August 15, 2013
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Ştefan Stoica, 15.08.2013, 14:38
The majority Christian Orthodox believers in Romania, alongside Greek-Catholics and Roman-Catholics celebrated the Assumption or Dormition of Virgin Mary on August the 15th. On this day, tens of thousands of pilgrims went to the monasteries across Romania which have Virgin Mary as their patron saint. Over 2.2 million Romanians bear the name of Maria, and its derivative forms, celebrating their name day on August 15th. As Virgin Mary is considered to be the protector of sailors, Navy Day was also marked on August the 15th, by military and religious ceremonies, drills, games and artistic shows, in Bucharest and other towns, especially those on the banks of the Danube and on the Black Sea Coast, including the city of Constanta.
The Romanian Foreign Ministry draws attention to the Romanian citizens willing to travel to Egypt and to the Romanian nationals who are already on the Egyptian territory that the crisis-situation continues there and recommends to them to avoid the areas situated in the proximity of the headquarters of the main governmental institutions and political parties, where protests are usually staged. The Romanian Foreign Ministry recalls that the Egyptian authorities have instated a state of emergency and imposed curfews. The Romanian Foreign Ministry is following with concern the developments in Egypt and backs the EU’s appeal to both sides to show restraint. The Romanian Foreign Ministry deplores the loss of human lives and material damage, reiterates the need to observe the fundamental human rights and civil liberties and encourages the dialogue between the two sides.
The operation carried out by the Egyptian army and police forces to disperse the supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and the violence which propagated to the whole country left over 500 people dead, mostly civilians, an official with the Egyptian Health Ministry announced on Thursday. US president, Barack Obama, has deplored the violence in Egypt, a country that, in his opinion, has embarked on a dangerous path. He has also announced the cancellation of the US-Egyptian drills scheduled for next month. Against the backdrop of violence, France and Germany have joined Great Britain and summoned a meeting with the Egyptian ambassadors in Paris and Berlin, respectively, calling on them to make efforts for an end to be put to bloodshed in Cairo. Until Wednesday, the clashes between the supporters and the contesters of Mohammed Morsi, and the security forces, caused the death of over 250 people.
Romanian Simona Halep, 25th seed (WTA), on Wednesday defeated Marion Bartoli, 7th seed (WTA), the holder of the Wimbledon title, in the second round of the Cincinnati tennis tournament: 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Halep has qualified for the next stage of the tournament, when she meets Australian Samantha Stosur, 11th seed (WTA). Shortly after the match with Simona Halep, Marion Bartoli, 28, announced her withdrawal from professional tennis tournaments, to the surprise of her co-nationals.
