
UNIVERSITY YEAR – Higher education institutions on Monday held festivities for the start of the new academic year. Local officials and foreign ambassadors to Romania attended the events held in different cities across the country. Almost 460,000 students are registered this year at state and private universities, but only 104,000 places are available in student residences. The price of a place in a student campus stands at 130 lei per month, roughly 30 euros, but it can also go up to 200 lei, thats around 50 euros, depending on the facilities provided.
UNEMPLOYMENT – The unemployment rate in Romania stood at 5.1% in August, down 0.1% compared with the previous month, according to the National Institute for Statistics. The unemployment rate among men was 2.4% higher than that for women. The number of the unemployed is estimated at 465,000, fewer than in August last year, when more than 500,000 people were out of work.
(Translated by Elena Enache)
