September 8, 2024 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 08.09.2024, 19:01

Drones. The Romanian Ministry of National Defense has announced that the probability of an impact zone on the national territory, in an unpopulated area near the town of Periprava (south-east), has been identified, following Russian drone attacks on some targets in Ukraine. According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Ministry of Defense, the Russian forces resumed the series of drone attacks on civilian targets and port infrastructure in Ukraine this morning, near the border with Romania. The National Military Command Center notified the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations that measures are in place to alert the population in Tulcea and Constanţa counties. As of Sunday morning, forces of the Ministry of National Defense have been carrying out investigations in the area, with aerial means and ground teams. The Ministry of Defense has conveyed a firm message of condemnation of Russia’s attacks against elements of Ukrainian civil infrastructure, which are unjustified and violate the norms of international law. Also, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reiterated its firm protest against the violation, once again, of Romania’s airspace and firmly demanded an end to the repeated attacks against the Ukrainian population and civil infrastructure.

Strikes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest informs Romanian citizens who are transiting or intend to travel to Italy that, between September 7 and 9, strikes are organized in this country’s transport sector. A 24-hour public rail strike is planned for September 8 and 9. On Monday, there will be a strike in the local public transport, expected to last between 4 and 8 hours. Delays or cancellations of flights and disruptions to the circulation of railway and local public transport means are also possible, warns the ministry. The Romanian citizens affected are advised to inform themselves in advance about the flight schedule and to keep in touch with the airlines, in order to receive details about possible delays or cancellations of their flights. Romanian citizens can request consular assistance at the Romanian embassy in Italy.

School. Approximately three million pupils are expected to attend on Monday festivities occasioned by the start of the new school year in Romania. The government promises that the 2024-2025 school year will be the last in which pupils will attended classes in three shifts. Currently, there are only 19 such units in Bucharest and in Ilfov county (near Bucharest). According to the Ministry of Education, at the beginning of the school year, out of the total of over 6000 education units in Romania, 800 schools have been relocated to alow for rehabilitation, modernization or construction works. 70 units have non-compliant sanitary facilities, and 50 of them will receive funding for refurbishment. The government has also approved an increase of 7,800 jobs in the pre-university education system and increased the number of caregivers in nurseries and kindergartens.

Olympiad. Romania won four medals at the International Informatics Olympiad, held in Egypt, between September 1-8, 2024, the Romanian Ministry of Education announced on Sunday. The Romanian students won a gold medal, two silver medals and a bronze medal, a result that places Romania eighth in the world and second in Europe. Mihai-Valeriu Voicu won the gold medal, Rareş-Andrei Neculau and Andrei Paul Iorgulescu – silver, and Rareş-Felix Tudose – bronze.

Celebration. Christian believers celebrated on Sunday he Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The birth of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, according to Christian belief, was a miracle. Her parents, Joachim and Anne, had reached an age at which they could have not normally conceived. Following their prayers, however, God performed a miracle: Ana gave birth, in her old age, to a baby whom they named Maria. In Christianity, the Virgin Mary is the one who reached the highest degree of holiness, therefore she enjoys the greatest honor among the saints. Unlike the other saints, who are celebrated only on the day of their death, the Mother of God has four great feasts in the Christian calendar: the Nativity, the Presentation in the Temple, the Annunciation and the Assumption. More than two million Romanians celebrated their name-day on Sunday.

Handball. Rapid Bucharest defeated the two-time European champion Buducnost Podgorica, 32-27, at home, in the new season of the Champions League in women’s handball. Romania has two more representatives in the competition, Gloria Bistrita and CSM Bucharest, the champion of Romania. The game between the two teams that met on Saturday night ended with a 30-26 victory for Gloria Bistrita.

Football. On Monday, on home turf, the Romanian national football team will play against the Lithuanian squad the second match in Group C2 of the Nations League. On Friday evening, the Romanians defeated the Kosovo national team in Pristina, 3-0, and Lithuania lost the home match against Cyprus, 1-0. These are the first matches of the new term of the coach Mircea Lucescu, who returned to the helm of the National team after 38 years. He led the Romanian team between 1981-1986 taking it to the European Championship in France 84, when only eight teams from the continent reached the final tournament. Later, Lucescu won numerous national championships and cups with teams from Romania, Turkey and Ukraine, as well as the UEFA Cup, with Galatasaray Istanbul, in 2000. At 79, Lucescu is the oldest national football coach in the world. (mi)