August 7, 2014
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Mihai Pelin, 07.08.2014, 12:14
Russia has imposed a complete ban on foodstuffs coming from EU countries and the USA., in retaliation for the sanctions the West has imposed on Moscow, Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev has announced Thursday. The ban targets beef, pork, chicken, fish, cheese, milk, as well as fruit and vegetable coming from the United States, EU member states, Canada, Australia and Norway. Also, Medvedev has threatened Russia might consider placing a ban on airspace for EU and USA companies, whose flights take a shortcut from Europe to Asia through Siberia, in retaliation for the cancellation of the first Russian low-cost flight, caused by sanctions the West imposed on Russia.
The USS Vella Gulf warship has today sailed into the Black Sea, “to provide security and stability in the region”, according to the Commander-in-Chief of the 6th American fleet. In the last couple of months, against the backdrop of the mounting tension in Ukraine, a couple of American and French war ships, with missile and state-of-the art equipment on board, have sailed into the Black Sea. Each time Russia reacted, also calling for a strict compliance with the Montreux Convention. We recall the document was signed in 1936 and clearly stipulates the maximum deadweight and length of stay for warships belonging to states other than the Black Sea riparian countries.
Authorities in Liberia and Sierra Leone have declared the state of emergency because of the Ebola outbreak, affecting countries in West Africa. The American authorities have also instated a level one medical alert, which is the highest, according to the AFP. The Ebola outbreak, the most serious such out break since the emergence of the virus in 1976, has claimed the lives of 900 people in Liberia, Guineea and Sierra Leone, according to the most recent survey provided by the World Health Organization. According to medical doctors, there is no vaccine or efficient treatment capable of containing the virus. The World Health Organization, hosting an emergency meeting, has announced they have been looking into the possibility of a large-scale use for experimental medicine employed against the Ebola virus.
Israel has confirmed it wanted to extend to Gaza Strip truce, which was mediated by Egypt in the wake of a whole month’s fighting, according to the AFP. In the Palestinian enclave as of Monday, Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement will be observing a 72-hour truce. Meanwhile, Israel and Hamas official delegations have traveled to Cairo, in a bid to reach a long-lasting, Egypt-mediated ceasefire agreement . The Palestinian side has been calling for the Israel-imposed blockade to be lifted in the Gaza Strip, in place since 2006. However, Israel has linked lifting the blockade to a demilitarization of the Gaza Strip. In the last four weeks, clashes between Hamas and Israel have claimed the lives of more than 1,850 Palestinians and 64 Israeli soldiers, also causing damage standing at 6 billion dollars, or thereabouts.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is today expected in Ukraine, against the backdrop of the mountain tension triggered by the presence of Russian military at the border with Ukraine. The visit has take place in preparation of a Ukraine-NATO Commission. Included on the talks’ agenda will be Ukraine’s role at the Alliance’s summit in Great Britain, over September 4th and 5th. NATO has warned the number of Russian military along the Ukrainian border has now reached 20 thousand. The Alliance fears Russia might use the pretext of a humanitarian or peace keeping mission to send troops in eastern Ukraine, where clashes have continued, pitting pro-Russian separatists against Ukrainian army.
Romania’s Central Bank’s inflation rate forecast for the end for 2014 stand as 2.2 per cent, while a 3 per cent inflation rate is the forecast for the end for 2015. Previously, the Central Bank’s inflation rate forecast for the end of 2014 and for 2015, respectively, stood at 3.3 per cent. Central Bank Governor Mugur Isarescu explained Romania complied with the region’s downward trend of the inflation rate. Isarescu went on to say that influencing the process were the appreciation of the national currency, a cheaper transaction price for the green certificates, but aloe the rich fresh vegetables supply. Among the factors negatively influencing the inflation rate were the increase in fuel excise in April and an increased stock exchange figure for crude oil.
Three Romanian football teams today are playing their games counting towards the second leg of Europa League’s 3rd preliminary round. Southern Romanian teams Astra Giurgiu and Petrolul Ploiesti away from home are pitted against Czech sides Slovan Liberec and Victoria Plzen, respectively. In the first leg, Astra secured a 3-nil win, while Petrolul managed a 1-all draw. Playing on home turf are the central Transylvanian team CFR from Cluj. We recall CFR sustained a 1-nil defeat in their away confrontation against Dinamo Minsk from Belarus. In Bucharest, Steua snatched a 2-1 win against Kazaksh side FK Aktobe, as last week they managed a 2-all draw away from home. Steaua have thus made headway into the Champions League’s playoffs and have already secured their ticket to Europa League’s group stage, irrespective of the score in the playoffs.
