January 2, 2015 UPDATE
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România Internațional, 02.01.2015, 12:15
The weather in Romania will get slightly warmer in the next 24 hours. Snow will be reported in the northwest and in the mountains and sleet in the rest of the territory. The lows will range from minus 10 to plus 1 degree C while the highs will range from minus 3 to plus 6 degrees C. Over the past days energy consumption has grown by more than 50% due to the very low temperatures reported on the New Year’s Eve night. The lowest temperature reported in Romania this winter stood at minus 32 degrees C and was registered on the New Year’s Eve night in Intorsura Buzaului, in the central Romanian county of Covasna, while in Miercurea Ciuc and Brasov the temperatures stood at minus 29 degrees C. The frost was preceded by heavy snowfalls that disrupted road and rail traffic, but now traffic on all national roads has been resumed.
The Romanian Foreign Ministry hails the marking of the European Year for Development in 2015. In a press release, the ministry shows that the European Year for Development draws attention to such issues as the role and responsibility of Romania, as a EU member state, as to the efforts for global development and eradication of poverty. In the European year for Development the Romanian Foreign Ministry intends to carry out, alongside its partners, information campaigns for the Romanian citizens to make them aware of the international cooperation efforts for global development and of their importance. 2015 has been designated European year for Development through a decision of the European Parliament and the European Council. The EU is the biggest donor of aid for development in the world, providing more than half of the aid granted at world level. Romania’s national budget allotted for official aid for development amounted in 2013 at more than 100 million euros. Romania is channeling the greatest part of its aid for development to the neighboring Republic of Moldova.
The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, has urged the Romanian believers to help the needy. In his New Year message the Romanian Patriarch has called for solidarity with the poor families and the needy. Previously, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, in his New Year message, wished all Romanians from the country and from aboard that 2015 should be the year when all hopes become reality. He also expressed confidence that 2015 would be the beginning of normality in Romania and urged all Romanians to leave behind whatever divides them and foster those values that unite them. The Social Democratic PM Victor Ponta wrote on his Facebook page that he was convinced that 2015 would be a better year. The last King of Romania, and his wife, Queen Anne, also wished to all Romanians a Happy New Year with joy, good luck, health and achievements.
The Muslim community in Romania marked the birth of the prophet Mohammed on January 2nd. Religious services were held on this occasion and in the evening recitals of songs dedicated to the prophet were organized. Numbering almost 60 thousand people, the Muslim community in Romania, made up mainly of ethnic Tartars and Turks, is located in Dobrogea, in the south east, on the Black Sea coast, a province that was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for hundreds of years.
The Italian authorities announced that on Friday they took over control of a ship with 450 migrants that was abandoned by its crew off Italy’s coast. 3 days ago a total of 796 migrants were rescued from another ship found abandoned without any crew by the Italian Coat Guard.
