January 10, 2017
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Newsroom, 10.01.2017, 12:00
WEATHER IN ROMANIA – A wave of cold weather has swept across Romania. Skies are overcast with isolated snowfalls in the southwest. Maximum temperatures range between minus 14 and minus 4 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 9 degrees. Code yellow and orange alerts against extreme cold are in place for the whole country. Last night was reportedly the coldest this winter season, with minus 32 degrees reported in Intorsura Buzaului, eastern Romania. School inspectorates in 22 counties and the capital city Bucharest have shut down schools and kindergartens, while nine counties only partially suspended classes. Classes will resume on Monday in Bucharest. A code yellow and orange alert against snowfalls and blizzards comes into effect this evening for the southeast. Last week the same region was severely affected by blizzards, which disrupted road traffic and caused blackouts. Navigation on a segment of the river Danube has been shut down indefinitely.
WEATHER IN EUROPE– Some 50 people died to the cold snap in Europe, as low temperatures continue to hold Europe in their grip. Most victims were reported in Poland, where lows hit minus 30 degrees Celsius in certain regions. Five people died in the Republic of Moldova from carbon monoxide poisoning after the stoves they used to heat their homes caught fire. Hungary also reported record-high lows, both at national level and in the capital-city Budapest. In Serbia, low temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees. The worst hit were the refugees sitting in makeshift camps. Turkey too is seeing a very harsh winter. The capital Istanbul was hit by the biggest blizzard in the last seven years. Scores of flights were cancelled while the Bosphorus Strait was closed to traffic. Low temperatures and heavy snowfalls were also reported in Greece. The Doctors without Borders Humanitarian Organization expressed concern regarding the thousands of people across Europe who are left vulnerable to the cold.
TALKS – President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday is meeting Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu to discuss the Governments plans related to the 2017 state budget amidst concerns regarding the sustainability of certain measures announced by the Government and their impacts on the economy, the presidency reports. Attending the meeting will also be the Minister of Public Finance Viorel Stefan. The Government adopted, among other things, an increase of the minimum wage salary to 320 euros, as well as a 50% increase of the salaries of actors and other categories of artists. Besides, all pensions below 400 euros will become tax deductible, while pensions will be exempt from paying health insurance contributions.
HUNGER STRIKE – The two leaders of the miners trade unions on Jiu Valley, central Romania, whove been on hunger strike for the past week, today called off their strike action. The miners call for cutting the working week to four days, observing the provisions stipulated in the collective employment agreement, ensuring adequate equipment for underground work and sacking the management of the Hunedoara Energy Compound. Currently employing some 5,200 people, the compound is facing severe financial problems and has all its accounts frozen.
TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Monica Niculescu, WTA no. 40, today qualified to the quarterfinals of the WTA tennis tournament in Hobart, Australia, totaling over 225 thousand dollars in prize money. In the round of 16 she ousted Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium, 73 WTA, 6-3, 6-2. In the next round Niculescu will play the winner of the game pitting Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic against Risa Ozaki of Japan. Niculescu has also secured qualification in the quarterfinals of the doubles event, alongside Abigail Spears of the United States. The two are first-seeded in the Hobart competition and will play the winners in the match between Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands and Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic and Pauline Parmentier of France and Fracesca Schiavone of Italy. Also in the womens doubles, Raluca Olaru of Romania and Olga Savchuk of Ukraine, who played the Shenzhen finals this month, advanced to the quarterfinals after winning 6-4, 6-2 against the pair made up of Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands and Johanna Larsson of Sweden. Olaru and Savchuk will be playing Ukrainian twins Lyudmyla and Nadia Kichenok. (Translated by V. Palcu)
