January 13, 2014
A roundup of domestic and international news.
România Internațional, 13.01.2014, 14:22
The ruling Social Liberal Union has today decided in Bucharest to hold the referendum for the validation of constitutional changes at the same time with the elections for the European Parliament in May. The announcement was made by the two leaders of the Social Liberal Union, the Social Democrat Victor Ponta and the Liberal Crin Antonescu. Also decided at the meeting was the date of the presidential elections, set at the beginning of November, 45 days before the mandate of the current head of state expires. USL also agreed to change the Election Law and return to the voting system based on lists in the case of deputies, whose maximum number will be 300. The alliance’s priorities in 2014 are the institutional reform, the Constitution revision and a joint programme at the europarliamentary elections.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who died on Saturday, aged 85, will be buried on Monday afternoon at his ranch in the Negev desert, in southern Israel, during a military ceremony. He wanted to be buried next to his late wife, Lily, who was born in Brasov, Romania. Family members and political personalities from Israel and abroad, such as the American vice-president Joe Biden, the former British Premier Tony Blair and the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid their homage on Monday afternoon, in a ceremony held in front of the Israeli Parliament. Considered a hero in his country, Ariel Sharon was seen as a war criminal by Palestinians.
The birth rate in Romania continues to go down, with the smallest number of newborn being reported last year. The decrease started right after 1989 and, according to the head of the Romanian Academy’s Center for Demographic Research, Vasile Ghetau, this was something to be expected once the restrictions on contraception and abortion were lifted. From 370,000 births in 1989 the number went down to 200,000 over the past 10 years.
The United States and the European Union have hailed Iran’s decision to curb its nuclear program following the agreement signed with the six major powers in November 2013. The agreement is designed to curtail Iran’s nuclear activities for a 6-month period starting on January 20th in exchange for sanctions relief from the six major powers: Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
With three awards for best comedy, best lead role and best supportive role, the film “American Hustle”, directed by David O. Russell is the big winner of the 71st edition of the Golden Globes, held on Sunday evening in Los Angeles. “12 Years as a Slave” by Steve McQueen won the award for best film drama, while the Mexican Alfonso Cuaron is the best director of 2013 for his film “Gravity”.
Romanian tennis player Monica Niculescu, seeded the 60th in the WTA rankings has today qualified to the second round of Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year. Niculescu beat Shahar Peer of Israel, 6-4, 6-1. In the men’s doubles the Romanian Horia Tecau and the Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer will be up against the team made up of Teimuraz Gabasvili of Russia and Mihail Kukuskin of Kazakhstan.
