September 11, 2021

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 11.09.2021, 13:56

9/11. The US is commemorating today 20 years since the bloodiest
terrorist attacks in its history. On 11th September 2001, two
hijacked planes were crashed into the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade
Center, while another was crashed into the Pentagon building in Washington, both
landmark buildings of American economic and military power. A fourth plane,
believed to target the Capitol building, which houses Congress, or the White
House, crashed into an empty field in Pennsylvania, after the passengers fought
with the terrorists. No person on board the planes survived, with almost 3,000
people being killed in the attacks, most of them from the buildings that were
hit. Carefully planned by the head of the Al-Qaida network, the Saudi national Osama
bin Laden, the attacks were carried out by 19 men on a kamikaze mission. George
W Bush, who was president at the time, placed the army on maximum alert and
promised that the perpetrators would be caught and punished. He warned that
Washington would make no distinction between terrorists and those who harbour
them. The US army entered Afghanistan, where bin Laden and his aides had been
given refuge by the Taliban. Most Al-Qaida leaders have been taken out in the meantime. The Taliban, who were removed from power by the Americans but
whose insurgency never ended, are now back in power after two decades,
amid the withdrawal of western troops.

Solidarity. Romanian president Klaus
Iohannis sent a letter to his American counterpart Joe Biden on the 20th
commemoration of the 9/11 attacks. The Romanian president said that after the
attacks, common suffering was transformed into solidarity and a common goal, in
the US and around the world, in allied and partner states, including Romania.
According to Iohannis, the general decision to face joint challenges together
remains a valuable lesson and always relevant at a time marked by threats from
state and non-state actors. He reiterated that Romania stands by the American
people and is committed to combating terrorism and violent extremism,
regardless of ideology, and to consolidating the common values of democracy,
human rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law. The foreign ministry
in Bucharest also sent a message of solidarity and compassion with the families
of the victims, who include four Romanian nationals, and with the rescuers who
risked their lives in the aftermath of the attacks. Romanian minister Aurescu
sent a letter to US secretary of state Antony Blinken, again stressing that
there is no justification for such violent attacks and extremist acts and
highlighting Romania’s firm and long-standing commitment and involvement,
alongside the US and the international community, in joint efforts to combat
terrorism and violent extremism.

Covid-19. Romania recorded on Saturday over 2,600 new Covid cases from 48,000
tests and 47 new related fatalities. Almost 5,000 Covid patients are receiving hospital treatment, including
116 children. Some 580 are in intensive care, of whom are children. Only 5.2
million people are fully vaccinated in this country, accounting for a mere
third of the eligible population.

Tennis. Britain’s 18-year-old Emma Răducanu, who is born to a Romanian
father, became the first qualifier in the open era to reach a Grand Slam final.
In the semis, she defeated Greece’s Maria Sakkari in straight sets and will
face another rising star in world tennis, Canada’s 19-year-old Leylah
Fernandez, who defeated world no. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the semis.
This will be the first all-teen US Open final since 1999, when Serena Williams
played Martina Hingis. Răducanu is only at her second Grand Slam appearance
after Wimbledon, where she withdrew with medical issues in the fourth round. (CM)