April 5, 2026

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 05.04.2026, 14:00

PALM SUNDAY – Orthodox Christians, as well as Greek Catholics, including those in Romania, a predominantly Orthodox country, celebrate Palm Sunday today. On Palm Sunday, people go to church to bless willow branches that they place at windows, doors or gates. The willow branches are reminiscent of the date and olive branches with which Jesus Christ was welcomed in Jerusalem. For Orthodox Christians, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the last week of Lent. During Passion Week, Christians prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of the Savior, which will take place on April 12. Nearly 1.8 million Romanians celebrate their name day today. Also today, Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrate Easter. At the Vatican, in the presence of over 10,000 believers, Pope Leo XIV celebrated, for the first time in his pontificate, the Easter Vigil on Easter Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, an occasion on which he once again talked about peace. ” Even today there are tombs to be opened, and often the stones sealing them are so heavy and so closely guarded that they seem to be immovable. Some weigh heavily on the human heart, such as mistrust, fear, selfishness and resentment; others, stemming from these inner struggles, sever the bonds between us through war, injustice and the isolation of peoples and nations. Let us not allow ourselves to be paralyzed by them!” said the Pontiff.

MESSAGE – Romanian President Nicusor Dan has conveyed messages to Roman Catholic Christians celebrating Easter and Orthodox Christians celebrating Palm Sunday. “The Resurrection reconnects us to the deep values of humanity – compassion, responsibility for our fellow human beings and solidarity. These are the values on which we want to continue building a free society, in which we all live together in peace,” said Nicusor Dan. He emphasized that, for those celebrating Palm Sunday, the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem heralds Easter and symbolically reminds us of the importance of forgiveness and balance, of sacrifice and devotion to others.

SECURITY – As many as 24,000 employees of the Ministry of Interior – police officers, gendarmes, fire-fighters and border police in Romania are making sure that celebrations occasioned by Palm Sunday and Catholic Easter unfold smoothly. They will prevent incidents and efficiently manage operational situations, especially in crowded areas. Special attention is paid to places of worship and religious events, as specified by the Ministry of Interior.

NATO – Romania’s NATO membership remains the foundation of national security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes in a message on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the signing of the Washington Treaty, the founding act of the Alliance. According to a press release, the Ministry marks, on Sunday, the North Atlantic Alliance Day in Romania and specifies that the country remains a firm supporter of the transatlantic relationship, an essential pillar of Euro-Atlantic security. Bucharest promotes a stronger Europe in NATO, capable of truly contributing to the collective defense and resilience of the Euro-Atlantic area, the press release says. “For Romania, being part of an Alliance based on guarantees of collective defense, allied solidarity and military interoperability is the strongest strategic anchor,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says. NATO Day is marked in Romania on the first Sunday of April.

GENDARMES – Romanian Gendarmerie Day is marked today in the “Carol I” Park in Bucharest, through a series of events dedicated to the general public. These include demonstration exercises, exhibitions and artistic events, according to the Gendarmerie. The program includes a cross-country race dedicated to the Gendarmerie, as well as spectacular demonstrations with horses and service dogs. Equipment used in special interventions, including those of divers and paratroopers, is also presented. An exhibition of period military uniforms, as well as a promenade music concert will also take place. The events mark 176 years since the founding of the Romanian Gendarmerie.

WAR – White House leader Donald Trump has warned Iran that the deadline he gave it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz expires on Monday. The US president has previously threatened to bomb Iranian power plants and infrastructure if Tehran does not reopen the strait. Sources quoted by Reuters say that Israel is ready to bomb Iran’s energy infrastructure, but is waiting for the green light from the Americans. The right-wing Israeli publication Israel Hayom even writes that there is a plan to bomb various sectors of the oil industry, as well as road and transport infrastructure, in order to cut off the Revolutionary Guards’ sources of funding and to strangle Iran economically, which it hopes will increase economic pressure on the regime. Iran responded to Donald Trump’s threats by broadcasting that the entire region will become a living hell for Americans and Israelis. Tehran has previously threatened to strike targets related to energy infrastructure, as well as data centers and desalination plants. Some such targets have been bombed, targeting energy and desalination facilities in Kuwait. Israel has also been the target of Iranian attacks. (EE)