January 10, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 10.01.2026, 19:30
Frost. The Romanian energy system is prepared to cope with the low temperatures forecast for the next few days, energy minister Bogdan Ivan said. He explained that despite an increase in natural gas consumption by 20% nationwide at the beginning of next week, the fact that the electricity storage facilities are 70% full, which is well above the European average, is a safety net. This was possible due to the storage process, which began in the summer, when prices were lower, but also to the fact that Romania has its own electricity production. A 5-day alert for cold, with mixed precipitation, black ice, snow and wind gusts was issued on Saturday morning. Temperatures of up to minus 10 degrees Celsius were forecast for Saturday in the northeast and part of the centre of the country, areas where yellow code alert for extremely low temperatures is in place. The alert extends to the west, northwest, north, the entire centre, east and the mountains area from Saturday evening. The lows will be between minus 15 and minus 6 degrees Celsius, and the highs between minus 10 and minus 2 degrees Celsius, with cold snaps during the day.
Agreement. Mercosur, the European Union’s trade agreement with Latin American countries is being heavily contested ahead of its signing next week. After being approved by a majority of EU member states, Poland threatens to take the matter to the European Court of Justice, and in France, a country that voted against the agreement, opposition parties are preparing no-confidence motions against the government, blaming president Emmanuel Macron for not being able to block the agreement. In addition to Poland and France, Austria, Ireland and Hungary also opposed the agreement, while Belgium abstained. Romania voted in favour of Mercosur. Our country will gain new markets for exports, and our agriculture is protected, said president Nicuşor Dan. The Social Democratic Party, in the coalition government, complains, however, that the agreement lacks clear clauses guaranteeing that Romanian farmers will be protected from imports from Latin America. The Alliance for the Union of Romanians, in opposition, says the document is a devastating blow to Romanian farmers and those from other European states. Negotiations on a trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, have been held since 1999.
Iran. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that Europe stands fully behind Iranian protesters and condemns the violent repression of the demonstrations, driven mainly by the country’s economic situation. Although the regime in Tehran has blocked access to the internet, satellite images of people shot and killed have emerged from Iran. In Bucharest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalls that a level 8/9 warning is in force for the entire territory of Iran and is advising Romanian citizens to avoid any form of travel to that country, in the context of the anti-government demonstrations there and the high risk of escalation. The ministry is advising Romanian citizens already in Iran to avoid demonstrations and crowded places and responsibly assess the need to further stay in the country.
Tennis. Romanian tennis players Jaqueline Cristian, Sorana Cîrstea and Gabriela Ruse on Saturday won their first round qualifying matches for the WTA 500 tournament in Adelaide (Australia), worth over 1.2 million US dollars in prize money. Jaqueline Cristian defeated Australia’s Sarah Mildren, 7-6, 6-2. Sorana Cîrstea defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri 6-3, 6-3. Initially, the Romanian player was supposed to face the Czech player Karolina Pliskova, who withdrew due to an injury. Finally, Gabriela Ruse won against Britain’s Katie Swan 6-7, 6-2, 6-3.
