June 30, 2022

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Newsroom, 30.06.2022, 13:55

HEAT WAVE
The National Meteorology Agency issued a code-red alert for extreme heat for
Thursday and Friday in 6 counties in the west and north-west of the country.
According to weather experts, highs of 38-39 degrees Celsius will be reported
in these counties, an absolute record for this time of the year. The rest of
the country is mostly under orange-code alerts, for temperatures of up to 36-38
degrees Celsius, and code-yellow alerts, for highs of 33 to 36 degrees Celsius.
On the other hand, 18 counties in the east and centre of the country are today
under a code-yellow alert for atmospheric instability.

NATO NATO leaders are focusing today, the second day of the
summit in Madrid, on the challenges and threats in the southern neighbourhood,
including the food crisis deepened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The
participants will discuss the progress in the fight against terrorism, means to
ensure food security, and Allied support options for the organisation’s
southern partners. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Madrid,
president Klaus Iohannis will highlight Romania’s contribution in providing
humanitarian aid to Ukraine and in reducing risks related to food security. He
will also underline Romania’s support for vulnerable partners, particularly the
neighbouring R. of Moldova and Georgia. On Wednesday, the first day of the
summit, NATO adopted a new strategic concept, which defines Russia as the most
significant and direct threat to Allied security and stability.

EXAMS After the appeals stage, the share of 8th-graders
who passed the national evaluation this year is 82.4%, the Education Minister Sorin Cîmpeanu announced. The number of children who
got straight As has also increased to 237. Minister Cîmpeanu said last week that the
number of pass grades among students sitting the national evaluation exam
reached an absolute record this year compared to the last 10 years, namely 82.3%,
which means 122,166 children had passed the exam prior to appeals. Last year
the figure was 5.5% smaller. The grades obtained in the national evaluation are
the main criterion for high school admission.

UKRAINE On Thursday the Russian Army announced pulling out of the Serpent
Island, a strategic location in the Black Sea controlled by Moscow ever since
the beginning of its invasion in Ukraine. Russia’s defence ministry described
this as a proof of good will, which should facilitiate Ukraine’s grains exports.
This decision will not enable Kyiv to take advantage of the imminent food
crisis by claiming that it is unable to export grains because of Russia’s
complete control over the north-western part of the Black Sea, the Russian
defence ministry added, and said mine sweeping is expected on the Black Sea
coast, including ports. In turn,
Kyiv had announced that Russian troops had been forced out of
the remains of their unit on Serpent Island, following a successful Ukrainian
operation.

TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu (43 WTA) moved
up into the 3rd round of the Wimbledon tournament, after defeating Italy’s
Elisabetta Cocciaretto, 6-4, 6-4. Next, Begu is to take on Jelena Ostapenko of
Latvia (17 WTA), seed no. 12. Another Romanian player, Sorana Cîrstea, lost the
second round to Tatjana Maria of Germany. Four other Romanians are scheduled to
play in the second round today: Simona Halep against Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium),
Mihaela Buzarnescu against Coco Gauff (USA), Irina Bara against Paula Badosa
(Spain) and Ana Bogdan against Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic).