August 2, 2017
A heat wave hits Romania, impeding road and rail traffic; Bucharest competes with 18 cities to host the European Medicines Agency
Ştefan Stoica, 02.08.2017, 13:45
WEATHER — Fifteen counties in the west of Romania are today under code orange alert for high heat and an elevated heat index, according to the National Weather Administration. The rest of the country is under code yellow for high temperatures. The alert expires Thursday night. Meteorologists specify that the heat wave will last until the end of the week. The heat index will exceed the critical threshold of 80. Maximums are between 32 and 39 degrees. The noon reading was 34 degrees. The agency managing roadways said that the high temperatures will impede traffic, while the national railroad company said it has taken special measures until August 6th. Train circulation will be restricted while rail temperatures are over 50 degrees.
BUCHAREST — The National Committee for Emergency Situations has activated the contingency plan for epidemics, after swine flu was identified in Satu Mare, a northwestern county of Romania, as announced by Interior Minister Carmen Dan. The Bucharest authorities said that the risk of infestation emerged in October last year, when the disease appeared in Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Bucharest will negotiate with the European Commission restriction areas for trading live animals. The African swine flu affects domestic and wild animals, killing 100% of pigs it infects. There is no vaccine against it, and it is not transmittable to humans.
BRUSSELS — The EC will be evaluating in the next two months the candidates for countries to host the future headquarters of the European Medicines Agency, which will relocate from London after the Brexit. Bucharest competes with 18 European cities in this matter. The Romanian authorities offer generous space and promise optimal conditions for the agency employees, with ample opportunities for their families.
FOOTBAL — Two Romanian football teams play in the second leg of the third preliminary tour of the Champions League. Title holders FC Viitorul plays away from home against APOEL Nicosia of Cyprus, after winning 1-0 in the first leg. FCSB (formerly Steaua Bucharest) plays away from home against the Czech side Viktoria Plzen, after tying 2-all in the first leg. Three other Romanian teams play on Thursday in the Europa League. Universitatea Craiova meets Italian powerhouse AC Milan, Dinamo Bucharest plays against Spanish team Athletic Bilbao, while Astra Giurgiu meets FK Oleksandria.
TENNIS — Romanian tennis star Simona Halep, number 2 in the world, defeated American Sloane Stephens 7-6, 6-0, in the first round of the WTA tournament in Washington, with 1.7 million dollars in prize money. In the next round, Halep meets Mariana Duque-Marino of Colombia, ranked 115th. Patricia Tig, 134th, is the second Romanian to qualify in the eight finals in Washington, after defeating British player Heather Watson 7-6, 7-6. Romanian Monical Niculescu meets Japananese Nao Hibino. In the mens singles, Romanian Marius Copil was defeated by American Jack Sock in the second round. In the mens doubles, the Romanian-Dutch pair Horia Tecau- Jean-Julien Rojer qualified in the quarter finals, defeating the Bulgarian-French pair Grigor Dimitrov/Lucas Pouille, 6-3, 7-6. Tecau and Rojer will be contending next against the Polish-Brazilian team Lukasz Kubot/ Marcelo Melo.
